Patent ID: 8327420

Claim:
An authentication system for authenticating a user, the system comprising: one or more participant terminals operable to act as a client on a network; a computer operable to act as a server on the network and to communicate with each of the participant terminals over the network, the computer comprising: a memory configured to store a set of instructions; and a processor configured to execute the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions cause the processor to: receive user login information from at least one participant terminal, wherein the user login information corresponds to a user profile; generate an authentication data set comprising: a plurality of decoy data; an anchor data, wherein the anchor data is based on information from the user profile; and at least one target data in a predetermined positional relationship relative to the anchor data, wherein the predetermined relationship is based on information from the user profile; generate a decoy data set comprising: a plurality of second decoy data; and at least one anchor data, wherein the anchor data is based on information from the user profile; present the authentication data set and decoy data set on at least one terminal; wherein the anchor data and the target data are positioned differently and randomly among the decoy data for each generated authentication data set, the predetermining positional relationship providing information on the identity of the target data in the authentication data set to the user; determine an authentication result by performing a predetermined manipulation of the at least one target data, wherein the predetermined manipulation is based on information from the user profile; receive a user response to an authentication prompt; and compare the authentication result and the user response and authenticating the user if the authentication result and user response are the same; wherein, based upon a predetermined event, the set of instructions further cause the processor to generate a second authentication data set, generate an authentication query set, or discontinue a login session with the user; wherein generating an authentication query set comprises: a plurality of predetermined decoy queries, wherein each of the predetermined decoy queries is based on information from the user profile; and at least one predetermined target query, wherein each target query is from the user profile; present the authentication query set to at least one terminal; determine an authentication result by retrieving a correct response to each target query from the user profile; receive a user response to an authentication prompt; and compare the authentication result and the user response and authenticating the user if the authentication result and user response are the same; wherein the decoy queries and target query are presented in random relationship relative to one another.