Method and apparatus for enabling authentication of on-line communications

摘要

Method and apparatus for enabling authentication of on-line communications. In some embodiments, a message code is embedded in an e-mail, where the message code can be used by the recipient to verify the authenticity of the e-mail or of a Web site. In some embodiments, this code can be created for a particular e-mail message; in other embodiments, the code is created as a watermark for use by a customer or other a specific user or recipient. The message code is associated with both the e-mail message and the recipient. In the case of a message-specific code, a recipient can verify the e-mail message by inputting the code via a Web server to be looked up in the database. Provision is also made for including stenographic information in graphical or other codes as further authentication when accessing a Web site.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
associating a message code with a user identifier; receiving the user identifier from a user, wherein the receiving occurs after the associating the message code with the user identifier; determining, using a hardware processor, that the user identifier is associated with the message code, wherein the determining occurs after the receiving the user identifier; presenting the message code to the user based at least partially on the determining that the user identifier is associated with the message code; receiving a user authentication from the user after presenting the message code to the user; determining that the received user authentication is associated with the user identifier and the message code; and providing the user with access to a secured resource based on the determining that the authentication is associated with the user identifier and the message code.