Experiment
Chat-Based Authentication
The client wanted to empower users to use a chat-based AI Experience. In order to access data in a controlled, audited, and secure way,they needed to come up with a mechanism to authenticate via chat, as the user
Business Challenge
Autheticate a user in a natural conversational way
Technology Used
Business Impact
Increased User engagement through a Secure Agentic Experience with protected data.
Requirements
- Keep a Conversational Experience
- Every interaction should be audited
- Blast Radius and risk exposure should be as small as possible
- User friction should be minimal
The Story
The client was investigating how they could provide a way to authenticate a user without the use of a Username and Password. Behind the username and password they wanted to access sensitive data. The data was exposed via REST API’s positioned behind a firewall and secured with JWT Tokens.
As we considered how the experience would happen if a person made a telephone called to a Support Agent, we realized that the Support Agent simply requested information specific to the Person that they had On-File.
With each question asked and correctly answered, the agent became more confident the person on the other end was indeed who they said they were. The Agent had the ability to make a human Judgement call durring the call.
Some companies have a canned list of questions they are required to ask, while others simply leave it open to the Agnet.
It’s a TRUST exchange
THE CALLER:
The caller initiates the exchange. They seek out a support number to call. That number can be provided on a company website, a brochure, a user manual or any other number of sources. Company branding and sometimes physical documentation provide the beginning level of confidence. Once the caller dials the number, they listen for how the “greeting” to determine accuracy. If the greeting is
“Thanks for calling Tidy Times Watch Company”
they are provided with a second affirmation since the name announced matches the intended destination.
If a gruff voice answers
“Hello, What do you want?”