Patent Publication Number: US-2023153560-A1

Title: Generating barcodes utilizing cryptographic techniques

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/108,932, filed on Dec. 1, 2020, which is a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/725,843, filed on Dec. 23, 2019 (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,885,410 on Jan. 5, 2021). The contents of both aforementioned patent and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     The present application is related to application Ser. No. 16/135,954 entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING CARD INTERACTIONS” filed on Sep. 19, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments herein generally relate to computing platforms, and more specifically, to generate a barcode useful for completing a transaction by authenticating a user based on an authenticated communication between a contactless transaction card and a user device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Activating many cards, and more specifically financial cards (e.g., credit cards), involve the time-consuming process of cardholders calling a telephone number or visiting a website and entering or otherwise providing card information. Further, while the growing use of chip-based financial cards provides more secure features over the previous technology (e.g., magnetic strip cards) for in-person purchases, account access still typically relies on log-in credentials (e.g., username and password) to confirm a cardholder&#39;s identity and/or otherwise complete a transaction. However, if the log-in credentials are compromised, another person could have access to the user&#39;s account. 
     Accordingly, there is a need to improve authentication mechanisms for account access and the competition of transactions, including payment transactions. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, articles of manufacture, and computer-readable media for generating a barcode to complete a transaction, including but not limited to a payment transaction. According to one or more examples, an online or offline protocol is used to verify and/or authenticate a user in order to generate the barcode. 
     According to one example, an application executing on a computer system may initiate an online authorization transaction to verify an identity of a user with a third-party device. (In various embodiments, the application may be launched by tapping the contactless card on a user device, e.g. a mobile device). The application executed on the system, as part of the transaction, may initiate a communication using near field communication (NFC), with a card associated with the user. (In various embodiments, the application may be launched by tapping the contactless card on a user device, e.g. a mobile device). The communication may include receiving a plurality of inputs by the application, including an application transaction counter (ATC) and generating a cryptogram based on the plurality of inputs and a symmetric key associated with the contactless card. The application may then transmit the cryptogram and the ATC to the issuer, and the issuer may provide a response verifying the identity of the user based on the transmitted cryptogram, where the received response is based in part on recreation of the symmetric key and/or the cryptogram. Once the verification is complete, the issuer may provide the mobile device or the contactless card with an authentication token that can be used to generate a barcode, where the barcode can be scanned and decrypted to obtain access to one or more features of an application. In various embodiments, the verification process, and any or all of the operations associated therewith, may be initiated by tapping the contactless card on the user device, e.g. a mobile device of the user. 
     According to another example, an online and/or offline authentication may be employed to authenticate a user and generate the barcode. A system or apparatus with a memory to store instructions and a processor circuit capable of executing the instructions may employ the offline verification and subsequent generation of the barcode. The execution of the instructions may cause the processor circuitry to perform one or more operations. The operations may include receiving, from an application associated with a user device, a user credential, e.g. a password and username, that is associated with a user profile. (In various embodiments, the application may be launched by tapping the contactless card on a user device, e.g. a mobile device). Another operation may include comparing the received user credential to a second (stored) user credential, e.g. stored versions of the password/username combination. (In various embodiments, the first comparison may also be initiated by a tapping of the contactless card on a user device, e.g. a mobile device). If a match is found, and in response thereto, one or more verification operations may be performed, including communicating, by the application and using near field communication (NFC), with a contactless card, where the contactless card may be associated with the user account and cardholder information, receiving, by the application and from the card, a public key of a key pair of the card and cardholder identification information of an account holder of the card, instructing, by the application, generation of a digital signature by the card using a private key of the key pair of the card, receiving the digital signature from the card, and verifying the digital signature using the public key. In various embodiments, responsive to performing the at least one verification operation, the application may facilitate generation of an encrypted authorization token associated with the account, which may then be used to generate a barcode on i) a computing device associated with the processing circuitry or ii) the contactless card utilizing the encrypted authorization token. 
     According to yet another example, a contactless card with a communication interface for communicating with a computing device, and a processing circuitry for storing information is provided, where the information is configured and/or provided in part by one or more of an online and/or offline authorization or verification technique as disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the information includes an authorization token received from a transaction associated with the computing device. The authorization token can be transmitted to the contactless card (a surface of the card with the display) and embedded as part of a dynamic barcode that is displayed on the contactless card for purposes of completing a transaction, such as a payment transaction. In various embodiments, the dynamic barcode is pre-configured by the authorization token to authorize a single transaction, and to expire after the authorization of the single transaction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates an embodiments of a system for verifying or authenticating a user according to a payment protocol. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates at least one embodiments of tapping to verify a user utilizing a payment protocol. 
         FIG.  3    illustrate at least one embodiment of generating a barcode based on the tapping and verification of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIGS.  4 A- 4 B  illustrate an example contactless card. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates an embodiment of a first logic flow. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates an embodiment of a second logic flow. 
         FIG.  7 A  illustrates an embodiment of a third logic flow. 
         FIG.  7 B  illustrates an embodiment of a fourth logic flow. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates an embodiment of a computing architecture. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present disclosure include systems, methods, and/or techniques for providing authenticated cardholder access. Generally, various embodiments relate to generating a barcode utilizing an online or offline authentication protocol, where the barcode may be utilized for completing one or more transactions, including a payment transaction. In various embodiments, a barcode is generated pursuant to an online or offline authentication protocol, but in order to further enhance security, it is valid only for a single transaction, and thereafter expires to prevent an inappropriate use of an application associated with the single transaction. Consistent with the disclosed embodiments, the systems and methods may utilize one or more computing devices, processors, web servers, account servers, and/or contactless devices (e.g., radio frequency identification (RFID) cards). 
     Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide one or more benefits in terms of verifying a user and completing a transaction, such as a payment transaction, including taking advantage of enhanced security offered by dynamic authentication techniques, e.g. online and/or online and offline techniques, while also utilizing a barcode to complete a transaction (which offers both convenience and additional security). In various embodiments, utilizing the online technique and/or the offline enhances the efficiency of a computer device, e.g. a mobile phone, by providing a single method for authenticating or verifying a user across one or more applications, even if the one or more applications are distinct in their purpose, e.g. a transportation application in relation to an entertainment application. Accordingly, in various embodiments, an authorization protocol can be used to efficiently and more securely authenticate a user across different applications and purposes, and then utilize a barcode generated as a result of the verification to complete a transaction associated with one or more of the different applications, including transactions and operations that may or may not involve making a payment. 
       FIG.  1    depicts a schematic of an exemplary system  100 , consistent with disclosed embodiments. As shown, the system  100  includes one or more contactless cards  101 , one or more mobile devices  110 , and a server  120 . The contactless cards  101  are representative of any type of payment card, such as a credit card, debit card, ATM card, gift card, and the like. In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  or card  101  is a virtual payment card. The contactless cards  101  may comprise one or more chips (not depicted), such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, configured to communicate with the mobile devices  110  via NFC, the EMV standard, or other short-range protocols in wireless communication. Although NFC is used as an example communications protocol, the disclosure is equally applicable to other types of wireless communications, such as other suitable communication protocols pursuant to the EMV standard, Bluetooth, and/or Wi-Fi. The mobile devices  110  are representative of any type of network-enabled computing devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, wearable devices, laptops, portable gaming devices, and the like. The server  120  is representative of any type of computing device, such as a server, workstation, computer cluster, cloud computing platform, virtualized computing system, and the like. 
     As shown, a memory  102  of the contactless card includes card data  103 , a counter  104 , a master key  105 , a diversified key  106 , a unique customer identifier  107 , and a data store of account numbers  108 . The card data  103  generally includes account-related information, such as information used to process a payment using the contactless card  101 . For example, the card data  103  may comprise an account number, an expiration date, a billing address, and a card verification value (CVV). The account number may be any type of account number, such as a primary account number (PAN), a virtual account number, and/or a token generated based on the PAN. Other types of account numbers are contemplated, and the use of the account number or other types of card data  103  should not be considered limiting of the disclosure. The card data  103  may further include names, billing address, shipping address, and other account-related information. The account numbers  108  store one-time-use virtual account numbers with associated expiration dates and CVV values. For example, the account numbers  108  may include thousands single-use virtual account numbers, expiration dates, and CVV values. 
     As shown, a memory  111  of the mobile device  110  includes an instance of an operating system (OS)  112  and a processor  119  may execute one or more operations associated with the applications of the operating system (OS)  112  and/or perform any other suitable operation associated with processor activity, including comparison operations and executing instructions associated with memory  111 . Example operating systems  112  include the Android® OS, iOS®, Linux®, and Windows® operating systems. As shown, the OS  112  includes one or more applications, including an account application  113 , an authentication or verification application or service  114  (hereinafter referred to as “authentication application” for convenience), one or more other applications  115 , and/or one or more access applications  116 . The account application  113  allows users to perform various account-related operations, such as viewing account balances, purchasing items, and processing payments. Initially, a user may authenticate using authentication credentials to access the account application  113 . For example, the authentication credentials may include a username and password, biometric credentials, and the like. 
