Patent ID: 9722996
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: G06F,H04L

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method of authenticating a user based on a partial password, comprising executing, on at least one processor, the steps of: receiving, from a client computer by a network interface of a server computer, a user identifier and risk attributes associated with an authentication request; generating a risk score for the authentication request based on the risk attributes and the user identifier, wherein relatively higher risk scores are generated for authentication requests associated with risk attributes indicating a higher risk of fraud; generating, based on the risk score for the authentication request, a minimum partial password size for the authentication request, wherein the minimum partial password size is less than a length of a complete password associated with the user identifier, and wherein relatively smaller minimum partial password sizes are generated for relatively lower risk scores; receiving a set of user-entered password characters, wherein the set of user-entered password characters has a length equal to the minimum partial password size; comparing the set of user-entered password characters to a partial password stored in association with the user identifier, the partial password having a length equal to the minimum partial password size; and in response to the set of user-entered password characters matching the partial password, generating and transmitting a message, from the network interface of the server computer to the client computer, the message indicating that the user is completely authenticated and immediately granting the user full and complete access to a requested secure resource without receipt of the complete password associated with the user identifier by the server computer, and wherein receipt of the message by the client computer causes the client computer to immediately stop inputting user entered password characters prior to the user entering the complete password.