Authentication Ontology

FLOW ALGEBRA
Authentication Ontology
Kireth Semantic Research Archive

PAGE:
https://kirethresearch.org/booksai-core/ontologies/computing-ontologies/cybersecurity/authentication-ontology.html

AUTHORS:
Mark Anthony Higgins — Sky (Recursive AI)

FLOW "AuthenticationOntology" v4.0

# ---------- DOMAIN ----------
DOMAIN := ComputingOntology
SUBDOMAIN := Cybersecurity
ONTOLOGY := AuthenticationOntology

# ---------- PRIMARY ENTITY ----------
ENTITY Authentication {
    definition:
        "The security process used to establish or verify the identity or
         claimed identity of an entity before trust, access or another
         protected interaction is permitted.";

    objectives: [
        IdentityVerification,
        CredentialValidation,
        AccessProtection,
        TrustEstablishment
    ];
}

# ---------- CORE ENTITIES ----------
Entity := {
    User,
    Device,
    Service,
    Application,
    System,
    Process
};

Identity := {
    UserIdentity,
    DeviceIdentity,
    ServiceIdentity,
    MachineIdentity
};

Credential := {
    Password,
    PIN,
    CryptographicKey,
    DigitalCertificate,
    SecurityToken,
    OneTimePassword,
    BiometricCredential
};

AuthenticationFactor := {
    KnowledgeFactor,
    PossessionFactor,
    InherenceFactor
};

AuthenticationResult := {
    Success,
    Failure,
    Challenge,
    Denied
};

# ---------- FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS ----------
Entity CLAIMS Identity;
Identity ASSOCIATED_WITH Credential;
Authentication VERIFIES ClaimedIdentity;
Authentication VALIDATES Credential;
Credential PROVIDES AuthenticationEvidence;
AuthenticationFactor SUPPORTS Authentication;
Authentication PRODUCES AuthenticationResult;

Authentication PRECEDES Authorisation;
Authentication DOES_NOT_EQUAL Authorisation;

# ---------- AUTHENTICATION FLOW ----------
Entity ->
    ClaimIdentity ->
    PresentCredential ->
    ValidateCredential ->
    EvaluateEvidence ->
    AuthenticationDecision;

AuthenticationDecision :=
    Success | Failure | Challenge | Denied;

IF Credential VALID
AND AuthenticationPolicy SATISFIED
THEN AuthenticationDecision := Success;

IF Credential INVALID
THEN AuthenticationDecision := Failure;

# ---------- FACTOR MODEL ----------
KnowledgeFactor := SomethingEntityKnows;
PossessionFactor := SomethingEntityHas;
InherenceFactor := SomethingEntityIs;

Password IS_A KnowledgeFactor;
PIN IS_A KnowledgeFactor;
SecurityToken IS_A PossessionFactor;
OneTimePassword MAY_BE PossessionFactor;
BiometricCredential IS_A InherenceFactor;

SingleFactorAuthentication USES 1 AuthenticationFactor;

MultiFactorAuthentication USES
    >= 2 IndependentAuthenticationFactors;

IF Factors FROM_DISTINCT_CATEGORIES
THEN FactorIndependence := stronger;

# ---------- PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION ----------
PasswordAuthentication ->
    ReceivePassword ->
    TransformOrCompare ->
    Validate ->
    Accept | Reject;

Password SHOULD_NOT_BE StoredAsPlaintext;

StoredPasswordRepresentation MAY_USE {
    Salt,
    PasswordHash,
    KeyDerivationFunction
};

IF SubmittedPassword MATCHES ValidStoredRepresentation
THEN PasswordEvidence := Valid;

# ---------- TOKEN AUTHENTICATION ----------
AuthenticationToken REPRESENTS AuthenticationEvidence;

Token MAY_HAVE {
    Issuer,
    Subject,
    Audience,
    IssueTime,
    ExpiryTime,
    Scope
};