     The authentication application  114  is generally configured to determine when a user requires authentication for a transaction, service, or accessibility request, including for completing a payment associated with an application. For example, the authentication application  114  may determine that a user requires access to a particular application and/or to complete a transaction or payment associated therewith, such as access application  116 . Access application  116  may be or may include an application configured to grant access to one or more features of a particular service associated with a user account, such as a transportation service (e.g. public transit), bank account, health insurance account, a financial account or financial application that contains account balances, brokerage information, or any other suitable financial data, a service application (retail services, delivery services, entertainment services, gaming services, etc.), and any other suitable application that may require user authentication. In various embodiments, the access application  116  may be associated with a payment feature, e.g. a credit or bank account for making or receiving payment, and/or the authentication transaction may still implicate a non-payment feature for authentication or verification, e.g. credit or debit card activation. In various embodiments, access application  116  is a retail or goods/services provision application, and one or more features associated with access application  116  involves completing a payment in association with goods or services offered in relation to access application  116 , where, as discussed below, the transaction or payment in association therewith can be completed by scanning a barcode generated pursuant to an online and/or offline authorization protocol. In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  may facilitate the authentication protocol utilizing a separate API interface and call for access to access applications  116 . The authentication application  114  may be configured to verify a user by utilizing any suitable protocol, including one or more of any verification process utilizing cryptographic techniques, an EMV standard or authentication protocol compliant with an EMV standard. In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  is configured to synchronize a counter  104  associated with a contactless card  101  and a server  120  associated with an issuer that can communicate with the contactless card  101  and the mobile device when an authentication of a user takes place. 
     In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  may coordinate with the server  120  and/or the contactless card  101  to log an authorization for a non-payment transaction in relation to a counter  104 . The log may be a counter log  121  located in a memory  122  of the server  120  or a memory  102  of the contactless card  101 . The log may keep a separate transaction tally of transactions that are payment transactions and non-payment transactions, irrespective of the total tally of the counter  104 , and the server  120  or the contactless card  101 . The server  120  and/or the authentication application  114  communicating with the contactless card may utilize the information contained therein for an anti-fraud measure. For example, the authentication application  114  and/or the server  120  may decline a payment transaction if a threshold number of non-payment transactions is too small (or too large) in between the non-payment transactions and the payment transaction or vice versa. In various embodiments, the counter log  121  containing distinguishing information, e.g. counts, between non-payment and payment transactions may be used for any other suitable purposes during an online or offline verification protocol. 
     In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  is associated with the account application  113 . For example, the authentication application  114  may be installed on the mobile device  110  with the account application  113 , and the user is prompted to enable the authentication application  114  subsequent to the installation. More generally, each time the account application  113  is opened, the account application  113  may determine whether the authentication application  114  is enabled as the default authentication application for the OS  112 . If the authentication application  114  is not enabled as the default authentication application, the account application  113  may prompt the user to enable the authentication application  114  as the default authentication application for the OS  112  and/or to enable one or more functionalities of the authentication application  114 . Once enabled as the default authentication application for the OS  112 , the authentication application  114  may programmatically identify when authorization applications require authentication and may utilize a payment protocol to enable the verification, even if a payment is not associated with the verification or authorization. In various embodiments, in order to initiate an authentication or verification protocol (e.g. at least one operation associated with an online or offline verification technique or protocol), the authentication application  114  may prompt the user to tap a contactless card  101  to the mobile device  110  to initiate the authentication application  114  or one or more operations associated therewith. 
     Generally, in various embodiments described herein, an online verification or authentication protocol may include one or more of the following operations: the authentication application may initiate a transaction to verify an identity of a user, where the authentication application may initiate the application in whole or in part, e.g. access application  116  and/or generate a barcode that can be scanned to access a feature of application  116  and/or complete a transaction in association therewith, by prompting the user to tap a contactless card  101  on a computer device, e.g. mobile device  110 . The transaction may involve an NFC communication between a card reader  118  and a contactless card  101 , where the contactless card  101  may provide the mobile device  110  with one or more inputs, including a latest version of an application transaction counter (ATC), and the contactless card  101  or the mobile device  110  (including any suitable components associated therewith) may generate a suitable cryptogram based on the plurality of inputs, and then the contactless card  101  or the mobile device  110  (including any suitable components associated therewith) may transmit the cryptogram and the ATC to an issuer of the contactless card  101  (e.g. a server  120  associated with the issuer). The user may then be verified and receive access to one or more features associated with application  116  by receiving a response from the issuer verifying or authorizing the user, where the received response is based on at least one cryptographic operations performed by the issuer (e.g. server  120 ) in response to receiving the cryptogram. 
     In various embodiments, once the user is verified, the server  120  may transmit an authentication token (using any suitable token generating technique) to the barcode generating application  117  associated with either the mobile device  110  and the contactless card  101 , where the barcode generating application  117  may cause the display  140 ,  141  of either the mobile device  110  and/or the contactless card  101  to display a barcode that can be scanned by any suitable scanning device. The authentication token can be configured to grant access to one or more features of access application  116 , including completing a payment transaction associated with the access application  116 , and in various embodiments, in order to enhance the security associated with the transaction, the server  120  may configure the authentication token to authorize a single transaction associated with access application  116 , and thereafter disabling the token/barcode from authorizing another operation in relation to access application  116  without another verification (online or offline) taking place. 
     Generally, in various embodiments described herein, an offline verification or authentication protocol may include one or more of the following operations: the authentication application  114 , in order to provide access to one or more features of access application  116  to a user, may initiate an NFC communication between the mobile device  110  and the contactless card  101 , and receive one or more inputs from the contactless card  101 , where the communication may utilize a card reader  118 . The authentication application  114  may facilitate receipt of a public key of a key pair from the contactless card  101  and cardholder identification information of an account holder (e.g. user) of the card. An application or component associated with the contactless card  101  and/or the authentication application  114  may instruct a component of the card  101  to generate a digital signature by using a private key of the key pair of the card, and the mobile device  110  may receive the digital signature from the card  101  and verify the signature using the public key. As described herein, the protocol may be initiated by one or more taps of the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110 . In various embodiments, once the user is verified, the access application  114  may transmit an authentication token (using any suitable token generating technique) to the barcode generating application  117  associated with either the mobile device  110  and the contactless card  101 , where the barcode generating application  117  may cause the display  140 ,  141  of either the mobile device  110  and/or the contactless card  101  to display a barcode that can be scanned by any suitable scanning device. The authentication token can be configured to grant access to one or more features of access application  116 , including completing a payment transaction associated with the access application  116 , and in various embodiments, in order to enhance the security associated with the transaction, the authentication application  114  may configure the authentication token to authorize a single transaction associated with access application  116 , and thereafter disabling the token/barcode from authorizing another operation in relation to access application  116  without another verification (online or offline) taking place. 
     In various embodiments, a hybrid protocol may be utilized involving one or more operations of the online and offline protocol, where the online protocol may be initiated by a first or second tap of the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110  and/or a first or second user credential comparison, and the offline protocol may be initiated by a first or second tap of the mobile device  110  on the contactless card  101  and/or a first or second user credential comparison, where the combination of offline and online protocols may be part of a single verification or authentication or where each may be associated with a partial verification or authentication. 
     In various embodiments, where the contactless card  101  is a virtual payment card, the authentication application  114  may retrieve information associated with the contactless card  101  by accessing a digital wallet implemented on the mobile device  110 , where the digital wallet includes the virtual payment card. 
     As shown, the server  120  further includes a data store of account data  124  and a memory  122 . The account data  124  includes account-related data for a plurality of users and/or accounts. The account data  124  may include at least a master key  105 , counter  104 , such as an application transaction counter (“ATC”)  104  a customer ID  107 , an associated contactless card  101 , account holder name, account billing address, one or more shipping addresses, one or more virtual card numbers, and biographical information for each account. The memory  122  includes a management application  123  and instances of the card data  103 , the counter  104 , master key  105 , and diversified key  106  for one or more accounts from the account data  124 . 
     The system  100  is configured to implement key diversification to secure data, which may be referred to as a key diversification technique herein. The system  100  may implement an online authentication protocol or a hybrid online and offline authentication protocol. Both the online authentication protocol and hybrid offline and online authentication protocol may utilize one or more operations of the server  120 . 
     In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  receives, from a user, a first application user credential associated with a user profile. The first application user credential may include biometrics data, an established gesture associated with user recognition, a username and password combination, and/or the like. The processor  119  compares the first application user credential with a stored second application user credential. The stored second application user credential may be associated with the user identity and it may be stored either in the memory  111  of mobile device  110  or in the memory  122  of the server  120 . In various embodiments, the stored second application user credential is maintained on the server  120  and the first match is performed by the server  120 . In various embodiments, upon determining a first match between the first application user credential and the stored second application user credential, the authentication application  114  may grant the user access to one or more first-level user account options of a user account associated with access application  116 . The user account may be a financial account, a health insurance account, and/or any other account of the like associated with any service provider (e.g., a transit account, an entertainment account, etc.). Once the first match is determined, the user may access certain first-level user account options associated with access application  116 , without the generation of a barcode occurring and without a completion of a transaction occurring, e.g. completion of a payment. The first-level user account options of a user account may include a display of an account balance, a display of recent transactions, and/or the like. For greater access and/or executing certain account functions, i.e., second-level user account options, such as executing a payment transaction, a second-level of authentication may be required, such as fully completing an online and/or offline authentication protocol, generating an authentication token in response to successful completion of the protocol, and generating a barcode for scanning (utilizing the authentication token), where the scanning completes the transaction, e.g. payment, associated with access application  116 . 
     Generally, the server  120  (or another computing device) and the contactless card  101  may be provisioned with the same master key  105  (also referred to as a master symmetric key). More specifically, each contactless card  101  is programmed with a distinct master key  105  that has a corresponding pair in the server  120 . For example, when a contactless card  101  is manufactured, a unique master key  105  may be programmed into the memory  102  of the contactless card  101 . Similarly, the unique master key  105  may be stored in a record of a customer associated with the contactless card  101  in the account data  124  of the server  120  (and/or stored in a different secure location). The master key may be kept secret from all parties other than the contactless card  101  and server  120 , thereby enhancing security of the system  100 . 
