Continuous re-authentication

Explore an experimental approach to session re-verification. The tiers below are proposed policy patterns; signal availability, background collection, and end-to-end enforcement require pilot validation.

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Experimental workflow · Illustrative scenarios and policy values. Confirm supported signals, processing location, and application enforcement for your deployment.

Re-check when session risk changes

A sign-in happens at one moment; sensitive actions may happen much later. A fresh check can help your application reassess who is present before it grants access.

Our experimental work explores lighter checks and deliberate multi-signal step-up. The pilot must establish which checks are reliable, when they run, and how the application responds.

Three illustrative levels

These examples explain a policy pattern, not a production tier catalog. Align the final labels with the verification spectrum and enabled app build.

Tier 1 — passive

Lightweight, low-friction signals (face-present pings, device posture, presence). Evaluate periodic checks during an active session, subject to consent, platform restrictions, and battery impact.

  • Face present in front camera frame.
  • Device unlocked and in user's hand.
  • App in foreground, no obscure overlays.

Tier 2 — light step-up

Quick deliberate actions when confidence drifts but the workload does not yet demand a full capture. The user is briefly aware of the check; the session does not have to restart.

  • Voice tap with a digit challenge.
  • A fresh eye-region capture.
  • Touch + presentation gesture.

Tier 3 — full multi-signal

The same multi-signal capture used at first sign-in. Required by policy before sensitive actions or after long inactivity, and always bound to the action_context being approved.

  • Periocular + palm + voice + presentation.
  • Bound to a specific action context.
  • Issues a fresh signed assertion the receiving system can verify.

What the policy actually controls

Evaluate four inputs when deciding whether to ask for another check.

Action sensitivity

A read-only dashboard view can run on Tier 1 confidence. A wire approval, a cred reset, or a domain-admin promotion can require fresh multi-signal verification under your policy.

Time decay

Test how long a previous verification should remain valid. Use measured results and the sensitivity of the action to choose expiry rules.

Environmental signals

Device or network changes can be inputs to a step-up policy when those signals are available and permitted.

User experience

Measure capture time, interruption frequency, and failure recovery in the pilot. Explain any passive collection clearly and obtain consent before enabling it.

How it composes with the rest of the stack

  • Your identity provider handles sign-in. A pilot can evaluate fresh BioTone checks before selected downstream actions.
  • With AI agents: a sensitive agent action takes the existing Tier 1 / Tier 2 confidence into account. If it is high enough and recent enough, the action can proceed; if not, the agent prompts the user for a Tier 3 step-up bound to the action context. See AI agent attestation.
  • Define which verification events will be logged and how your security team will review them.

Continuous session assurance panel in the agent demo

The demo panel illustrates changing confidence and step-up decisions. It is a simulation of policy behavior, not proof of continuous biometric recognition.

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