Online authentication and security management using device-based identification

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed to provide enhanced online security. When user authenticating information is provided to access secure content, a network server identifies the user via a website identifier. Some of the disclosed techniques leverage third party 'cookie stitchers' to associate user data, which may include a website identifier, to the user's computing devices. If the cookie stitcher cannot identify a current computing device, or if a current website identifier does not match one stored in the user data, then 2-factor authentication (2FA) may be triggered. Other disclosed techniques leverage stored device management data (DMD), which uniquely identifies each computing device that is associated with a website identifier. These techniques allow the network server to block access to explicitly-identified computing devices, and to trigger 2FA unless specific computing device metrics, which are associated with a computing device, are matched to computing device metrics contained in the DMD.