Authentication Methods
and
the Privacy Issue
Takato NATSUI
Professor at Meiji University
Attorney at law
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Table of Contents
• General Aims
• My Opinions and Arguments
– Distinction between authentication methods
– Problems – Confusion caused by
misunderstanding or by wrong purposes
• Discussions
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General Aims
• Authentication methods are not created equally just look at their price range. We explore
authentication options and how to identify
legally appropriate methods for various uses.
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Distinction between authentication
methods
•
In theory, there are 2 main types of
authentication method in accordance with
their fundamental natures and social functions.
–
–
•
Person oriented authentication methods
Function oriented authentication method
These 2 types of authentication method have
to be distinguished between.
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Rigid User Identification
by data matching with
personal data is usually or
often necessary.
Specific User only
Accessible
Server
User
Machin
e
Rigid User Identification
is not necessary
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Anonymous
User also
Accessible
Server
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Person oriented authentication
methods
• Explanation:
– For this type of authentication, it is important to distinguish
between who is accessing the system.
– The data matching for the certification process uses the
human identifier information, and is a necessary process.
– There are many commercial and non-commercial methods of
this kind on the Web. But, commercial authentication services
would be very expensive for private use.
– Privacy data protection issues may occur mainly in this field,
including SPAM problems and problems relating to misuse
of private customer data.
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Function oriented authentication
method
• Explanation:
– For this type of authentication, it is important to
distinguish between information being processed
and who is logging on.
– The data matching for the certification should be
done from the access data itself without using any
human identifier information.
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Problems
Confusion caused by misunderstanding or by wrong purposes
• However, for the Internet Service
Providers (ISPs), it is equally necessary to
authenticate the users who use the specific
access account that is processing in each
method at the time.
• In fact, these might be confused as being
the same certification process.
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• Explanation:
– With prepaid Card type access accounts, guest ID logging, free access accounts or
with digital tokens of anonymous type electronic money, the function oriented
authentication method should be used. It is not important to verify or certify who
is using this type of account. For example, his/her social security number, postal
address, telephone number or ID number and so on should be not used.
– Thus, for example, the guest ID should be open to everyone who has the
intention of using it. The system should only check the guest ID itself, and not
access any personal information stored in their database. Then everyone would be
verified as a certified user, and have the right to access the specified computer
system with having had their privacy compromised.
– But, in the practical processing in the transactions operated by ISPs, some human
identifier process would be or may be necessary. For instance, checking the user
account would also be done at the function oriented certification process stage.
– In theory, such checking should be unnecessary. For example, in such a function
oriented certification process, only the correctness or validity of the Guest ID etc.
should have to be checked. There is no need for user identification.
– Nevertheless, in fact, user identifier information might also be corrected and
checked in such a process. This would indicate the existence or probability of
some kind of privacy issues.
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• On the other hand, in the person oriented authentication
method also, there are some confusions or inadequate use.
– Explanation:
– A kind of over-collection of personal use would be observed in this
process. For example, needless personal data may also be corrected in the
course of authentication. This needless personal data may be
misappropriated for other commercial purposes.
– In addition, if the authentication security level is not that high enough, it
would not be necessary to collect and certify so many elements for
personal identification. Of course, for the rigid and complete certification
at higher levels, more detailed elements of personal data would be
necessary to collect and examine. But, this difference in necessity of
element collection of personal data in accordance with each level is not
so clearly recognized. It may be caused by the overflowing or oversupplied specs or technical functions of commercial based authentication
software or services.
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Discussions
• How to educate the relevant people as to the
right way to choose appropriate authentication
methods for each user
• How to recognize wastefulness
• How to block any illegal use of personal data
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