Patent Publication Number: US-8527427-B2

Title: Method and system for performing a transaction using a dynamic authorization code

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of International Application PCT/U.S.05/040882, filed Nov. 10, 2005, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/626,649 filed Nov. 10, 2004, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, and from which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The use of transaction or payment tokens, such as a credit card, debit card, or radio frequency device, is an increasingly important method for making payments, performing fund transfers, or effecting other transactions. These transactions can occur face-to-face at a point of sale, over the telephone, through the mail, over the Internet, or in other contexts. Regardless of the type of transaction, it is clearly desirable for all entities associated with the transaction to reduce the chance of fraud, through the unauthorized use of the transaction token and/or the payment account associated with the transaction token. 
     One approach to minimizing fraud is through the use of a personal identification number, or PIN which is managed in an international standardized way—such as according to ISO 9564. In one typical implementation of this approach, at the time of the transaction, the user&#39;s transaction card is inserted or swiped in a card reader. The reader extracts certain data from the card, such as an account number. The card reader then requests the user enter his or her PIN on a special keypad sometimes called a PinPad or PIN Entry Device (PED). The PIN is immediately encrypted and secured. The secured PIN data then is transmitted through secure means to an authorization location, such as an authorization computer, where cardholder data is stored. At the authorization computer, the account identification data is used to securely lookup or calculate the PIN for the account to verify that the PIN entered by the cardholder was correct. This approach minimizes fraud because the person in possession of the card must also know the secret PIN to complete the transaction. 
     The existing traditional internationally used architecture for a system for authenticating a static PIN transaction is shown in  FIG. 1 . A cardholder or user first enters a static PIN  101  at a terminal  103  having a secure PIN Entry Device (“PED”) connected to a Point of Sale (“POS”) terminal or ATM, where a payment card is accepted to perform a transaction. In traditional secure PEDs, the PIN is secured from the moment it is entered at the PIN pad. All PIN encryption, translation and decryption are performed in physically and logically secure hardware devices or facilities, whether secure PEDs, hardware security modules (“HSMs”), or secure facilities, all of which are well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Each node in the network, such as the secure PED  103 , shares an encryption key or key-pair with the node with which it communicates. These shared keys are sometimes referred to as “zone” keys, and they protect the communication link between nodes. Accordingly, the static PIN  101  entered at PED  103  may be encrypted with the shared key (Shared Key-1) that is associated with PED  103  and the Network Switch  111 . The encrypted PIN  105  is placed in a PIN block portion of a traditional credit or debit network message containing other account and transaction information, formatted according to accepted standards, such as ISO 8583 or other standard format, using techniques well known to those having ordinary skill in the art. 
     The message is communicated to a Network Switch  111  having a HSM. In other network configurations, the message is first communicated from the terminal to an acquiring financial institution (not shown), such as a bank operating the ATM, in the case of an ATM transaction, or a bank where the merchant operating the terminal  103  maintains an account. That message is then routed to the network switch  111 . The network switch  111  receives the PIN block and uses account information, such as the account number, or a portion thereof, to identify the bank or financial institution that issued the payment card, such as Bank A  117  or Bank B  119 . The Network Switch  111  decrypts the PIN in the PIN Block  105  using Shared Key-1 within the HSM, so that it can change the encipherment key to be used in the next transmission. The switch  111  then re-encrypts the PIN Block with Shared Key-A  113  and transmits the encrypted PIN block in the PIN block portion of a traditional credit or debit network message to Bank A  117 . Bank A  117  receives the message, decrypts the PIN block using Shared Key-A, and uses the account information in the message to find or calculate the PIN for the account associated with the transaction card being used, which is compared with the decrypted PIN information. If the comparison is successful, Bank A responds with a message indicating the PIN is verified, or the transaction was accepted. Otherwise, Bank A will send a message indicating the transaction is rejected. 