     The master keys  105  may be used in conjunction with the counters  104  to enhance security using key diversification. The counters  104  comprise values that are synchronized between the contactless card  101  and server  120 . The counter value  104  may comprise a number that changes each time data is exchanged between the contactless card  101  and the server  120  (and/or the contactless card  101  and the mobile device  110 ). To enable NFC data transfer between the contactless card  101  and the mobile device  110 , the account application  113  may communicate with the contactless card  101  when the contactless card  101  is sufficiently close to a card reader  118  (e.g. within NFC range) of the mobile device  110 . Card reader  118  may be a digital reader with NFC capabilities, e.g. an NFC reader, and may be configured to read from and/or communicate with contactless card  101  (e.g., via NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, etc.). Therefore, example card readers  118  include NFC communication modules, Bluetooth communication modules, and/or RFID communication modules. 
     For example, a user may require authorization or verification to access an access application  116 . One or more components of the system  100 , including authentication application  114  may initiate a communication (e.g. API call or another suitable mechanism) with the access application  116  to utilize one or more payment protocols to verify or authenticate the user, whether the access application  116 , or a particular aspect sought for access by the user of the access application  116 , does or does not involve making a payment. 
     In various embodiments, the one or more protocols may involve online techniques as discussed elsewhere herein. The authentication application  114  may provide a user with a prompt so that the user may tap the contactless card  101  to the mobile device  110 , thereby bringing the contactless card  101  sufficiently close to the card reader  118  of the mobile device  110  to enable NFC data transfer between the contactless card  101  and the card reader  118  of the mobile device  110 . In various embodiments, the mobile device  110  may trigger the card reader  118  via an API call. In addition, and/or alternatively, the mobile device  110  may trigger the card reader  118  based on periodically polling the card reader  118 . More generally, the mobile device  110  may trigger the card reader  118  to engage in communications using any feasible method. 
     In various embodiments, prior to initiating any communication in relation to the contactless card  101 , the card reader  118 , and the mobile device  110 , and/or immediately after establishing a communication between the contactless card  101  and the card reader  118 , the authentication application  114  may receive a first application user credential as a precondition for card activation and/or for commencing with the online or offline authentication protocol. A user may provide the first application user credentials after receiving a prompt from the authentication application to enter the credentials. As noted above, the first application user credentials may include biometrics data, an established gesture associated with user recognition, a username and password combination, facial recognition, and/or the like. As noted above, in various embodiments, the authentication application  114  communicates the first application user credentials to the processor  119 . The processor  119  compares the first application user credentials with stored second application user credential. The stored second application user credential may be located within a memory  111  associated with the mobile device  110 , the memory  102  associated with contactless card  101 , and/or a memory  122  associated with the server  120 . In various embodiments, the first application user credential is provided to the server  120 , and the server  120  compares the first application user credential to the stored second application user credential. In various embodiments, as noted above, the processor  119  communicates the comparison result to the authentication application  114  (e.g., for a match). In various embodiments, a first match may initiate or serve as precondition for one or more of i) initiating the rest of the online verification protocol for verifying or authenticating the user to access the access application  116  and/or ii) granting the user access to first-level user account options of a user account associated with access application  116  (e.g., display of an account balance and/or recent transactions) and/or iii) generating an authentication token that is provided to barcode generating application  117  for generation of a barcode that can be scanned to access one or more features associated with access application  116  and/or otherwise complete a transaction in association therewith, e.g. a payment transaction. As such, in various embodiments, responsive to finding a first match the verification authentication application initiates additional operations (associated with the online or offline verification process) to verify the user identity. 
     In various embodiments, the first match of the first application user credential to the stored second application user credential may or may not grant first-level access to an application, e.g. access application  116 , but the first match serves may, in any event, serve as a precondition for initiating at least one of the online and/or offline protocols. In various embodiments where the first-level access was not granted initially, successful completion of the at least one online and/or offline protocol results in granting first-level access. In various embodiments, the second-level access to access application  116  is granted immediately upon completion of at least one of the online and/or offline verification protocols and scanning of a barcode generated as a result of completion of one of those protocols, where the second-level access may refer to completing a payment transaction in relation to access application  116 . 
     In various embodiments, additional preconditions may be applied as a condition of initiating either the offline and/or online protocol, such as commencing the offline authentication protocol only if there is a network failure preventing the online authentication from taking place. 
     In various embodiments, irrespective of any other preconditions, a first tap of the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110  initiates one of the online and offline verification protocols and a second tap, subsequent tap, initiates the other one of the online and offline verification protocols. 
     In various embodiments, whether one or more preconditions is applied or takes place, after communication has been established between mobile device  110  and contactless card  101 , the contactless card  101  generates a message authentication code (MAC) cryptogram. In various embodiments, this may occur when the contactless card  101  is read by the account application  113 . In particular, this may occur upon a read, such as an NFC read, of a near field data exchange (NDEF) tag, which may be created in accordance with the NFC Data Exchange Format. For example, a reader, such as the account application  113  and/or the card reader  118 , may transmit a message, such as an applet select message, with the applet ID of an NDEF producing applet. In various embodiments, the generated cryptogram may be an authorization request cryptogram (ARQC) consistent with an EMV standard. 
     In various embodiments, upon confirmation of the selection, a sequence of select file messages followed by read file messages may be transmitted. For example, the sequence may include “Select Capabilities file”, “Read Capabilities file”, and “Select NDEF file”. At this point, the counter value  104  maintained by the contactless card  101  may be updated or incremented, which may be followed by “Read NDEF file.” At this point, the message may be generated which may include a header and a shared secret. Session keys may then be generated. The MAC cryptogram may be created from the message, which may include the header and the shared secret. The MAC cryptogram may then be concatenated with one or more blocks of random data, and the MAC cryptogram and a random number (RND) may be encrypted with the session key. Thereafter, the cryptogram and the header may be concatenated, and encoded as ASCII hex and returned in NDEF message format (responsive to the “Read NDEF file” message). In various embodiments, the MAC cryptogram may be transmitted as an NDEF tag, and in other examples the MAC cryptogram may be included with a uniform resource indicator (e.g., as a formatted string). The contactless card  101  may then transmit the MAC cryptogram to the mobile device  110 , which may then forward the MAC cryptogram to the server  120  for verification as explained below. (However, in various embodiments discussed elsewhere herein, e.g. in an offline context, the mobile device  110  may verify the MAC cryptogram). 
     More generally, when preparing to send data (e.g., to the server  120  and/or the mobile device  110 ), the contactless card  101  may increment the counter value  104 . The contactless card  101  may then provide the master key  105  and counter value  104  as input to a cryptographic algorithm, which produces a diversified key  106  as output. The cryptographic algorithm may include encryption algorithms, hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) algorithms, cipher-based message authentication code (CMAC) algorithms, and the like. Non-limiting examples of the cryptographic algorithm may include a symmetric encryption algorithm such as 3DES or AES128; a symmetric HMAC algorithm, such as HMAC-SHA-256; a symmetric CMAC algorithm such as AES-CMAC; and/or any other algorithm or technique consistent with any applicable version of ISO/IEC 1833 and/or ISO/IEC 7816. The contactless card  101  may then encrypt the data (e.g., the customer identifier  107  and any other data) using the diversified key  106 . The contactless card  101  may then transmit the encrypted data (e.g., the encrypted customer ID  109 ) to the account application  113  of the mobile device  110  (e.g., via an NFC connection, Bluetooth connection, etc.). The account application  113  of the mobile device  110  may then transmit the encrypted data to the server  120  via the network  130 . In at least various embodiments, the contactless card  101  transmits the counter value  104  with the encrypted data. In such embodiments, the contactless card  101  may transmit an encrypted counter value  104 , or an unencrypted counter value  104 . 
     Upon receiving the encrypted customer ID  109 , the management application  123  of the server  120  may perform the same symmetric encryption using the counter value  104  as input to the encryption, and the master key  105  as the key for the encryption. As stated, the counter value  104  may be specified in the data received from the mobile device  110 , or a counter value  104  maintained by the server  120  to implement key diversification for the contactless card  101 . The output of the encryption may be the same diversified key value  106  that was created by the contactless card  101 . The management application  123  may then decrypt the encrypted customer ID  109  received via the network  130  using the diversified key  106 , which reveals the data transmitted by the contactless card  101  (e.g., at least the customer identifier  107 ). Doing so allows the management application  123  to verify the data transmitted by the contactless card  101  via the mobile device  110 , e.g., by comparing the decrypted customer ID  107  to a customer ID in the account data  124  for the account. 
     Although the counter  104 , e.g. ATC, is used as an example, other data may be used to secure communications between the contactless card  101 , the mobile device  110 , and/or the server  120 . For example, the counter  104  may be replaced with a random nonce, generated each time a new diversified key  106  is needed, the full value of a counter value sent from the contactless card  101  and the server  120 , a portion of a counter value sent from the contactless card  101  and the server  120 , a counter independently maintained by the contactless card  101  and the server  120  but not sent between the two, a one-time-passcode exchanged between the contactless card  101  and the server  120 , and a cryptographic hash of data. In various embodiments, one or more portions of the diversified key  106  may be used by the parties to create multiple diversified keys  106 . 
