Alias-based social media identity verification

摘要

An approach is provided to use social media content to verify the identity of a user using aliases established by the user in a social media environment. In the approach, a user authentication request pertaining to a user is received. Aliases corresponding to the user's social media contacts are retrieved from a social media data store. User questions and expected answers are prepared based on the user's social media contacts and the corresponding aliases. The user is prompted to provide one or more user answers responsive to the user questions. In response to receiving answers that match the expected answers, the user authentication request is confirmed. Conversely, in response to receiving user answers that fail to match the expected answers, the user authentication request is invalidated.

主权项

1. A method of social media based identity verification, implemented by an information handling system, the method comprising:
receiving a user authentication request pertaining to a user; retrieving one or more aliases corresponding to one or more social media contacts of the user, wherein the one or more aliases are configured by the user prior to the reception of the authentication request; calculating a divergence strength score corresponding to a plurality of social media activities, wherein limiting overlap between the one or more social media contacts from which the plurality of social media activities are obtained increases the divergence strength score; preparing one or more user questions and one or more expected answers based on the one or more aliases corresponding to the user's one or more social media contacts and the plurality of social media activities, wherein the one or more user questions and one or more expected answers are further based upon obtaining a divergence strength score that correlates to a security level received with the user authentication request; prompting the user to provide one or more user answers responsive to the one or more user questions; responsive to determining that the one or more user answers match the one or more expected answers, confirming the user authentication request; and responsive to determining that the one or more user answers fail to match the one or more expected answers, invalidating the user authentication request.