JP2002304374A - User authentication method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage duplicate user names on a network. SOLUTION: In this authentication system wherein a sever 20 is connected to terminal equipment 10 by using a prescribed means of communication, the terminal equipment 10 transmits plural user attributes and a password as the contents of user registration. In a user registration program in the server 20, they are compared with an already existing user information DB 210, and as long as the plural user attributes do not completely coincide with the DB, the user registration is permitted. Thereby, the user name the user is accustomed to use can be used, by enabling control of the duplicate user names.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for authenticating a user's access qualification in a network environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a homepage for a specific user, a login server, or the like, it is very important to confirm that the other party is the user, that is, to perform user authentication. This is to identify the logged-in user by performing user authentication, charge the specified user, or provide a service.

In the conventional user authentication, a user name is used as a name for identifying an individual, and the user name needs to be a unique name that can identify a user. When a user name is used, a duplicate user name cannot be registered on the same system in order to identify a user. Therefore, different user names exist by the number of registered users.

[0004]

However, since the user name cannot be duplicated in the above-mentioned prior art, when a user registers a user name, the requested user name is already registered by another user. Registration is often rejected, and the possibility of duplication is high when using the first name or initials of the name. For this reason, the acquisition of the user name is practically the quickest one, and it is very difficult for an authentication system with many registered users to register with the user name desired by the user.

[0005] Under such circumstances, when a user logs in to a plurality of homepages, the user is registered with a different user name for each login destination. For this reason, one user may own a plurality of user names. This is because the identification of the user is performed using only one piece of information, so that duplication often occurs.

In particular, when a last name or a first name is used, there is a very high possibility of duplication, and it is very difficult for a user to obtain a desired user name. Such a situation forces the user to memorize a plurality of user names, and the user uses different user names depending on the login destination, which is inconvenient for the user.
It can also cause you to forget your registration information.

An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a personal authentication system which enables a plurality of users to use the same user name.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and does not specify a user with only one value such as a user name, but also specifies a user's last name, first name, birthday, and the like. The user is specified using the plurality of attributes possessed. Further, at least one of a plurality of attributes is set as a password.

With this configuration, one user ID
, The user registration is performed if the other IDs are different.

In addition, by using a plurality of values to specify a user, duplication of user information is reduced, and even if one user attribute is the same, user registration is possible if the other user attributes are different. Registration becomes possible with user attributes that have been used.

By using the plurality of user attributes, duplication of the user name is reduced, and the user can log in with the used user attributes.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of user information sent from a terminal to an authentication management device at the time of user registration and user authentication in the present invention.

In this embodiment, it is possible to set N user attributes and one password at the time of user registration. The plurality of attributes possessed by the user are collectively described as user attributes. The user attribute is, for example, a conventional user name, registration date and time, date of birth, address, and the like, and is not limited thereto, and can be set by another authentication system.

In this embodiment, of the N user attributes,
M preset in the system (M, 2 ≦ M ≦ N)
Is compared with registered user information inside or outside the accreditation management device. With such a configuration,
Unless the M user attributes completely match, user registration is permitted.

In this embodiment, in order to facilitate user input, M-1 or less user attributes among the N user attributes can be set as password-shared user attributes. That is, when logging in from the terminal device, j (j, 1 ≦ j ≦ M−1) user attributes can be used as a password (password-shared user attribute), and the trouble of inputting the password is omitted. , Mj user attributes and j password / user attributes in combination with registered user attribute information (UV _{1 to} UV _N ) stored inside or outside the authentication management device, If all match, perform user authentication.

Therefore, even if a password is not input, by treating M-1 or less user attributes as a password, it becomes possible to log in only with a password-shared user attribute without using a password. Can be simplified.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of table information stored in a user information database (DB) as user information.

The user information DB stores information on a plurality of user attributes and passwords, and has a leakage flag as a component. Here, the leak flag is set when the password / user attribute leaks to the outside. In the case of the password-shared user attribute, the password and the information of the user attribute I are stored in the contents column.

If another user accidentally requests user registration with the same user attribute as a user who has already been registered, the user registration fails. The failure of the user registration means that the same user attribute has already been registered, which has been leaked.

In order to reduce user input at the time of user authentication, if a password can be omitted and login can be performed only with a password-shared user attribute, if all user attributes are leaked, login can be performed only with that user attribute. Would. That is, if the Mj user attributes and the j password-shared user attributes among the registered information from other users match the registered user attribute information, the registration request is rejected, and the registered contents are rejected. In the next and subsequent logins, security is assured by requesting a password in addition to Mj user attributes and j password-shared user attributes. Therefore, if a registration request is issued with the same user attribute as that of a registered user, by setting this leak flag, the omission of the password is prohibited and security is ensured.

FIG. 3 shows a hardware configuration for user registration according to the present embodiment.

The user uses the input means 101 of the terminal via the network to input N user attributes and passwords. The user registration information is transmitted to the information management device 20 using the communication means 102 of the terminal. The user registration information received by the information management device 20 is passed to the user registration program 202.

The user registration program includes registered user information stored in a user information DB 210 possessed internally or externally by the information management apparatus, and M user attributes set in advance in the system among received user attributes. For, search for registration information in which M user attributes completely match. If the same user registration does not exist,
The user registration program adds user information to the user information DB 210 and uses the
Reply the registration success information to.

If there is already a user registration with all the user attributes matched, the user registration program sets the leak flag to ON in the duplicated data in the user information DB 210 and uses the communication means 201 to Terminal 1
0 is returned as registration failure information.

The processing flow of user registration using this hardware configuration will be described.

First, a user inputs a user attribute and a password for registration. The input user attribute is compared with the already registered user, and if there is no user whose M user attributes match, a user registration process is performed. If there is a user whose user attributes are already matched, the leak flag of the user registration information is set, and the registration process is failed.

Next, a flow of a user login process will be described with reference to FIG.

First, a user inputs a user attribute for login. If the leak flag is not set, the entered user attribute is compared with the user information DB, and if they match, login is permitted. If the leak flag is set, a message prompting the user to enter a password is displayed and the user is prompted to enter a password.

The input user attribute and password are compared with the user information DB, and if they match, login is permitted.

As described above, since the user registration is performed using a plurality of user attributes, it is possible to perform the registration with the used user attributes. Also, even if a request with matching user attributes occurs and user information is leaked,
By using a password, the same level of security can be assured.

[0032]

According to the present invention, the same user name can be registered by a plurality of users.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of user information used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a table configuration diagram of a user information DB.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a user registration process of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a user login process of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 terminal, 20 authentication management device, 101 input means,
102: transfer means, 201: transfer means, 202: user registration program, 210: user information DB

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yuuji Nishimura 810 Shimo-Imaizumi, Ebina-shi, Kanagawa F-term in the Internet Platform Division of Hitachi, Ltd. 5B085 AA08 AE02 AE03 BC01

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A network system for permitting a user to log in by using user authentication information and a password, a storage unit for storing a plurality of user attribute information as the user authentication information, and at least one of the plurality of user attribute information. Means for setting one as a password,
A control unit for permitting the registration of the user when the user having the plurality of pieces of user attribute information is not already registered.