     As shown, the server  120  may include one or more hardware security modules (HSM)  125 . For example, one or more HSMs  125  may be configured to perform one or more cryptographic operations as disclosed herein. In various embodiments, one or more HSMs  125  may be configured as special purpose security devices that are configured to perform the one or more cryptographic operations. The HSMs  125  may be configured such that keys are never revealed outside the HSM  125 , and instead are maintained within the HSM  125 . For example, one or more HSMs  125  may be configured to perform at least one of key derivations, decryption, and MAC operations. The one or more HSMs  125  may be contained within, or may be in data communication with, server  120 . 
     As stated, the key diversification technique may be used to perform secure operations using the contactless card  101 . For example, once the management application  123  verifies the encrypted customer ID  109  using key diversification, the management application  123  may transmit a message to the authentication application  114  indicating that the user is verified and/or authenticated, and the authentication application  114  can grant the user access to the access application  116  as a result. In various embodiments, the output transmitted may include an authorization response cryptogram (ARPC). 
     As is inherent in one or more embodiments described herein, including the above discussion, the server  120  that may be used in an online authentication or verification or an online and offline hybrid operations may be configured to operate consistent with an EMV standard, including performing operations that utilize an EMV payment protocol for non-payment purposes. The host server (or system)  120  may be associated with an issuer of a card associated with a user, and the host system including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable program code executable by a processor, where the processor and storage medium may contain one or more hardware or software components, including those generally described in  FIG.  8   . The host system may be configured to receive a transaction data associated with an access application  116  and/or a contactless card  101 . The receipt of the transaction data may be facilitated as described herein, e.g. by an authentication application  114  (or other suitable component or application of mobile device  110 ) associated with a mobile device  110  and the user (or other suitable computer device), where the authentication application  114  may initiate an authentication or verification transaction with one or more other components, e.g. a contactless card  101  and a card reader  118 . The transaction data received by the server  120  from the authentication application  114 . The transaction data may include i) a counter (e.g. ATC) and a cryptogram based on one or more inputs of the transaction and a symmetric key associated with the card. In various embodiments, the cryptogram is an authorization request cryptogram (ARQC). 
     In various embodiments, once the server  120  receives the transaction data, the management application  123  may transmit a response (e.g. from the issuer) to a suitable component of the mobile device  110 , e.g. authentication application  114 , verifying the identity of the user based on the received cryptogram and the authentication application  114  may grant access to a relevant portion or feature of access application  116  as a result and/or facilitate generation of a barcode useful for completing a transaction associated with access application  116 . In various embodiments, the response may include an authentication token provided to the barcode generating application  117  associated with the contactless card  101  and/or mobile device  110 , which can be used by the barcode generating application  117  to display a barcode on either display  140  and/or display  141 , where the barcode can be scanned by a suitable scanning device that can decrypt the authentication token in order complete a transaction associated with access application  116 , e.g. a payment transaction, and/or otherwise provide access to a feature associated with access application  116 . 
     In various embodiments, the management application  123  may configure the authentication token to be disabled once a single scan of the barcode takes place, where the scan grants access to a feature associated with access application  116  and/or otherwise completes a transaction associated therewith, which in turn can prohibit unauthorized subsequent use of the barcode to access aspects of access application  116 . In various embodiments, the generated barcode can be used for more than one application, e.g. multiple access applications  116 , depending on which selection a user decides to make, provided that the authentication protocol has taken place. In various embodiments, the management application  123  may receive, as part of the overall transaction data, instructions from a user or from the authentication application  114  to place a limit on a transaction associated with access application  116 , e.g. a monetary restriction on a payment transaction, where the management application  123  configures the authorization token (and by extension the subsequently generated barcode) to implement the limit. In various embodiments the authorization token can be a payment token authorizing a payment transaction in relation to access application  116  with or without a pre-stipulated user limit as to the amount that can be spent. 
     Accordingly, in various embodiments, the generated barcode as outlined herein may be a dynamic barcode displayed on either the mobile device  110  and/or a surface of the contactless card  101  with at least one of the following features: i) the barcode can be configured to be disabled after a single use; ii) the barcode can be utilized for more than one access application  116  (provided the authentication protocol associated with the authentication token takes place), including a single or multiple use case, e.g. in the single use case, once the barcode is generated, but before a scan takes place, the authentication application  114  may permit the user to access another access application  116  and utilize the barcode without requiring any protocol to run again (e.g. the counter log  121  can be utilized by the authentication application  114  to ensure that a subsequent transaction after generation of the barcode has not taken place, which in turn can permit the user to switch use of the barcode to another access application  116  and/or to access another feature of the originally selected access application  116 , distinct from what was originally selected); iii) the barcode can be configured to remain active for multiple scans and for different access applications  116  once the verification protocol takes place; and/or iv) the authorization token (and by extension the barcode) may be configured to be associated with a pre-stipulated limit (by the user or otherwise) in relation to the transaction associated with access application  116 , e.g. placing a monetary limit on a payment transaction to be completed with respect to access application  116 . It is noted that in various embodiments the described features of this paragraph apply not only to a barcode generated with respect to the online protocol described above, but with respect to any other protocol described herein, including the offline protocol described below. 
     In various embodiments, the server  120  may utilize the counter log  121  to perform an antifraud measure. In various embodiments, counter log  121  may include time stamps associated with the counter value associated with one or more non-payment transaction. In various embodiments, the counter log  121  may include time stamps associated with the counter value associated with one or more payment transactions. In various embodiments, the counter value of the ATC in relation to a particular transaction, e.g. whether it is a payment transaction or a non-payment transaction, may also be logged. The management application  123  may be configured to compare a general number of payment transactions that take place in between non-payment transactions. If the number of payment transactions after a non-payment transaction exceeds a certain threshold, the management application  123  may deny the payment transactions, even if otherwise the transaction may be completed (e.g. since it is assumed that a user may use the payment protocol for non-payment and payment protocol, an unduly large number of payment transactions after a non-payment transactions may be considered fraudulent). In various embodiments, the opposite may be implemented, e.g. a large number of non-payment transactions being performed after a payment transaction in excess of a threshold may cause the management application  123  to deny a certain non-payment transaction when the verification or authentication takes place. In various embodiments, a threshold in relation to time between any transaction, e.g. payment or non-payment, in terms of exceeding a minimum or maximum threshold may cause the management application  123  to deny the authentication or verification operation. The counter log  121  may be used to perform any other suitable operation, including perform an anti-fraud measure in any other suitable manner. In various embodiments, the anti-fraud measure can override a valid authorization token by instructing a suitable component of the mobile device, e.g. authentication application  114 , to deny an application even if the authentication token associated with the barcode is valid. 
     In addition to the one or more online operations outlined herein and above, the system  100  can facilitate one or offline operations to verify or authenticate a user offline, where, in various embodiments, the offline operations are used in combination with an online technique, and where in various embodiments the offline operations may be used based on a precondition, e.g. if a network failure prevents use of the one or more online operations. 
     In various embodiments, in a similar fashion as discussed in relation to the embodiments described herein with respect to the online verification technique, the authentication application  114  receives the first application user credentials in order to access one or more aspects or feature of access application  116 , where the offline verification or authentication technique may utilize a payment protocol consistent with an EMV standard for purposes other than to complete a payment transaction. A user may provide the first application user credentials after receiving a prompt from the authentication application. The first application user credentials may include biometrics data, an established gesture associated with user recognition, a username and password combination, facial recognition, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  communicates the first application user credentials to the processor  119 . The processor  119  compares the first application user credentials with stored second application user credential. The stored second application user credential may be located within a memory  111  associated with the mobile device  110  or with a memory  102  of contactless card  101 . 
     In various embodiments, the processor  119  communicates the comparison result to the authentication application  114  (e.g., for a match). In various embodiments, a first match may grant the user access to first-level aspects, e.g. user account options of a user account, associated with access application  116  (e.g., display of an account balance and/or recent transactions). Responsive to finding a first match, the authentication application  114  initiates verifying or authenticating a user identity with one or more offline operations. For example, the authentication application  114  may output for display on the mobile device  110  a notification to bring a contactless card  101  near the mobile device  110 . The authentication application  114  may then communicate with the contactless card  101  (e.g., after being brought near the contactless card  101 ). Communication between the authentication application  114  and the contactless card  101  may involve the contactless card  101  being sufficiently close to the card reader  118  of the mobile device  110  to enable NFC data transfer between the authentication application  114  and the contactless card  101 . In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  sends, to the authentication application  114 , or another suitable component or application of the mobile device  110 , a public key of a public/private key pair and cardholder identification information of an account holder of the card, e.g. the user to be verified or authenticated in relation to access application  116 . In various embodiments, the authentication application  114 , may instruct the contactless card  101  to generate a digital signature using a private key of the key pair of the card. In various embodiments, the cardholder identification information may be incorporated within the digital signature or otherwise conveyed with the digital signature. 
     In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  sends the digital signature to the authentication application  114  or another suitable component or application of the mobile device  110 . In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  may communicate the digital signature with the processor  119 , where the processor  119  may verify the digital signature using the public key. For example, the contactless card  101  may provide a hash of the card&#39;s public key encrypted by a trusted source (e.g., a private key of a card provider), and verifying the digital signature may include: decrypting the encrypted hash (e.g., with a public key of the card provider); calculating a new hash of the digital signature; and comparing the decrypted original hash to the new hash for a match, at which point the card provider (e.g., issuer), and the transaction card may be authenticated. In various embodiments, once the transaction card is authenticated, the authentication application  114  may generate an authentication token and transmit the authentication token to either the barcode generating application  117  of the mobile device  110  and/or the contactless card  101 . The barcode generating application  117  can generate a barcode that can be scanned by any suitable scanning device, and decrypted by the scanning device, which in turn can result in accessing one or more features associated with access application  116  and/or complete a transaction associated therewith. As with respect to the online protocol described above, the authentication application  114  may configure the authentication token to be disabled after a single scan of the barcode occurs, thus disabling unauthorized use or access to features of access application  116 , and/or to impose a limit in relation to a transaction, such as a monetary limit associated with a payment transaction. 
