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Sample Code: One Time Password (OTP) Demo

16 Sep 2014 1  
The purpose of this paper is to provide a high level overview of the one-time password (OTP) functionalities and show how to use the OTP APIs in Android*.

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Introduction

Traditionally, two-factor authentication uses a one-time password (OTP), which combines something the user knows (a username and password) and something the user has (typically, a token or key fob that produces a six-digit number, valid only for a short period of time and available on demand).

If your business is already using two-factor authentication, then you are also familiar with the various issues around token usability and logistics. Replacing lost or broken tokens and users mistyping their one-time passwords are just two of the headaches currently affecting help desks and IT departments. Intel® Identity Protection Technology (Intel® IPT) with OTP is a built-in hardware token (of your security vendor choice) that negates the need for a separate physical token, thus simplifying the two-factor VPN log-in process for a seamless experience with virtually no delays.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a high level overview of the one-time password (OTP) functionalities and show how to use the OTP APIs in Android*.

Code and Explanations

OTP has three major functionalities: OTP provisioning, OTP generation, and OTP verification. There are also APIs for querying OTP capability and the OTP version on the system.

OTP Provisioning

InvokeIPTProv extends the AsyncTask to execute the provisioning in the background. It first creates the security service (Provision Service) and then starts the provisioning process.

@Override
protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
	ChaabiProvision prov = new ChaabiProvision();
	try {
		prov.execute().get(PROV_MAX_TIMEOUT, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
	} catch (InterruptedException e) {
		error = "Provisioning failed: " + e.getClass().getName() + ": "
				+ e.getLocalizedMessage();
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (ExecutionException e) {
		error = "Provisioning failed: " + e.getClass().getName() + ": "
				+ e.getLocalizedMessage();
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (TimeoutException e) {
		error = "Provisioning failed: " + e.getClass().getName() + ": "
				+ e.getLocalizedMessage();
		e.printStackTrace();
	}
	return null;
}

OTP Generation

Before we start generating the OTP, we need to check if the device has already successfully completed the provisioning process.

// Read token if exists
if (!readData()) {
	tvOTPGenerate
			.setText("OTP generation failed: No token exists. Please do provisioning.");
	return;
}

Then we can invoke the Async call to generate the OTP.

boolean invokeResyncGenerateOTP(IPTWrapper obj) {
	try {
		// Send request to the server for resync message and process
		// the received resync message
		InvokeIPTResync ipt_obj = new InvokeIPTResync();
		boolean status = ipt_obj.execute().get();
		if (status) {

			// Processes the server resync message
			obj.ProcessResyncMessage(encrToken_b64, serverResyncMessage);

			// Invoke OTP generation again
			// Check if token is of type OCRA
			if (tokenInfo
					.equalsIgnoreCase(OTPDemoActivity.OCRA_TOKEN_INFO)) {
				invokeGenerateOTP(obj, true);
			} else {
				invokeGenerateOTP(obj, false);
			}
			displayOTP();
			progressDialog.dismiss();
		} else {
			String error = "Receive server resync message failed.";
			tvOTPGenerate.setText(error);
			progressDialog.dismiss();
			OTPDemoActivity.OTP = null;
			return false;
		}
	} catch (IhaException e) {
		String error = "OTP generation failed. Message: "
				+ e.getLocalizedMessage() + " Error code: " + e.GetError();
		tvOTPGenerate.setText(error);
		progressDialog.dismiss();
		OTPDemoActivity.OTP = null;
		return false;
	} catch (Exception e) {
		String error = "OTP generation failed: " + e.getClass().getName()
				+ ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		tvOTPGenerate.setText(error);
		progressDialog.dismiss();
		OTPDemoActivity.OTP = null;
		return false;
	}
	return true;
}

OTP Verification

Once the OTP is generated, we can then check if it is valid.

	ChaabiOTPVerify otp_ver = new ChaabiOTPVerify();
	try {
		otp_ver.execute()
				.get(OTP_VERIFY_TIMEOUT, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
	} catch (InterruptedException e) {
		error = "OTP verification failed: " + e.getClass().getName()
				+ ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (ExecutionException e) {
		error = "OTP verification failed: " + e.getClass().getName()
				+ ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (TimeoutException e) {
		error = "OTP verification failed: " + e.getClass().getName()
				+ ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		e.printStackTrace();
	}
	return null;	} catch (JSONException e) {
		error = e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		status = false;
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
		error = e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		status = false;
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (ClientProtocolException e) {
		error = e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		status = false;
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (IOException e) {
		error = e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getLocalizedMessage();
		status = false;
		e.printStackTrace();
	}
	Log.v(LOG_TAG, "Return results: " + status);
	return status;
}

Query OTP Capability

Built-in, hardware-based OTP is not available on all mobile devices, so it would be helpful to first query the system if the OTP capability is available.

private boolean isOTPCapable(){
	try {
		IPTWrapper caps = new IPTWrapper();
		String cap = caps.GetCapabilities();
		displayMessage("Capabilities: " + cap);
		return true; 
	} catch (IhaException e) {
		String error = "GetCapabilities() failed. Message: "
				+ e.getLocalizedMessage() + " Error code: "
				+ e.GetError();
		notifyUser("Failed: " + error);
		return false;
	} catch (Exception e) {
		String error = "GetCapabilities() failed: "
				+ e.getClass().getName() + ": "
				+ e.getLocalizedMessage();
		notifyUser("Failed: " + error);
		return false;
	}
}

Conclusion

By implementing code like the samples described in this paper, you can quickly learn how to use Intel® IPT with one-time password APIs to utilize hardware-based OTP on Intel® processor-based platforms running Android.

About the author

Peng Wang is a member of the Intel® Software and Solutions Group (SSG), Developer Relations Division, Intel® Atom™ Processor High Touch Software Enabling team. Before joining SSG, Peng was leading the integration and validation team for the Ultra Mobile Group.

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