     Notably, participants in payment networks, such as merchants, acquiring financial institutions, and payment processors, have made substantial investments in the various secure computing hardware, software, communications links, secure PEDs, HSMs and other equipment associated with the static PIN messaging architecture shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     One disadvantage to this approach is that, because the PIN is static, a thief could capture the PIN when it is being entered through the use of a hidden camera or other methods during a legitimate transaction and reuse it in subsequent fraudulent transactions. A captured static PIN is usable by an attacker until it is discovered to be compromised. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the drawback of the prior art architecture by employing a dynamic code in place of the static PIN in a financial network message with minimal changes required to existing payment systems. 
     In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for authorizing a transaction using a transaction network having a standardized message format having a data portion reserved for a static PIN, including generating a dynamic code; preparing a transaction message in the standardized message format, the dynamic code inserted in the data portion of the message reserved for the static PIN; transmitting the transaction message to an authorization entity over a communications link; receiving a response from the authorization entity; and authorizing the transaction based on the response received from the authorization entity. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for authorizing a transaction using a transaction network having a standardized message format having a data portion reserved for a static PIN, including generating a dynamic code; receiving a transaction message in the standardized message format, the message having the dynamic code inserted in the data portion reserved for the static PIN and also including account data; using at least the account data to determine an expected dynamic code; comparing the received dynamic code with the expected dynamic code; and authorizing the transaction based on the comparison. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for authorizing a transaction, including: a transaction network employing a standardized message format having a data portion reserved for a static PIN; a dynamic code generator for generating a dynamic code; an account database storing information regarding one or more accounts; a receiver for receiving a transaction message in the standardized message format—the message having said dynamic code inserted in said data portion reserved for said static PIN, and said message including account data; a processor for (a) retrieving, using the account data, account information from the account database, (b) determining an expected dynamic code based on at least the retrieved account information, (c) comparing the received dynamic code to the expected dynamic code, and (d) authorizing a transaction in response to the comparison. 
     Advantageously, with the present invention, transaction security is greatly enhanced since an account holder is authenticated using a dynamic (not static) means. A dynamic code can be constructed to be a one-time-use only (one-use-PIN) providing no value to its capture by an attacker. 
     Also notable is that if dynamic codes or one-use-PINs of this present invention become ubiquitous, it eliminates the requirement to deploy secure PEDs for consumers and eliminate costly HSMs in back end systems to protect PINs. Therefore, the security costs to an overall PIN system could be drastically reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a prior art transaction network architecture; and 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     One exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, techniques are permitted to use dynamic codes in place of static PINs in a transaction network employing a standardized message format with a minimum of change required to existing systems. The embodiment includes placing dynamic codes (encrypted or unencrypted) in a standard PIN block typically used for communicating static PIN values across a transaction network. By using existing, standard PIN blocks in the standardized message format for the transmission of the dynamic codes, new fields or data messages in network messages do not need to be created or added. The processing of dynamic codes by entities in the network is simplified because those entities already have hardware and software to process PIN blocks in the standardized, existing message format. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the transaction begins with the generation of a dynamic code  201 . This entails the user of a transaction or payment token or device, such as a credit card, debit card, or radio frequency device, activating a device for generating a dynamic code. The code could be generated by a smart card and a smart card reader compliant with MasterCard&#39;s Chip Authentication Program (CAP) Specifications. Those specifications are available by license from MasterCard International Incorporated in Purchase, N.Y. Smart cards and smart card readers are well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art. Various companies currently provide smart cards that support CAP functionality, including: Austria Card, Axalto, DNP, G&amp;D, Gemplus, Orga, STM, Sagem, Setec, Toppan, and Winter AG. The following companies currently provide smart card readers that support CAP functionality: VASCO, Xiring, TODOS, ActivCard, AOS Hagenuk, and SCM Microsystems. 
     The dynamic codes may also be generated through a software application running on a mobile phone, such as described in MasterCard&#39;s co-pending patent application entitled “Method And System For Authorizing A Transaction Using A Dynamic Authorization Code,” International Patent Application No. PCT/U.S.05/29758, filed on Aug. 18, 2005, claiming priority to provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/602,594, filed Aug. 18, 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Alternatively, the dynamic code may be generated on any device capable of computing, including by way of examples (but not limited to) a smart card with a display, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a key fob device, a tablet personal computer (PC), a laptop PC, and a desktop PC. Of course, the software application executing on the computing device need not be CAP-compliant. Finally, dynamic codes may be generated by the issuing bank or other third party and supplied in hard copy form to the consumer. 