     In various embodiments, as discussed and implied elsewhere herein, the offline authentication may be used when authentication application  114  determines a network failure associated with network  130  is present or for some other reason access to the server  120  is not possible, otherwise, the online authentication is used to authenticate the user and to facilitate the barcode. In various embodiments, the offline and online techniques may run in sequence for added security in order to facilitate generation of the barcode. 
     In various embodiments, either the mobile device  110  and/or the contactless card  101  may be configured to perform an antifraud measure utilizing a counter log  121  (not expressly shown with respect to the mobile device  110 ). 
     In various embodiments, e.g. when both the online and offline techniques are implemented, verifying the digital signature may be performed by a server, e.g. server  120 , connected to the mobile device  110 , e.g. connected by network  130 . For example, processor  119  may output the digital signature for transmission to server  120 , and server  120  may verify the digital signature. 
       FIG.  2    is a schematic  200  depicting an example embodiment of tapping to initiate an online verification and/or offline authentication protocol to generate a barcode for accessing a feature and/or completing a transaction in relation to access application  116 . A graphical user interface (GUI) of the authorization application  114  on the mobile device  110  may include a prompt  206  to tap the contactless card  101  to initiate an authentication or verification for another application, e.g. access application  116 , where a separate API interface may be provided to communicate the verification or authentication (once completed) to the access application  116  by the authentication application  114 . In various embodiments, the access application  116  provides a prompt  202  as a precondition for receiving the tap prompt  206  or after the tap takes place, but prior to any additional online or offline verification operations, to enter user credentials for comparison (e.g. as described with reference to  FIG.  1   ) for a first-level and/or second-level of information access in relation to access application  116 . In various embodiments, authentication application  114  provides an interface for the prompt  202  for entering the user credential with respect to access application  116  and/or any other application, e.g. other applications  115 . 
     In various embodiments, once the contactless card  101  is tapped to the mobile device  110 , the authentication application  114  transmits, via the card reader  118  (e.g., via NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, etc.), an indication to the contactless card  101 . In various embodiments, the indication may specify to perform one or more encryption techniques as described with respect to  FIG.  1   . In various embodiments, an online authentication technique is used, and the authentication application  114  receives transaction data from the server  120 . In various embodiments, an offline authentication technique is used, and the authentication application  114  and the contactless card  101  utilize public/private key encryption techniques to authenticate the user. In various embodiments, the prompt to transmit data between the contactless card  101  and the mobile device  110  may specify to transmit the data to the authentication application  114  via any suitable protocol consistent with an EMV protocol or standard, where in various embodiments the authentication application  114  receives any suitable data directly from the contactless card  101  via a protocol consistent with an EMV protocol or standard. 
       FIG.  3    is a schematic  300  depicting an example embodiment of a generated barcode after tapping to initiate an online verification and/or offline authentication protocol (to generate the barcode), e.g. for accessing a feature and/or completing a transaction in relation to access application  116 , takes place. Whether an online verification or authentication that includes utilizing a server  120  is used to perform the authentication or verification of the user, whether an offline verification that includes utilizing the mobile device  110 , the contactless card  101  and/or card reader  118  is used to perform the authentication or verification of the user without the server  120 , and/or whether a hybrid offline and online verification that includes utilizing a mobile device  110 , a card reader  118 , a contactless card  101 , and/or a server  120  is used to perform the authentication or verification of the user, a barcode  307  is generated on the display of the mobile device that is suitable for scanning by any suitable scanning device. In various embodiments, the management application  123  of the server and/or the authentication application  114  of the mobile device  110  can provide an authentication token to a barcode generating application  117  associated with either mobile device  110  (as shown in  FIG.  3   ) and/or contactless card  101 , and the barcode generating application  117  may use the authentication token to generate a single use barcode  307  for granting access to one or more features of access application  116  (and/or completing a transaction in relation therewith) and/or for repeated use for granting access to one or more features of access application  116  (and/or completing a transaction in relation therewith). 
       FIG.  4 A  illustrates a contactless card  101 , which may comprise a payment card, such as a credit card, debit card, and/or a gift card. As shown, the contactless card  101  may be issued by a service provider  405  displayed on the front or back of the card  101 . In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  is not related to a payment card, and may comprise, without limitation, an identification card. In various embodiments, the payment card may comprise a dual interface contactless payment card. The contactless card  101  may comprise a substrate  410 , which may include a single layer, or one or more laminated layers composed of plastics, metals, and other materials. Exemplary substrate materials include polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl chloride acetate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polyesters, anodized titanium, palladium, gold, carbon, paper, and biodegradable materials. In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  may have physical characteristics compliant with the ID-1 format of the ISO/IEC 7810 standard, and the contactless card may otherwise be compliant with the ISO/IEC 14443 standard. However, it is understood that the contactless card  101  according to the present disclosure may have different characteristics, and the present disclosure does not require a contactless card to be implemented in a payment card. 
     The contactless card  101  may also include identification information  415  displayed on the front and/or back of the card, and a contact pad  420 . The contact pad  420  may be configured to establish contact with another communication device, such as the mobile devices  110 , a user device, smart phone, laptop, desktop, or tablet computer. The contactless card  101  may also include processing circuitry, antenna and other components not shown in  FIG.  4 A . These components may be located behind the contact pad  420  or elsewhere on the substrate  410 . The contactless card  101  may also include a magnetic strip or tape, which may be located on the back of the card (not shown in  FIG.  4 A ). The contactless card  101  may include a display interface  416  which can display a barcode  417  that can be generated as described with reference to  FIGS.  1 - 3  and  5 - 7 B , where the barcode  417  can be scanned and decrypted by any suitable scanning device in order to grant access to features of an application and/or facilitate completion of a transaction associated with the application, such as a payment transaction. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  4 B , the contact pad  420  of contactless card  101  may include processing circuitry  425  for storing and processing information, including a microprocessor  430  and the memory  102 . It is understood that the processing circuitry  425  may contain additional components, including processors, memories, error and parity/CRC checkers, data encoders, anti-collision algorithms, controllers, command decoders, security primitives and tamper proofing hardware, as necessary to perform the functions described herein. 
     The memory  102  may be a read-only memory, write-once read-multiple memory or read/write memory, e.g., RAM, ROM, and EEPROM, and the contactless card  101  may include one or more of these memories. A read-only memory may be factory programmable as read-only or one-time programmable. One-time programmability provides the opportunity to write once then read many times. A write once/read-multiple memory may be programmed at a point in time after the memory chip has left the factory. Once the memory is programmed, it may not be rewritten, but it may be read many times. A read/write memory may be programmed and re-programmed many times after leaving the factory. A read/write memory may also be read many times after leaving the factory. 
     The memory  102  may be configured to store one or more applets  440 , one or more counters  104 , a customer identifier  107 , and the virtual account numbers  108 . The one or more applets  440  may comprise one or more software applications configured to execute on one or more contactless cards, such as a Java® Card applet. However, it is understood that applets  440  are not limited to Java Card applets, and instead may be any software application operable on contactless cards or other devices having limited memory. The one or more counters  104  may comprise a numeric counter sufficient to store an integer. The customer identifier  107  may comprise a unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to a user of the contactless card  101 , and the identifier may distinguish the user of the contactless card from other contactless card users. In various embodiments, the customer identifier  107  may identify both a customer and an account assigned to that customer and may further identify the contactless card associated with the customer&#39;s account. As stated, the account numbers  108  may include thousands of one-time use virtual account numbers associated with the contactless card  101 . An applet  440  of the contactless card  101  may be configured to manage the account numbers  108 . The memory  102  can be configured to contain a barcode generating application  117  that can generate a barcode generating application  117 , e.g. as shown in  FIG.  4 A , that can be scanned and decrypted by any suitable scanning device and for any suitable purpose as described herein. 
     The processor and memory elements of the foregoing exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the contact pad, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. It is understood that these elements may be implemented outside of the pad  420  or entirely separate from it, or as further elements in addition to processor  430  and memory  102  elements located within the contact pad  420 . 
     In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  may comprise one or more antennas  455 . The one or more antennas  455  may be placed within the contactless card  101  and around the processing circuitry  425  of the contact pad  420 . For example, the one or more antennas  455  may be integral with the processing circuitry  425  and the one or more antennas  455  may be used with an external booster coil. As another example, the one or more antennas  455  may be external to the contact pad  420  and the processing circuitry  425 . 
     In an embodiment, the coil of contactless card  101  may act as the secondary of an air core transformer. The terminal may communicate with the contactless card  101  by cutting power or amplitude modulation. The contactless card  101  may infer the data transmitted from the terminal using the gaps in the contactless card&#39;s power connection, which may be functionally maintained through one or more capacitors. The contactless card  101  may communicate back by switching a load on the contactless card&#39;s coil or load modulation. Load modulation may be detected in the terminal&#39;s coil through interference. More generally, using the antennas  455 , processing circuitry  425 , and/or the memory  102 , the contactless card  101  provides a communications interface to communicate via NFC, Bluetooth, and/or Wi-Fi communications. 
     As explained above, contactless cards  101  may be built on a software platform operable on smart cards or other devices having limited memory, such as JavaCard, and one or more or more applications or applets may be securely executed. Applets  440  may be added to contactless cards to provide a one-time password (OTP) for multifactor authentication (MFA) in various mobile application-based use cases. Applets  440  may be configured to respond to one or more requests, such as near field data exchange requests, from a reader, such as a mobile NFC reader (e.g., of the mobile device  110 ), and produce an NDEF message that comprises a cryptographically secure OTP encoded as an NDEF text tag. 
