Account asset protection via an encoded physical mechanism

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising at least one processor executing instructions on a server computer coupled to a network, the server computer being configured to:
 receive a first transmission from a website control panel encoding a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, the first transmission further encoding a user identification and a domain name identification;   print the physical certificate, the physical certificate including the user identification, the domain name identification, and a security key;   programmatically lock an account for the domain name against modification;   receive a scanned data from a scanning device, the scanned data comprising the user identification, the domain name identification, and the security key; and   programmatically unlock at least one administrative function of the account.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer is configured to:
 set an EPP key to a random value; and   encrypt, using a key pair, the user identification, the domain name identification, and the EPP key to generate the security key.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer is configured to:
 store, within a database coupled to the network in association with the user identification, at least one data record comprising a user contact;   receive a second transmission from the website control panel encoding a request to execute a transfer of the domain name; and   responsive to receiving the second transmission, transmit, to the user contact, a request for the physical certificate.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user identification, the domain name identification, and the security key are stored on:
 a USB drive; or   a cell phone.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the security key is not stored on the server computer. 
     
     
         6 . A system, comprising at least one processor executing instructions on a server computer coupled to a network, wherein the server computer is configured to:
 receive a first transmission encoding a request for a physical mechanism authenticating a user to update an electronic asset, the first transmission further encoding a user identification, and an electronic asset identification;   generate the physical mechanism, and affixed to, or stored on, the physical mechanism, a block of data encoding the user identification, the electronic asset identification, and a change key; and   programmatically lock an account for the electronic asset against modification of the electronic asset.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server computer is configured to:
 receive a second transmission encoding a request to execute electronic transaction instructions;   receive a data entry including at least a portion of the block of data from the physical mechanism, the data entry including the user identification, the electronic asset identification, and the change key;   programmatically unlock at least one administrative function of the account;   authenticate a transaction for the electronic asset using the change key; and   execute the electronic transaction instructions.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the server computer is configured to:
 store, within a database coupled to the network in association with the user identification and the electronic asset identification, at least one data record comprising the electronic transaction instructions; and   responsive to receiving the second transmission, verify that the at least one data record matches the electronic transaction instructions.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the server computer is configured to:
 store, within a database coupled to the network in association with the user identification, at least one data record comprising a user contact; and   responsive to receiving the second transmission, transmit, to the user contact, a request for the physical mechanism.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server computer is configured to:
 set the change key to a random value; and   encrypt the block of data using a key pair.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the physical mechanism comprises:
 a printed certificate; or   a USB drive; or   a cell phone.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the change key comprises an EPP key not stored on the server computer. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the block of data is encoded into a machine readable optical label and is affixed to or stored within the physical mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a first transmission encoding a request for a physical mechanism authenticating a user to update an electronic asset, the first transmission further encoding a user identification, and an electronic asset identification;   generating the physical mechanism, and affixed to, or stored on, the physical mechanism, a block of data encoding the user identification, the electronic asset identification, and a change key; and   programmatically locking an account for the electronic asset against modification of the electronic asset.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a second transmission encoding a request to execute electronic transaction instructions;   receiving a data entry including at least a portion of the block of data from the physical mechanism, the data entry including the user identification, the electronic asset identification, and the change key;   programmatically unlocking at least one administrative function of the account;   authenticating a transaction for the electronic asset using the change key; and   executing the electronic transaction instructions.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 storing, within a database coupled to a network in association with the user identification and the electronic asset identification, at least one data record comprising the electronic transaction instructions; and   responsive to receiving the second transmission, verifying that the at least one data record matches the electronic transaction instructions.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 storing, within a database coupled to a network in association with the user identification, at least one data record comprising a user contact; and   responsive to receiving the second transmission, transmitting, to the user contact, a request for the physical mechanism.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 setting the change key to a random value; and   encrypting the block of data using a key pair.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising encoding the block of data into a machine readable optical label configured to be affixed to the physical mechanism.