Patent WO-2005109360-A1 (WO)
Inventor: GIRGIS HANI
IPC: G06Q20/00
Filed: 2004-05-10
Abstract: It is a process that allows a user to make secure PIN-based transactions using his personal computer. The steps are: a) Preparing transaction data b) Storing it in non-volatile memory, c) Restarting or hibernating the computer, d) Booting into a secure, un-networked, environment from a bootable media or device; this bootable media or device must be sufficiently difficult to counterfeit and sufficiently difficult to tamper with the data stored in it and optionally difficult to copy, e) Securely launching the secure PIN entry software, f) Loading transaction data from the non-volatile memory, g) Presenting the transaction data to the user and optionally allowing the user to modify and/or complete it, h) Secure PIN entry resulting in an encrypted PIN block and/ or enabling the use and/or the generation of the appropriate keys for creating message au­thentication code(s) and/or cryptogram(s) and/or digital signature(s) according to the transaction security standards; The user can also enter a password to enable secure access to password encrypted secret keys, private keys and confidential data; The user can also enter secure in­formation to update his records in the server side system, like a user choosable CVV2/CVC2 or new 3D Secure password , i) Storing the secured transaction request in non-volatile memory, j) Restarting the computer back to normal operation, k) Loading the secured transaction request from non-volatile memory, 1) Sending the transaction for authorization, m) Receiving the response, n) Presenting the response to the user and optionally storing it. The process radically protects the user from any malicious software that might affect the security of PIN entry; it dra­matically reduces the user responsibilities to physical security considerations only, like those in ATM transactions. The user should use a personal computer that he is knows that it does not contain malicious hardware; this could easily be his own notebook or PC at home. He should still quickly check that there is no external hardware key logger attached to the computer. The process enables non-repudiation in e-commerce transactions. The process is also an ideal solution for securing the use of smartcards on personal computers. The ability for the user to specify the CVV2/CVC2 that will be used in the next Internet e­commerce transaction is invaluable because it allows for extermely secure e-commerce without requiring any change in the merchant system, acquirer bank system and the card transactions network, like VISA and MasterCard. In the case where the personal computer by default boots into a system that fulfills the security requirements mentioned, like an MIDP2.0 Java mobile phone for example, then the personal computer, which is the mobile phone, is already secure, hence a stripped down version of the process is the only thing needed. A Java mobile phone is secure because it either allows the application to run in the sand-box model or the application must be digitally signed to execute with the requested privileges; this prevents any malicious software from having the privilege to make any critical action.