     One example of an NDEF OTP is an NDEF short-record layout (SR=1). In such an example, one or more applets  440  may be configured to encode the OTP as an NDEF type 4 well known type text tag. In various embodiments, NDEF messages may comprise one or more records. The applets  440  may be configured to add one or more static tag records in addition to the OTP record. 
     In various embodiments, the one or more applets  440  may be configured to emulate an RFID tag. The RFID tag may include one or more polymorphic tags. In various embodiments, each time the tag is read, different cryptographic data is presented that may indicate the authenticity of the contactless card. Based on the one or more applications, an NFC read of the tag may be processed, the data may be transmitted to a server, such as the server  120 , and the data may be validated at the server. 
     In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  and server  120  may include certain data such that the card may be properly identified. The contactless card  101  may comprise one or more unique identifiers (not pictured). Each time a read operation takes place, the counters  104  may be configured to increment. In various embodiments, each time data from the contactless card  101  is read (e.g., by a mobile device  110 ), the counter  104  is transmitted to the server for validation and determines whether the counter values  104  are equal (as part of the validation). 
     The one or more counters  104  may be configured to prevent a replay attack. For example, if a cryptogram has been obtained and replayed, that cryptogram is immediately rejected if the counter  104  has been read or used or otherwise passed over. If the counter  104  has not been used, it may be replayed. In various embodiments, the counter that is incremented on the card is different from the counter that is incremented for transactions. The contactless card  101  is unable to determine the application transaction counter  104  since there is no communication between applets  440  on the contactless card  101 . In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  may comprise a first applet  440 - 1 , which may be a transaction applet, and a second applet  440 - 2 . Each applet  440 - 1  and  440 - 2  may comprise a respective counter  104 . 
     In various embodiments, the counter  104  may get out of sync. In various embodiments, to account for accidental reads that initiate transactions, such as reading at an angle, the counter  104  may increment but the application does not process the counter  104 . In various embodiments, when the mobile device  110  is woken up, NFC may be enabled and the device  110  may be configured to read available tags, but no action is taken responsive to the reads. 
     To keep the counter  104  in sync, an application, such as a background application, may be executed that can be configured to detect when the mobile device  110  wakes up and synchronize with the server  120  indicating that a read that occurred due to detection to then move the counter  104  forward. In other examples, Hashed One Time Password may be utilized such that a window of mis-synchronization may be accepted. For example, if within a threshold of 10, the counter  104  may be configured to move forward. But if within a different threshold number, for example within 10 or 1000, a request for performing re-synchronization may be processed which requests via one or more applications that the user tap, gesture, or otherwise indicate one or more times via the user&#39;s device. If the counter  104  increases in the appropriate sequence, then it possible to know that the user has done so. 
     The key diversification technique described herein with reference to the counter  104 , master key  105 , and diversified key  106  is one example of encryption and/or decryption a key diversification technique. This example key diversification technique should not be considered limiting of the disclosure, as the disclosure is equally applicable to other types of key diversification techniques. 
     During the creation process of the contactless card  101 , two cryptographic keys may be assigned uniquely per card. The cryptographic keys may comprise symmetric keys which may be used in both encryption and decryption of data. Triple DES (3DES) algorithm may be used by EMV and it is implemented by hardware in the contactless card  101 . By using the key diversification process, one or more keys may be derived from a master key based upon uniquely identifiable information for each entity that requires a key. 
     In various embodiments, to overcome deficiencies of 3DES algorithms, which may be susceptible to vulnerabilities, a session key may be derived (such as a unique key per session) but rather than using the master key, the unique card-derived keys and the counter may be used as diversification data. For example, each time the contactless card  101  is used in operation, a different key may be used for creating the message authentication code (MAC) and for performing the encryption. This results in a triple layer of cryptography. The session keys may be generated by the one or more applets and derived by using the application transaction counter with one or more algorithms (as defined in EMV 4.3 Book 2 A1.3.1 Common Session Key Derivation). 
     Further, the increment for each card may be unique, and assigned either by personalization, or algorithmically assigned by some identifying information. For example, odd numbered cards may increment by 2 and even numbered cards may increment by 5. In various embodiments, the increment may also vary in sequential reads, such that one card may increment in sequence by 1, 3, 5, 2, 2, . . . repeating. The specific sequence or algorithmic sequence may be defined at personalization time, or from one or more processes derived from unique identifiers. This can make it harder for a replay attacker to generalize from a small number of card instances. 
     The authentication message may be delivered as the content of a text NDEF record in hexadecimal ASCII format. In another example, the NDEF record may be encoded in hexadecimal format. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow  500 . The logic flow  500  may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. For example, the logic flow  500  may include some or all of the operations to verify or authenticate a user utilizing an online authentication technique and for generating a barcode that is useful for granting access to one or more features of an application. Embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     As shown, the logic flow  500  begins at block  505 , where at least one of the authentication application  114 , the OS  112 , the management application  123 , and/or any other suitable application may initiate a transaction to verify an identity of a user and generate a barcode to access a feature associated with access application  116 . In various embodiments, the verification may commence by tapping the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110 . In various embodiments, the access application  116  provides a prompt with a precondition for receiving the tap prompt or immediately after the tap takes place, but prior to any additional online verification operations, to enter user credentials for comparison for a first-level and/or second-level of information access in relation to access application  116 , where the nature of the first-level features is described elsewhere herein. In various embodiments, the user credential is associated with a user profile and entered into an interface provided by the mobile device  110 , where, as stated, the first application user credential may include biometrics data, an established gesture associated with user recognition, a username and password combination, and/or the like. The first application user credential may be transmitted by the authentication application  114  to the management application  123  of the server  120 , where the first application user credential is compared to a stored second credential. 
     At block  510 , and pursuant to various embodiments, a communication between the mobile device  110  and the contactless card  101  is initiated, where the communication utilizes a card reader  118  and where the communication is based on an NFC protocol. In various embodiments, the communication is condition about the first-level comparison resulting in a match, and in various embodiments, instead of sending the first application credential for comparison at the server  120 , the comparison is done between the mobile device  110  and the contactless card  101 , where the stored second credential is stored in a memory  102  of the contactless card. In various embodiments, the comparison with respect to the user credential is omitted, and a tap of the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110  initiates a prompt to select which application requires authentication, e.g. access application  116 , and the NFC communication between the contactless card  101  and the mobile device  110  commences to initiate online verification or authentication of a user using a payment protocol consistent with an EMV standard, but for purposes that include a verification or authentication for purposes other than merely completing a sale or purchase. In various embodiments, as stated above a user taps the contactless card  101  to the mobile device  110  to cause the contactless card  101  to generate and transmit encrypted data (e.g., the encrypted customer ID  109 ). The contactless card  101  may increment the counter value  104  in the memory  102  responsive to receiving the indication to generate encrypted data. 
     In various embodiments, at block  515 , the contactless card  101  generates a diversified key  106  using the counter value  104  and the master key  105  in the memory  102  and a cryptographic algorithm. At block  520 , the contactless card  101  encrypts data (e.g., the customer identifier  107 ) using the diversified key  106  and the cryptographic algorithm, generating encrypted data (e.g., the encrypted customer ID  109 ). 
     At block  525 , the contactless card  101  may transmit the encrypted data to the account application  113  of the mobile device  110 , e.g., using NFC. In at least one embodiment, the contactless card  101  further includes an indication of the counter value  104  along with the encrypted data. At block  530 , the account application  113  of the mobile device  110  may transmit the data received from the contactless card  101  to the management application  123  of the server  120 . At block  535 , the management application  123  of the server  120  may generate a diversified key  106  using the master key  105  and the counter value  104  as input to a cryptographic algorithm. In one embodiment, the management application  123  uses the counter value  104  provided by the contactless card  101 . In another embodiment, the management application  123  increments the counter value  104  in the memory  122  to synchronize the state of the counter value  104  in the memory  122  with the counter value  104  in the memory  102  of the contactless card  101 . 
     At block  540 , the management application  123  decrypts the encrypted data received from the contactless card  101  via the mobile device  110  using the diversified key  106  and a cryptographic algorithm. Doing so may yield at least the customer identifier  107 . By yielding the customer identifier  107 , the management application  123  may validate the data received from the contactless card  101  at block  545 . For example, the management application  123  may compare the customer identifier  107  to a customer identifier for the associated account in the account data  124 , and validate the data based on a match. 
     At block  550 , responsive to the decryption and validation of blocks  540  and  545 , the management application  123  can prepare an authorization token that can be transmitted to the barcode generating application  117  of either the contactless card  101  and/or the mobile device  110 , where the barcode can then be displayed by the display  140  and/or the display  141 , where the authorization token can impose one or more restrictions and conditions as outlined above with respect to the various components of  FIG.  1   , and at block  555  the barcode generation application  117  may generate a barcode using any suitable technique for barcode generation, where the generated barcode may be displayed on a display  140  of the mobile device and/or a display  141  of the contactless card  101 . 
