Advanced remote user authentication protocol for multi-server architecture based on ECC

We have reached an era where desired web services are available over the networks by click of a button. In such a scenario, remote user authentication plays the most important role in identifying the legitimate users of a web service on the Internet. Researchers have proposed a number of password based authentication schemes which rely on single server for authentication. But, with tremendous advancements in technology, it is possible to engage multiple servers in authenticating their clients in order to achieve better security. In this paper, we propose an efficient password based authentication protocol for multi-server architecture. The protocol provides mutual authentication using smart card and is based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography, therefore offers best security at a low cost. In 2011, Sood et al. proposed a multi-server architecture protocol using smart cards. In this paper, we improve Sood et al. scheme by increasing its security and reducing the computation cost. The protocol is based on the concept of dynamic identity that uses a nonce based system and has no time synchronization problem.