User Authentication

[thejhh]

Goal

Enhance webhsm to support comprehensive user authentication methods, incorporating PKCS#11 compliant cryptographic operations. This development aims to provide secure, adaptable user authentication workflows using cryptographic tokens, smart cards, or biometric data, all processed securely within a web environment. Our focus is on improving access control and identity verification to boost security levels for web applications.

Application Example in Browser Environment

The expansion of webhsm into user authentication marks a significant advancement in securing web application access. Integrated with WebAssembly (wasm), JavaScript, TypeScript, or web workers, webhsm uses PKCS#11 cryptographic standards to enable diverse authentication methods. This is critical for industries requiring strict access security, like banking, e-commerce, and private communications. With webhsm, developers can design authentication processes that enhance security and user experience by leveraging advanced cryptographic identity verification. This not only protects web applications from unauthorized access but also builds user trust with solid authentication practices.

Consider an online banking application using webhsm for multifactor authentication (MFA). Users can authenticate via a combination of something they know (a password), something they have (a cryptographic token or smart card), and something they are (biometric data), all verified securely in the browser. This approach significantly reduces the risk of phishing attacks and unauthorized account access, ensuring customer accounts are accessible only to the rightful owners.

Tasks

• TASK PKCS11 OpenSession #5
• TASK PKCS11 GetAttributeValue #15
• TASK PKCS11 Sign #29
• TASK PKCS11 Verify #35
• TASK PKCS11 GenerateKeyPair #46
• TASK PKCS11 WrapKey #47
• TASK PKCS11 UnwrapKey #48
• TASK PKCS11 SeedRandom #50

Commercial Engagement

While the roadmap for incorporating advanced user authentication in webhsm is under development, the importance of robust digital identity verification continues to grow. This is particularly relevant as remote access and online services expand.

We encourage entities interested in prioritizing advanced user authentication within webhsm to contact us at info@hg.fi. Our goal is to explore partnerships that accelerate the availability of these critical security measures, tailoring them to enhance your web applications' security and user trust.