       FIG.  6    illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow  600 . The logic flow  600  may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. For example, the logic flow  600  may include utilizing the generated barcode associated with  FIG.  5    to authorize a transaction associated with access application  116 . Embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     As shown, the logic flow  600  begins after one or more operations of  FIG.  5    are completed, where in various embodiments, the flow begins at block  530  of  FIG.  5   . At block  610 , the barcode can be scanned by any suitable scanning device, and at block  615  the authorization token associated with the barcode can be decrypted using any suitable decryption technique (in relation to the technique utilized to create the authentication token). The decryption can result in acquiring access to one or more aspects of access application  116 , including completing a payment transaction in relation thereto. In various embodiments, at block  620 , the management application  123  may query the counter  104  to determine that a transaction has been completed and transmit an instruction to the barcode generating application  117  to disable the authorization token associated with the barcode, and in alternative embodiments, the authorization token can be preconfigured by the management application  123  to disable the barcode automatically after a single use. 
       FIG.  7 A  illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow  700 A. The logic flow  700 A may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. For example, the logic flow  700 A may include some or all of the operations to perform both an online and offline verification and authentication of a user and subsequent generation of a barcode (based on the authorization), where the barcode is useful for authorizing access to one or more features of an application. Embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     As shown, the logic flow  700 A begins at block  705 , where an application, e.g. authentication application  114  of mobile device  110 , communicates with a contactless card  101 . In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  receives, from a user, a first application user credential associated with a user profile. As mentioned above, a user may provide the first application user credentials after receiving a prompt from authentication application  114  and/or the user credentials may be provided after the user taps the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110 . In various embodiments, as stated above, the first application user credential may include biometrics data, an established gesture associated with user recognition, a username and password combination, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the processor  119  compares the first application user credential with a stored second application user credential. The stored second application user credential may be associated with a user identity. The user identity may include a personal identification number (PIN), a name of the user, an address, a date of birth, and/or the like. In various embodiments, after finding a first match, the authentication application  114  grants access to first-level user account options including a display of an account, a display of recent transactions, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the user credential comparison is skipped (not performed) entirely. At block  710 , authentication application  114  receives a public key of a public/private key pair of the card from the contactless card  101 . 
     At block  715 , the authentication application  114  instructs the contactless card  101  to generate a digital signature by using a private key of the key pair of the card. The contactless card  101  generates the digital signature, and the authentication application  114  receives the digital signature from the contactless card  101  at block  720 , and where at block  725  the mobile device may verify (by a processor  119  operation and/or utilizing an application, such as authentication application  114 ) the digital signature by using the public key of the key pair of the card. 
     Once the offline verification is completed with the verification of the digital signature, at block  730 , the authentication application  114  can prepare an authorization token that can be transmitted to the barcode generating application  117  of either the contactless card  101  and/or the mobile device  110 , where the barcode can then be displayed by the display  140  and/or the display  141 , where the authorization token can impose one or more restrictions and conditions as outlined above with respect to the various components of  FIG.  1   , and at block  735  the barcode generation application  117  may generate a barcode using any suitable technique for barcode generation, where the generated barcode may be displayed on a display  140  of the mobile device and/or a display  141  of the contactless card  101 . 
       FIG.  7 B  illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow  700 B. The logic flow  700 B may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. For example, the logic flow  700 B may include some or all of the operations to perform one or both of an online and offline verification and authentication of a user and generating a barcode as result of the verification and/or authentication. Embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     At block  750 , in order to grant a user access (e.g. to one or more features) to an access application  116 , the authentication application  114  may communicate a first application user credentials to the processor  119 . In various embodiments, the communication is initiated by tapping the contactless card  101  on a mobile device  110 . In various embodiments, the processor  119  compares the first application user credentials with stored second application user credential. The stored second application user credential may be located within a memory  111  associated with the mobile device  110 , the memory  102  associated with contactless card  101 , and/or a memory  122  associated with the server  120 . In various embodiments, the first application user credential is provided to the server  120 , and the server  120  compares the first application user credential to the stored second application user credential. In various embodiments, as noted above, the processor  119  communicates the comparison result to the authentication application  114  (e.g., for a match). 
     At block  755 , a suitable component of the mobile device  110 , e.g. the processor  119 , and/or a suitable component of the contactless card and/or a suitable component of the server  120 , e.g. management application  123 , the authentication application  114  may initiate at least one verification operation as described herein to verify or authenticate the user, where the authorization and/or verification operation may be used to generate a barcode to access one or more features with respect to access application  116 . In various embodiments, the authorization and/or verification operation may be any suitable authorization or verification technique as described herein, including any cryptographic operation as described herein. In various embodiments, the verification operation can be at least one the i) one or more host-less (e.g. no server operations) operations (e.g. an offline protocol) as described with reference to  FIG.  6    and/or ii) one or more issuer verification operations (e.g. an online protocol or operation associated with a server) as described with reference to  FIG.  5   . In various embodiments, block  750  is omitted and no match or comparison is conducted with respect to block  750 , and the flow proceeds directly to block  755  and/or a tap of the contactless card  101  on the mobile device  110  results in the verification protocol commencing. In various embodiments, if the comparison verifies a match between the first user credentials and the stored second credential, partial access, e.g. first-level access, to one or more features of access application  116  is granted. In various embodiments, the authentication application  114  determines if the issuer verification operations can be performed, e.g. if a network failure prohibits access to server  120 , and the hostess operations are performed only if the issuer operations cannot be performed. 
     At block  760 , the authentication application  114  confirms that the at least one verification operation has taken place, and a suitable component of a suitable system, e.g. the system as described in  FIG.  1   , such as the authentication application  114  of the mobile device  110  and/or the management application  123  of the server  120 , can generate an authentication token authorizing the access of one or more features and/or the completion of one or more transactions with respect to access application  116 . In various embodiments, at block  765 , the authentication token can be transmitted to a barcode generating application  117  and the barcode generating application  117  may generate a scannable barcode at the display  140  of the mobile device and/or the display of the contactless card  101 , where in various embodiments successful scanning of the barcode by any suitable scanning device provides access to the one or more features of access application  116  and/or completes one or more transactions in relation thereto. In various embodiments, any suitable component of a system, e.g. the system of  FIG.  1   , may apply a condition or restriction to the authentication token, which by extension applies to the barcode, such as authorizing only a single transaction with respect to the access application  116 . 
     In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  may be tapped to a device, such as one or more computer kiosks or terminals, to verify identity so as to receive a transactional item responsive to a purchase, such as a coffee. By using the contactless card  101 , a secure method of proving identity in a loyalty program may be established. Securely proving the identity, for example, to obtain a reward, coupon, offer, or the like or receipt of a benefit is established in a manner that is different than merely scanning a bar card. For example, an encrypted transaction may occur between the contactless card  101  and the device, which may be configured to process one or more tap gestures. As explained above, the one or more applications may be configured to validate identity of the user and then cause the user to act or respond to it, for example, via one or more tap gestures. In various embodiments, data for example, bonus points, loyalty points, reward points, healthcare information, etc., may be written back to the contactless card. 
     In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  may be tapped to a device, such as the mobile device  110 . As explained above, identity of the user may be verified by the one or more applications which can then grant the user a desired benefit based on verification of the identity. 
     In various embodiments, an example authentication communication protocol may mimic an offline dynamic data authentication protocol of the EMV standard that is commonly performed between a transaction card and a point-of-sale device, with some modifications. For example, because the example authentication protocol is not used to complete a payment transaction with a card issuer/payment processor per se, some data values are not needed, and authentication may be performed without involving real-time online connectivity to the card issuer/payment processor. As is known in the art, point of sale (POS) systems submit transactions including a transaction value to a card issuer. Whether the issuer approves or denies the transaction may be based on if the card issuer recognizes the transaction value. Meanwhile, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, transactions originating from a mobile device lack the transaction value associated with the POS systems. Therefore, in various embodiments, a dummy transaction value (i.e., a value recognizable to the card issuer and sufficient to allow activation to occur) may be passed as part of the example authentication communication protocol. POS based transactions may also decline transactions based on the number of transaction attempts (e.g., transaction counter). A number of attempts beyond a buffer value may result in a soft decline; the soft decline requiring further verification before accepting the transaction. In some implementations, a buffer value for the transaction counter may be modified to avoid declining legitimate transactions. 
     In various embodiments, the contactless card  101  can selectively communicate information depending upon the recipient device. Once tapped, the contactless card  101  can recognize the device to which the tap is directed and based on this recognition the contactless card can provide appropriate data for that device. This advantageously allows the contactless card to transmit only the information required to complete the instant action or transaction, such as a payment or card authentication. By limiting the transmission of data and avoiding the transmission of unnecessary data, both efficiency and data security can be improved. The recognition and selective communication of information can be applied to a various scenarios, including card activation, balance transfers, account access attempts, commercial transactions, and step-up fraud reduction. 
     If the tap of the contactless card  101  is directed to a device running Apple&#39;s iOS® operating system, e.g., an iPhone, iPod, or iPad, the contactless card can recognize the iOS® operating system and transmit data appropriate data to communicate with this device. For example, the contactless card  101  can provide the encrypted identity information necessary to authenticate the card using NDEF tags via, e.g., NFC. Similarly, if the contactless card tap is directed to a device running the Android® operating system, e.g., an Android® smartphone or tablet, the contactless card can recognize the Android® operating system and transmit appropriate and data to communicate with this device (such as the encrypted identity information necessary for authentication by the methods described herein). 
     As another example, the contactless card tap can be directed to a POS device, including without limitation a kiosk, a checkout register, a payment station, or other terminal. Upon performance of the tap, the contactless card  101  can recognize the POS device and transmit only the information necessary for the action or transaction. For example, upon recognition of a POS device used to complete a commercial transaction, the contactless card  101  can communicate payment information necessary to complete the transaction under the EMV standard. 
     In various embodiments, the POS devices participating in the transaction can require or specify additional information, e.g., device-specific information, location-specific information, and transaction-specific information, that is to be provided by the contactless card. For example, once the POS device receives a data communication from the contactless card, the POS device can recognize the contactless card and request the additional information necessary to complete an action or transaction. 
