Systems and methods of securing resources through passwords

US7992008B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Guru S. Ashok · South Burlington, US
• Raymond P. Dunki-Jacobs · Williston, US
• Robert J. Milne · Jericho, US
• Rahul Nahar · South Burlington, US
• Ashit M. Shah · South Burlington, US
• Shreesh S. Tandel · South Burlington, US
• Muthuswamy Venkatachalam · South Burlington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 20, 2008
• Grant date: Aug 2, 2011
• Expiry date: May 4, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F21/31
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of authorizing access to an item that maintains a lockout count and blocks access to the item if the lockout count exceeds a predetermined value. One feature is that the invention “variably” increments the lockout count if the presented password fails to exactly match the stored password. In this process the invention increments the lockout count different amounts depending upon how closely the presented password matches the stored password. The invention also provides a methodology that allocates a plurality of the same passwords to a plurality of users who share the same userid. The invention allows continuous operation of the item being accessed by providing that each of the passwords has a different expiration date. Also, when dealing with situations where a plurality of users who share the same userid also share the same password, the invention maps information associated with the users to the password in a data file and periodically updates the data file.