     The dynamic code may be a one-time code that is unique for each account and each authentication attempt. However, the dynamic code need not be strictly unique for each account and each authentication attempt. The codes may be allowed to overlap for accounts and to repeat over time so long as it remains difficult to re-use a code in an unauthorized manner such as by predicting the dynamic code associated with a particular pending or future transaction. In this context, the concept of limited-use numbers described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,833, issued to Flitcroft et al., may be applied to dynamic codes under the present invention. Accordingly, dynamic codes may be limited in their use based on certain conditions such as transaction value conditions (e.g., the dynamic codes are valid only for a particular one or a set of transactions or for transactions below a certain amount); time of transaction conditions (e.g., the dynamic codes are valid only for a certain time period); number of transactions conditions (e.g., the dynamic codes are valid only for a certain number of transactions); frequency of transactions conditions (e.g., the dynamic codes are valid for only a certain number of times per time period); purpose of transaction conditions; merchant type conditions, and geographical conditions. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the dynamic code is generated based in part on a changing value known to the bank or financial institution that issued the card, such as Bank A  217 . For example, a transaction counter may be maintained in a dynamic code generator possessed by the card holder and a copy of that counter may be maintained in a database maintained by the issuing Bank, such as in account database  223 . 
     The dynamic codes may be manually entered into a terminal having a secure PED  203  by a cardholder, just as the cardholder would enter a PIN. Alternatively, the dynamic codes may be communicated directly by the cardholder&#39;s code generating device to a PED or other system using any communication technology and/or procedure. For example, if the code generating device is a smart card or keychain fob with proximity technology, the dynamic code may be communicated wirelessly by radio frequency (RF) communication to a PED  203  or other computer system with RF receiving capabilities. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, instead of a secure PED  203  as shown in  FIG. 2 , the merchant or other payees could employ non-secure data entry devices for the dynamic code entry, because the dynamic nature of the code provides its own form of security. For example, in the case of an e-commerce transaction, the dynamic code could be entered at a home computer by a cardholder wishing to make a purchase. The code could be entered in the appropriate field of a merchant&#39;s online order form. In the case of mail transactions, the dynamic code could be written on an order form, and in the case of telephone transactions the dynamic code could be communicated verbally or by touch tone signaling over the telephone. 
     In addition, a non-secure PED embodiment may allow new retail payment models, such as a “shopping buddy” model. In the shopping buddy model, a physical shopping basket or cart may include an interactive device (such as a display with buttons) that can help the consumer shop for what he or she needs (for example, by providing a store directory or aisle information on products). In addition, the interactive device (shopping buddy) can include a means for accepting a payment card (e.g., magnetic stripe reader, smart card reader, proximity card reader) and a PIN pad. It would be cost-prohibitive to include a secure PED with each shopping cart, but this would not be necessary if a dynamic code were used according to the present invention. 
     Once the code is either entered or conveyed to a merchant terminal or computer, such as terminal  203 , the dynamic code can be encrypted  205  using an encryption key shared (such as Shared Key-1) between the terminal  203  and the next device in the communications chain, such as network switch  211 . There may be one or more intermediary nodes between terminal  203  and network switch  211 , such as an acquiring financial institution computer (not shown). In such a case, the message may be encrypted as it traveled between the various nodes in a similar manner to that described herein. The dynamic code information is coupled with other transaction information, such as the primary account number (PAN) associated with the cardholder, card expiration date, transaction amount, and other data regarding the transaction. This information is formatted into a financial network message according to a message standard established by the transaction network members, the network message standard including a portion reserved for a static PIN. One example of such a network message standard is ISO-8583, although other message standards that are designed to carry a static PIN could be used. The dynamic code information is placed in the portion of the message reserved for the static PIN and transmitted over the communication link. 
