STTR Phase II: Dynamic Passphrase Voice Security System

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project focuses on the research and development of a novel voice authentication security system which combines speech verification with speaker verification. As a basis for authentication, the proposed system generates a one-time pass-phrase which users are challenged to respond to immediately. Following the challenge, the dual verification engine verifies that the response is the required pass-phrase and that it is associated with the person articulating the pass-phrase. The proposed system addresses the vulnerabilities of previous voice authentication systems associated with 'ear shot' surfing, eavesdropping and theft. The proposal offers a solution for identity theft threats where personal information cannot be said aloud and further addresses password systems limitations. The proposed project will develop and construct a system which expands the voice capabilities to include a wider selection of users, channels and types of speech. The system will expand pass-phrase generation to support large customers and its passphrase 'topic selection' privacy feature. Additionally, the system will automatically enroll users over multiple calls overcoming previous limitations due to inadequate speech across channels. The outcomes of the proposed project 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 system method may also be the choice for those with visual or other applicable handicaps. Because of the continuous rise of security breaches and related identity theft, the outcomes of this project should significantly impact society by providing a robust security option for speech-enabled user interfaces.