This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I research project proposes to develop a novel voice authentication security access system which uniquely combines speech verification with speaker verification in a dual fashion. As a basis for authentication, the proposed system generates a one-time pass-phrase which users are challenged to respond to immediately. The dual verification engine verifies that the response is the required pass-phrase and belongs to the claimed user. The proposed system addresses the vulnerabilities of previous voice authentication systems associated with 'ear shot' surfing, eavesdropping, guessing, and replaying attacks. The proposal offers a solution for emerging identity theft threats where personal or stored secret information cannot be said aloud. The proposal further addresses traditional password system limitations associated with ineffective passwords and password management. The research objective of this project is to investigate the feasibility of the technical approach and commercial potential. The research consists of the design and development of a prototype representative of the dual verification random pass-phrase proposed system. The research includes the measurement and analysis of engine accuracy, pass-phrase effectiveness and overall security. It is anticipated that important security improvements will be demonstrated for voice applications sensitive to eavesdropping and playback thereby expanding the overall potential for voice authentication.
The impacts of the proposed activity include secure authentication through speech via the widely growing number of speech recognition applications, voice channels and converged platforms. As more individuals use their voice on a variety of devices and networks such as VoIP or cellular, real-time, speech applications will benefit from the proposed method. The proposed speech security method may also be the choice for those with visual or other applicable handicaps. Society is concerned with the continuous rise of security breaches and related identity theft. The system offers an important option to this problem with the possibility of positively impacting individuals and organizations that lose millions of dollars to fraud annually. The combination of security and authentication technologies in new and unique ways enhances our understanding of how a dynamic biometric, such as speaker verification, can be used to advance the technology as never before demonstrated. The proposal emphasizes the collaboration of industry and university and broadens the participation of underrepresented groups through a woman owned and operated business. The proposal facilitates the integration of research and education with the involvement of university faculty, researchers, and graduate students.