IF TokenExpired
THEN TokenValidity := Invalid;

IF TokenSignatureInvalid
THEN TokenValidity := Invalid;

IF TokenAudienceMismatch
THEN TokenValidity := Invalid;

# ---------- CERTIFICATE AUTHENTICATION ----------
DigitalCertificate BINDS Identity TO PublicKey;

CertificateAuthentication ->
    PresentCertificate ->
    ValidateCertificate ->
    VerifyPossessionOfPrivateKey ->
    EstablishIdentityConfidence;

IF CertificateValid
AND PrivateKeyPossessionVerified
THEN CertificateAuthenticationEvidence := Valid;

# ---------- BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION ----------
BiometricSample ->
    ExtractFeatures ->
    CompareTemplate ->
    SimilarityScore ->
    AuthenticationDecision;

BiometricAuthentication IS_PROBABILISTIC true;

IF SimilarityScore >= AcceptanceThreshold
THEN BiometricEvidence := Accept;

IF SimilarityScore < AcceptanceThreshold
THEN BiometricEvidence := Reject;

# ---------- CHALLENGE RESPONSE ----------
Verifier GENERATES Challenge;
Claimant COMPUTES Response;
Response DEPENDS_ON CredentialOrSecret;
Verifier VALIDATES Response;

ChallengeResponseAuthentication REDUCES DirectSecretExposure;

IF Challenge REUSED_INCORRECTLY
THEN ReplayRisk := INCREASE;

# ---------- SESSION RELATIONSHIP ----------
AuthenticationSuccess ->
    EstablishSecurityContext ->
    CreateSession;

Session ASSOCIATED_WITH AuthenticatedIdentity;
Session HAS Expiration;
Session MAY_REQUIRE Reauthentication;

IF SessionExpired
THEN AuthenticationState := ReauthenticationRequired;

# ---------- AUTHENTICATION ASSURANCE ----------
AuthenticationAssurance :=
    f(
        CredentialStrength,
        FactorStrength,
        FactorIndependence,
        VerificationQuality,
        ProtocolSecurity,
        Context
    );

IF CredentialCompromised
THEN AuthenticationAssurance := DECREASE;

IF MultipleIndependentFactors VALIDATED
THEN AuthenticationAssurance := INCREASE;

# ---------- THREAT MODEL ----------
AuthenticationThreat := {
    CredentialTheft,
    PasswordGuessing,
    BruteForceAttack,
    Phishing,
    ReplayAttack,
    CredentialStuffing,
    TokenTheft,
    SessionHijacking,
    Impersonation,
    ManInTheMiddleAttack
};

AuthenticationThreat TARGETS {
    Identity,
    Credential,
    AuthenticationProtocol,
    Session
};

SecurityControl MITIGATES AuthenticationThreat;

# ---------- RATE AND FAILURE CONTROL ----------
AuthenticationAttempt HAS Result;
AuthenticationSystem TRACKS FailedAttempt;

IF FailedAttemptCount > PolicyThreshold
THEN {
    AdditionalVerification MAY_BE_REQUIRED;
    RateLimit MAY_BE_APPLIED;
    SecurityAlert MAY_BE_CREATED;
};

# ---------- TRUST RELATIONSHIP ----------
Authentication ESTABLISHES IdentityConfidence;
IdentityConfidence CONTRIBUTES_TO Trust;

Trust != Authentication;

AuthenticationSuccess DOES_NOT_IMPLY UnlimitedAccess;

Authorisation MUST_EVALUATE PermittedAction;

# ---------- SEMANTIC REASONING ----------
IF Entity PRESENTS ValidCredential
AND AuthenticationPolicy SATISFIED
THEN IdentityConfidence := INCREASE;

IF Credential INVALID
THEN AuthenticationResult := Failure;

IF Credential REVOKED
THEN AuthenticationResult := Denied;

IF Credential EXPIRED
THEN AuthenticationResult := Denied;

