Patent ID: 8756661

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for authenticating a user for access to an online service using a variable authentication type, the method comprising: receiving from an online service an authentication request that includes user identity information and an indication of the online service that submitted the request; dynamically determining one or more authentication criteria to use to authenticate the identified user, by dynamically selecting one or more modes of authentication based on a determined level of confidence that the user is who the user claims to be such that a user receives one authentication criterion during one authentication request and another authentication criterion during another authentication request; sending to the online service an authentication response that requests satisfaction of the determined authentication criteria by the user, wherein the authentication response comprises a previously configured authentication method set by the user; receiving from the online service a verification request that includes user identity information and a response to the authentication criteria; validating the information received in the verification request to determine whether a user requesting access is the user identified by the user identity information; and upon determining that the information received in the information request matches one or more expected answers, sending to the online service a verification response indicating that the access request is allowed, wherein the preceding steps are performed by at least one processor.