Local and Remote Access Apparatus and System for Password Storage and management

Abstract

The present invention is maser credentials' storage and management system installed on the local network consisting of a secured depository of usernames and passwords which ran be locally/remotely accessed only by the user after authentication. The user account contains all user credentials' which are stored in a device connected to local network. The user credentials' are stored in a device, which can be accessed by the user via WiFi/Ethernet/etc. The server provides the first level of authentication which connects the user post authentication by computing device to the storage device. The user has to run the required web page, after which the application accesses the user credentials' account, extracts the login credentials and automatically fills or can be manually filled in the appropriate fields. In the case of accessing multiple accounts, then the user credentials; can be copy-pasted from them account and can terminate the session.

Claims

1. A user credentials' storage and management system comprising: a. a software application; b. a device to store the usernames and passwords; c. an internal network connection; d. an access point or a router e. a device to connect the access point or router; and f. a server wherein, a device is used to store the usernames and passwords, and the device is also connected to the internal network of the user via WiFi or Ethernet, which in turn is connected to the server; the server provides the interface to connect the user with the device and the software application is used to login to the device with the login-key or any other user authentication method for accessing the stored user names, passwords and other user credentials.

2. A user credentials storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software application which is used for login management residing on a portable device or a non-portable device, can be connected to a computerized terminal or device.

3. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the account created by the user is secure and can only be accessed and the information can be retrieved only by the user themselves.

4. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the usernames and passwords are stored in the system which can be accessed only by an authorized user who can access their account with a login-key or any other user authentication system.

5. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the login-key is used to authenticate the user, which can be done using user-name and password; user-name, password and/or biometrics; user-name, password, and token, username, password, and Short messaging Service (SMS) code; and user-name, password, and the second factor of the user authentication which can be a dynamic passcode from a user-defined formula based on a changing parameter value.

6. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device can also be connected internally through an Ethernet or WiFi or some other communication means or connection.

7. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server is connected to the plurality of the credential's storage vaults and the database, and the server provides the https access to users to access the system through a mobile phone application or through a personal computer or device.

8. A user credentials' storage and management stem as claimed in claim 7, wherein the server is provided for remote access to the credentials' storage device.

9. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the users have to login to their account with the help of the unique identification number (UID) along with a unique key to identify their device which can either be a smartphone or a personal computer or a laptop etc. in order to gain access to their account.

10. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein when the user provides the login details and the unique key, the server receives the data and sends it to the credentials' storage vault to authenticate the user.

11. A user credentials' storage and management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server allows the user to access their usernames and passwords through a session in which the requested data in encrypted form is sent to the user's device through the server and the user's device receives the sent data on an Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) channel.

12. A method of user credentials' storage and management comprising: a. storing the user-names and passwords i.e. the login credentials of the user in a device; b. connecting the device to the internal network of the user through the WiFi; c. connecting the device to the access point and to the internet i.e. WiFi; d. initiating and running the software application in the user's device which is remotely connected to the access point through the internet i.e. connection; and e. accessing the account through login-key to retrieve the usernames and passwords;

13. A method of user credentials' storage and management as claimed in claim 12, wherein a set-up process has to be made to the device in which the usernames and the passwords have to be stored.

14. A method of user credentials' storage and management as claimed in claim 13, wherein the device set-up is made by connecting it to a network connection i.e. through WiFi Ethernet.

15. A method of user credentials' storage and management as claimed in claim 12, wherein device set-up creates an account for every user in which they can store their login credentials i.e. usernames and passwords and login-key in their account.

16. A method of user credentials' storage and management as claimed in claim 12, wherein the storage device which is connected to the local network, can be configured for only local access, or both local and remote access.

17. A method of user credentials' storage and management as claimed in claim 12, wherein the user can access their data by running the software application in their device i.e. smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop etc.; providing the login credential along with the login-key; accessing the user account by the software application which contains the usernames and passwords of various accounts of the user; extracting the login credentials of required or selected website; and automatically filling up the appropriate fields in the opened webpage through the software application; granting access to the user and terminating the access provided in the particular device after work is done.

18. A method of user credentials' storage and management as claimed in claim 12, wherein the user can also connect to the server by typing the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the server for which the login credentials are required.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates the schematic representation of the user credentials' storage and management system connected through a WiFi connection.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates the schematic representation of the user credentials' storage and management system through an Ethernet connection.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates the schematic representation of the set up process of the user credentials' storage and management system.

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates the schematic representation of the user credentials' storage and management system showing the server (with public IP) that can be used to make the data accessible over the web for all users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The present invention describes a user credentials' storage and management system which is a secured depository (standalone or built into existing device on the Local Area Network) of the user's usernames and password which can securely and locally and/or remotely accessed only by the user after the user is authenticated by the system. The user can access the information from their, account with a browser or an end user application.

[0028] The present invention comprises of a device to store the usernames and passwords, internal network connection via WiFi or Ethernet, an access point or a router, a device to connect to the access point or the router, a server and an end user software application. The device which is used for storing the usernames and passwords is connected to the internal network of the user via WiFi or Ethernet which is also connected to the server. The device stores the usernames and passwords and login key or keys to give access to the users. This device also, connected to the focal network via WiFi or Ethernet or any other kind of technology. The server provides the interface to connect the user with the device and the end user software application can run on any of these platforms i.e. windows, android, Linux, IOS, RTOS etc., and provides the ability to login to the device with the login-key.

[0029] The account created by the user is secure and can only be accessed and the information can be retrieved only by the user themselves. The user credentials' storage and management system stores the usernames and passwords and each authorized user is provided access to their account with a login-key. The login-key is basically a system which is used to authenticate the user and cheek whether it is the user themselves or any imposter or fraud. The user authentication can be done in various ways like using user name and password; user name, password and/or biometrics; user name, password, and token; user name, password, and Short messaging Service (SMS) code; user name, password, and the second factor of the user authentication which can be a dynamic passcode from a user-defined formula based on a changing parameter value and any other means of user authentication.

