INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICES WITH STEGANOGRAPHIC AUTHENTICATION, AND STEGANOGRAPHIC AUTHENTICATION METHODS

This invention concerns an integrated circuit (IC) device, such as smart cards, electronic wallets, PC cards, and the like, and various methods for steganographically authenticating identities and authorizing transactions based on the authenticated identities. The IC device has a memory and a processor. The IC device maintains an identity authentication table in the memory to hold an arbitrary number of identities. The identity authentication table correlates identities with authentication structures. In preferred embodiments, the authentication structures each comprise a collection of commands, such as data processing commands, that are normally associated with data handling capabilities of the IC device. The commands are arranged into unique groupings that serve to identify the identity with which they are associated. Authentication can then take place outside of detectable cryptographic protocols. That is, the authentication structures blend in with other seemingly normal data processing functions thereby reducing the chances of detection.