GrowPath simplifies authentication while enhancing cyber security

For the more than 2 billion smartphones currently in use around the world, a very obvious security flaw – password vulnerability – is leaving owners’ personal information and the data of their employers at risk.

GrowPath has developed and now patented a personalized solution that utilizes an owners’ personal photos as the second step in a two-factor authentication process on mobile devices.

“U2F keys represent the current peak of cybersecurity; however, one usually requires a USB port to access them which mobile phones do not have,” says Eric Sanchez, chief product officer, GrowPath. “What we’ve created is an extremely personalized and simple authentication process that puts to use the thousands of photos most of us have on our phones as our means of unlocking the information we hold most secure.”

The process works as follows on mobile devices.

1. A user will select amongst their thousands of photos a single image that they wish to serve as their key.
2. When that user (or another) tries to access the data behind the lock created with GrowPath, the user will be asked to select and upload the specific image serving as their key.
3. Once the correct photo is selected, the user will have access to their information.

The security feature has wide-ranging applications across multiple industries, and practices including medical, financial, government and others placing a premium on identity authentication. GrowPath’s specific focus is intake and case management software for law firms.

The new patent is the third for GrowPath. The company’s other patents focus on data obfuscation (cyber) and a logic tool which facilitates, among other things, the ability to customize algorithms without science or mathematics training.

The new patent also means more tattoos for inventor Sanchez. A former Marine, Growpath’s chief product officer notches all of his patent numbers on his right forearm. With the latest addition, his count is now three.

“Software is a crowded field, but the one sure way to distinguish yourself and your business is to truly innovate,” Sanchez explains. “I can’t think of a more personal way to show my pride in that innovation than to wear the patents on my body.”