[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates the schematic representation of the user credentials' storage and management system. The user credentials' storage and management system comprises of a device 101 which stores the usernames and passwords i.e. login credentials of the user 102 is connected to the internal network of the user through the WiFi. The device 101 is connected to the access point 103 which is also connected to the internet 106 i.e. WiFi. The user can use the WiFi through the local area network connection 104. Once the user 105 runs the software application in their device, they are remotely connected to the access point 103 through the internet 106 i.e. WiFi connection. Once the connection is made, user 105 can login into their account through the login-key and gain access to their account which comprises of the usernames and the passwords and the server 107 provides the interface to connect the user with the device.

[0031] Similarly, the user credentials' storage and management system can also be connected internally through an Ethernet connection which is described in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates the schematic representation of the user credentials' storage and management system through a router connection. FIG. 2 illustrates the user credentials' storage and management system which comprises of a device 201 which stores the usernames and passwords i.e. login credentials of the user 202 is connected to the internal network of the user through the Ethernet. The Ethernet connection requires a router 203 in order to connect the system through a local network connection 204. The device 201 is connected to the router 203 through an Ethernet connection which provides the internet connection 206 which can be used by the user 205 in order to store and manage the usernames and passwords. Once the user 205 runs the software application in their device, they are remotely connected to the router 203 through the internet 206 i.e. Ethernet connection and once the connection is made, the user 205 can login into their account through the login-key and gain access to their account which comprises of the usernames and the passwords and the server 207 provides the interface to connect the user with the device.

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates the schematic representation of the set up process of the user credentials' storage and management system. The device 301 in which the usernames and the passwords have to be stored is connected to a network connection i.e. through WiFi or Ethernet in order to set-up 302 the system. Once the set-up 302 of the device 301 is successfully completed, an account will be created for the user in which they can store their login credentials i.e. usernames and passwords and login-key in their account. Once the login credentials are successfully stored in the system, the user can use their own device which works on any platform like windows, android etc. to access their login credentials remotely.

[0033] The method of the user credentials' storage and management system comprises of a software application, a login-key and an account comprising of all the user credentials. The user has to run the software application in their device for example, smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop etc. When the user runs the application in any device, the user is provided with the access to their credentials only in that device with the help of a login-key. The user can also connect to the server by typing the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the server. Then the user has to provide the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the website for which the credentials are required for example: www.facebook.com. The software application accesses the account of the user in which all the usernames and passwords of various accounts of the user is saved and it extracts the login credentials of that particular website and automatically fills them up in the appropriate fields in the opened webpage. The software application can also be programmed to automatically fill the login credentials in the appropriate place. When the user wants to login in various accounts, they can copy and paste the login credentials manually for every website and can terminate the access to the account manually. Once the credentials are provided, the user is granted access and after the work is completed, the user can terminate the access provided in the particular device.

[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates the schematic representation of the user credentials' storage and management system in which the server can be used to make the data accessible over the web for all its users. Basically the server 401 acts as a public access point for all the devices that stores the user names and passwords. All the devices which are remotely accessed by the users can reach there device which stores the usernames and passwords through this fixed internet protocol (IP) or the server domain. The server 401 is connected to the credentials' storage vault 1 402, credentials' storage vault 2 403 and the database 406. The server 401 will provide the https access to users i.e. user 1 404 who is accessing the system through a mobile phone application and user 2 405 who is accessing the system through, a personal computer. The user 1 404 and user 2 405 have to login to their account with the help of the unique identification number (UID) along with a unique key to identify their device which can either be a smartphone or a personal computer or a laptop etc. While setting up the system in their local devices, the user has to add or feed them on the web interface to link it with their unique key. After initial set up, the user can access their password vault whenever they want in order to retrieve the username and passwords which is similar to accessing the data locally. The credentials' storage vault 1 402 is linked with UID 1 and the credentials' storage vault 2 403 is linked with UID 2 wherein the user 1 404 who is using the mobile device can access the data from the credentials' storage vault 1 402 and the user 2 405 who is using a personal computer can access the data from the credentials' storage vault 2 403. The server 401 in real, does not hold any of the data related to the user as it simply acts as a tunnel between the device and current user location. The users can access their credentials' storage vaults from any of their devices which are suitable to them such as mobile phone, personal computer, laptop, tablet as the present invention is compatible with all forms of devices.

[0035] When the user 1 404 provides the login details i.e. the UID 1 and the unique key, the server 401 receives the data and sends it to the credentials' storage vault 1 402 which confirms the login after the successful verification of the provided credentials. The server allows the user to access their usernames and passwords that are stored in the credentials' storage vault 1 402 and during this access, a session is created wherein the requested data in encrypted form is sent to the user's device through the server and the user's device receives the sent data on an Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) channel. The server 401 is also linked to a database 406 which maintains the credentials' storage vault 1 402 and credentials' storage vault 2 403 and also the UID links.

[0036] On the other side, the devices which are being used by the user will boot and try to establish a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the server 401. TCP is a standard that defines how to establish and maintain a network conversation through which the software application programs can exchange data. TCP works with the Internet Protocol (IP), winch defines how computers send packets of data to each other. Once the connection is established successfully, the device will mark its status as active and it will be ready to respond to the queries submitted by the user from anywhere and at any time. The requests made by the users for either retrieval or saving new passwords will be handled by the device firmware although routed through the server 401. The traffic between the device and the server is encrypted by unique device key and can only be decrypted at user end with users key.

[0037] The present invention is not only limited to be used in the above mentioned platforms, but can also be developed further to be used in various platforms.