     Once the message is received at the network switch  211 , the switch uses certain transaction data, such as the PAN, a portion thereof, or some other transaction data, to identify the bank that issued the card being used. In one exemplary embodiment, the switch decrypts the encrypted dynamic code information using the key shared with the prior node in the network (such as Shared Key-1) in a hardware security module (not shown). Alternatively, it may not be necessary to encrypt the dynamic code, as discussed previously. The dynamic code may be encrypted using a key shared between the network  211  and the destination computer, such as Bank A  217 . The message with the dynamic code is then forwarded  213  to the destination bank,  217 , or an entity performing processing services for that bank. 
     Once the message is received at the destination bank, such as Bank A  217 , the received dynamic code, i.e., a first dynamic code, may be decrypted, using the key shared with the prior node, such as Shared Key-A. This may occur in a HSM or secure application  221  at Bank A to operate with legacy systems. Alternatively, if the dynamic code was not encrypted prior to transmission to Bank A  217 , the code need not be decrypted. Hardware and/or software systems at Bank A would then extract transaction data from the message to determine an expected dynamic code, i.e., a second dynamic code, associated with the transaction. For example, the PAN or other identifying information may be used to look up information in an account database  223  containing data associated with the account being used to perform the requested transaction. Account database  223  may include a transaction counter associated with the account, the payment token, such as a credit or debit card, or the code generator being used to perform the transaction, if separate from the payment token. This counter may be synchronized with a counter maintained in the payment token or code generator device. A portion of the dynamic code itself could be used to transmit information from the code generator to Bank A to maintain the synchronization of the counter. This counter together with other secret data known to Bank A and securely stored on the code generator (such as an encryption key or key pair) and optionally other transaction data (such as transaction amount, transaction date/time, an unpredictable number, etc.) can be used, in conjunction with an algorithm shared between the code generator and Bank A, to calculate an expected dynamic code associated with the particular transaction. 
     If the expected dynamic code matches the dynamic code received in the financial message, Bank A may approve the transaction, or perform further processing to verify whether or not the transaction should be approved (such as determining whether the payment token or code generator has been reported lost or stolen, determining whether credit limits have been exceeded, etc.). If the expected dynamic code does not match the received dynamic code, the transaction may be rejected. An appropriate response message would then be communicated between Bank A  217  and Terminal  203  over a communication link. A merchant can then permit or reject the transaction based on the response. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, an issuer bank, such as Bank A, wishing to issue a payment token and/or code generating device in accordance with the present invention, would reprogram its computers to perform the calculations necessary to perform authentication of the dynamic codes. In another exemplary embodiment, the issuer bank could maintain its established static PIN authentication systems and insert a new HSM or hardware/software component into its PIN processing system to handle processing of the dynamic code transactions. For example, a dynamic code HSM, designed to calculate expected dynamic codes, could be integrated in series with—before or after—the process to validate static PINs. In other words, the application for processing messages at Bank A  217  that include PINs will first send the PIN Block to either the static PIN HSM or the dynamic code HSM. If the first HSM replies with a negative response (i.e. rejects the PIN in the message), the application would then send the PIN block to the other HSM. If either the static PIN HSM or dynamic code HSM responds that the “PIN block” was valid, the PIN/dynamic code would be considered valid. If both HSMs respond that the PIN/dynamic code was invalid, the transaction would be rejected. This embodiment would entail minimum impact to existing PIN processing systems at issuer financial institutions. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, an issuer bank, such as Bank A  217 , may identify whether a message contains a static PIN or a dynamic code based on some characteristic of the message. For example, the PAN or Bank Identification Number (BIN) portion of a financial message may indicate to the issuer whether the payment token/account being used to perform the transaction uses a static PIN or a dynamic code. Based on this determination, the bank would route the message to the appropriate processing operations to verify the PIN or dynamic code. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, various modifications, alterations, and substitutions will be known or obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Numerous other applications of the present invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.