     In various embodiments the POS device can be affiliated with an authorized merchant or other entity familiar with certain contactless cards or accustomed to performing certain contactless card transactions. However, it is understood such an affiliation is not required for the performance of the described methods. 
     In various embodiments, such as a shopping store, grocery store, convenience store, or the like, the contactless card  101  may be tapped to a mobile device without having to open an application, to indicate a desire or intent to utilize one or more of reward points, loyalty points, coupons, offers, or the like to cover one or more purchases. Thus, an intention behind the purchase is provided. 
     In various embodiments, the one or more applications may be configured to determine that it was launched via one or more tap gestures of the contactless card  101 , such that a launch occurred at 3:51 pm, that a transaction was processed or took place at 3:56 pm, in order to verify identity of the user. 
     In various embodiments, the one or more applications may be configured to control one or more actions responsive to the one or more tap gestures. For example, the one or more actions may comprise collecting rewards, collecting points, determine the most important purchase, determine the least costly purchase, and/or reconfigure, in real-time, to another action. 
     In various embodiments, data may be collected on tap behaviors as biometric/gestural authentication. For example, a unique identifier that is cryptographically secure and not susceptible to interception may be transmitted to one or more backend services. The unique identifier may be configured to look up secondary information about individual. The secondary information may comprise personally identifiable information about the user. In various embodiments, the secondary information may be stored within the contactless card. 
     In various embodiments, the device may comprise an application that splits bills or check for payment amongst a plurality of individuals. For example, each individual may possess a contactless card, and may be customers of the same issuing financial institution, but it is not necessary. Each of these individuals may receive a push notification on their device, via the application, to split the purchase. Rather than accepting only one card tap to indicate payment, other contactless cards may be used. In various embodiments, individuals who have different financial institutions may possess contactless cards  101  to provide information to initiate one or more payment requests from the card-tapping individual. 
     In various embodiments, the present disclosure refers to a tap of the contactless card. However, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to a tap, and that the present disclosure includes other gestures (e.g., a wave or other movement of the card). 
       FIG.  8    illustrates an embodiment of an exemplary computing architecture  800  comprising a computing system  802  that may be suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. In various embodiments, the computing architecture  800  may comprise or be implemented as part of an electronic device. In various embodiments, the computing architecture  800  may be representative, for example, of a system that implements one or more components of the system  100 . In various embodiments, computing system  802  may be representative, for example, of the mobile devices  110  and server  120  of the system  100 . The embodiments are not limited in this context. More generally, the computing architecture  800  is configured to implement all logic, applications, systems, methods, apparatuses, and functionality described herein with reference to  FIGS.  1 - 7 B . 
     As used in this application, the terms “system” and “component” and “module” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution, examples of which are provided by the exemplary computing architecture  800 . For example, a component can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a computer processor, a computer processor, a hard disk drive, multiple storage drives (of optical and/or magnetic storage medium), an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. Further, components may be communicatively coupled to each other by various types of communications media to coordinate operations. The coordination may involve the uni-directional or bi-directional exchange of information. For instance, the components may communicate information in the form of signals communicated over the communications media. The information can be implemented as signals allocated to various signal lines. In such allocations, each message is a signal. Further embodiments, however, may alternatively employ data messages. Such data messages may be sent across various connections. Exemplary connections include parallel interfaces, serial interfaces, and bus interfaces. 
     The computing system  802  includes various common computing elements, such as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors, processing circuitry memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimedia input/output (I/O) components, power supplies, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the computing system  802 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , the computing system  802  comprises a processor  804 , a system memory  806  and a system bus  808 . The processor  804  can be any of various commercially available computer processors or computer process circuitry, including without limitation an AMD® Athlon®, Duron® and Opteron® processors; ARM® application, embedded and secure processors; IBM® and Motorola® DragonBall® and PowerPC® processors; IBM and Sony® Cell processors; Intel® Celeron®, Core®, Core (2) Duo®, Itanium®, Pentium®, Xeon®, and XScale® processors; and similar processors. Dual microprocessors, multi-core processors, and other multi-processor architectures may also be employed as the processor  804 . The processor  804  may be configured by associated memory instructions contained in the system memory  806 , such that when the instructions re executed on the processor (e.g. processor circuitry)  804 , the processor may carry out one or more operations associated with any one of  FIG.  5   - FIG.  7 B  and/or any other operation or technique as disclosed herein. 
     The system bus  808  provides an interface for system components including, but not limited to, the system memory  806  to the processor  804 . The system bus  808  can be any of several types of bus structure that may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. Interface adapters may connect to the system bus  808  via a slot architecture. Example slot architectures may include without limitation Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (Extended) (PCI(X)), PCI Express, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), and the like. 
     The system memory  806  may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory (e.g., one or more flash arrays), polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices (e.g., USB memory, solid state drives (SSD) and any other type of storage media suitable for storing information. In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIG.  8   , the system memory  806  can include non-volatile memory  810  and/or volatile memory  812 . A basic input/output system (BIOS) can be stored in the non-volatile memory  810 . 
     The computing system  802  may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more lower speed memory units, including an internal (or external) hard disk drive (HDD)  814 , a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD)  816  to read from or write to a removable magnetic disk  818 , and an optical disk drive  820  to read from or write to a removable optical disk  822  (e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD). The HDD  814 , FDD  816  and optical disk drive  820  can be connected to the system bus  808  by a HDD interface  824 , an FDD interface  826  and an optical drive interface  828 , respectively. The HDD interface  824  for external drive implementations can include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies. The computing system  802  is generally is configured to implement all logic, systems, methods, apparatuses, and functionality described herein with reference to  FIGS.  1 - 7   . 
     The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatile and/or nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For example, a number of program modules can be stored in the drives and memory units  810 ,  812 , including an operating system  830 , one or more application programs  832 , other program modules  834 , and program data  836 . In various embodiments, the one or more application programs  832 , other program modules  834 , and program data  836  can include, for example, the various applications and/or components of the system  100 , e.g., the operating system  112 , account application  113 , authentication application  114 , other applications  115 , access application  116 , and the management application  123 . 
     A user can enter commands and information into the computing system  802  through one or more wire/wireless input devices, for example, a keyboard  838  and a pointing device, such as a mouse  840 . Other input devices may include microphones, infra-red (IR) remote controls, radio-frequency (RF) remote controls, game pads, stylus pens, card readers, dongles, finger print readers, gloves, graphics tablets, joysticks, keyboards, retina readers, touch screens (e.g., capacitive, resistive, etc.), trackballs, trackpads, sensors, styluses, and the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processor  804  through an input device interface  842  that is coupled to the system bus  808 , but can be connected by other interfaces such as a parallel port, IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, and so forth. 
     A monitor  844  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  808  via an interface, such as a video adaptor  846 . The monitor  844  may be internal or external to the computing system  802 . In addition to the monitor  844 , a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, and so forth. 
     The computing system  802  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wire and/or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  848 . The remote computer  848  can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computing system  802 , although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory/storage device  850  is illustrated. The logical connections depicted include wire/wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN)  852  and/or larger networks, for example, a wide area network (WAN)  854 . Such LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices and companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which may connect to a global communications network, for example, the Internet. In embodiments, the network  130  of  FIG.  1    is one or more of the LAN  852  and the WAN  854 . 
     When used in a LAN networking environment, the computing system  802  is connected to the LAN  852  through a wire and/or wireless communication network interface or adaptor  856 . The adaptor  856  can facilitate wire and/or wireless communications to the LAN  852 , which may also include a wireless access point disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless functionality of the adaptor  856 . 
     When used in a WAN networking environment, the computing system  802  can include a modem  858 , or is connected to a communications server on the WAN  854 , or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN  854 , such as by way of the Internet. The modem  858 , which can be internal or external and a wire and/or wireless device, connects to the system bus  808  via the input device interface  842 . In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computing system  802 , or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device  850 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used. 
     The computing system  802  is operable to communicate with wired and wireless devices or entities using the IEEE 802 family of standards, such as wireless devices operatively disposed in wireless communication (e.g., IEEE 802.16 over-the-air modulation techniques). This includes at least Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity), WiMax, and Bluetooth™ wireless technologies, among others. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure as with a conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices. Wi-Fi networks use radio technologies called IEEE 802.11x (a, b, g, n, etc.) to provide secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wire networks (which use IEEE 802.3-related media and functions). 
     Various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may vary in accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input data rates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design or performance constraints. 
     One or more aspects of at least various embodiments may be implemented by representative instructions stored on a machine-readable medium which represents various logic within the processor, which when read by a machine causes the machine to fabricate logic to perform the techniques described herein. Such representations, known as “IP cores” may be stored on a tangible, machine readable medium and supplied to various customers or manufacturing facilities to load into the fabrication machines that make the logic or processor. Various embodiments may be implemented, for example, using a machine-readable medium or article which may store an instruction or a set of instructions that, if executed by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method and/or operations in accordance with the embodiments. Such a machine may include, for example, any suitable processing platform, computing platform, computing device, processing device, computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software. The machine-readable medium or article may include, for example, any suitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memory medium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and/or storage unit, for example, memory, removable or non-removable media, erasable or non-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analog media, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memory cards or disks, various types of Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a tape, a cassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, and the like, implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language. 
     The foregoing description of example embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. Future filed applications claiming priority to this application may claim the disclosed subject matter in a different manner and may generally include any set of one or more limitations as variously disclosed or otherwise demonstrated herein.