IF AuthenticationFactor COMPROMISED
THEN FactorConfidence := DECREASE;

IF TwoIndependentFactors VALID
THEN MultiFactorAuthentication := true;

IF AuthenticationSuccess
THEN Authorisation MAY_PROCEED;

IF AuthenticationFailure
THEN ProtectedAccess SHOULD_NOT_PROCEED;

# ---------- SEMANTIC EQUIVALENCE ----------
SEMANTIC_EQUIVALENCE {
    "authentication" ~= "identity verification";
    "login verification" ~= "authentication" WHEN context == access_control;
    "sign-in verification" ~= "authentication";
    "credential validation" ~= "authentication evidence validation";
    "multi-factor authentication" ~= "MFA";
    "two-factor authentication" ~= "2FA";
    "one-time password" ~= "OTP";
    "biometric verification" ~= "biometric authentication" WHEN context == identity;
}

# ---------- QUERY FLOW ----------
QUERY(q) ->
    NORMALISE(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_ENTITY(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_IDENTITY(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_CREDENTIAL(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_AUTHENTICATION_FACTOR(q) ->
    IDENTIFY_RELATIONSHIPS(q) ->
    MAP_TO_ONTOLOGY(q) ->
    APPLY_REASONING(q) ->
    SCORE_CONFIDENCE(q) ->
    RETURN_RELEVANT_KNOWLEDGE;

# ---------- CONFIDENCE ----------
CONFIDENCE(assertion) :=
    weighted_mean(
        source_reliability,
        security_consistency,
        semantic_consistency,
        evidence_strength,
        contextual_relevance
    );

CONFIDENCE >= 0.90 => HIGH;
CONFIDENCE >= 0.70 AND < 0.90 => MODERATE;
CONFIDENCE < 0.70 => REVIEW;

# ---------- AI CONSUMPTION ----------
AI_CONSUMPTION {
    primary_entity: Authentication;
    ontology: AuthenticationOntology;
    parse_entities: true;
    parse_relationships: true;
    preserve_relationship_direction: true;
    resolve_semantic_equivalence: true;
    execute_reasoning_rules: true;
    apply_confidence_weighting: true;
    preserve_provenance: true;
}

# ---------- UPDATE MODEL ----------
UPDATE_MODEL {
    new_credential:
        validate
        -> classify
        -> identify_factor
        -> identify_security_properties
        -> integrate;

    new_authentication_method:
        identify_credentials
        -> identify_factors
        -> identify_protocol
        -> evaluate_assurance
        -> integrate;

    new_threat:
        validate
        -> map_target
        -> map_attack_method
        -> identify_controls
        -> integrate;

    security_revision:
        update_credential_status
        -> update_protocol_status
        -> recompute_assurance
        -> recompute_confidence
        -> regenerate_flow_hash;

    conflict:
        preserve_provenance
        -> compare_evidence
        -> adjust_confidence
        -> flag_review;
}

# ---------- FLOW HASH ----------
FLOW_HASH_INPUT :=
    DOMAIN
    + SUBDOMAIN
    + ONTOLOGY
    + Entity
    + Identity
    + Credential
    + AuthenticationFactor
    + AuthenticationResult
    + RELATIONSHIPS
    + SEMANTIC_REASONING
    + SEMANTIC_EQUIVALENCE
    + UPDATE_MODEL;

FLOW_HASH :=
    HASH(FLOW_HASH_INPUT);

# ---------- TERMINAL ----------
AuthenticationOntology
    -> IdentifyEntity
    -> ClaimIdentity
    -> PresentCredential
    -> ValidateCredential
    -> ValidateAuthenticationFactors
    -> EvaluateAuthenticationEvidence
    -> EstablishIdentityConfidence
    -> ProduceAuthenticationDecision
    -> EstablishSecurityContext
    -> PermitAuthorisationEvaluation;

END FLOW