A method and a system by which to achieve authentication intrusion
detection so as to effectively detect and prevent unauthorized access to
and use of a local computer system, or the like, and take appropriate
measures. The local system authentication process is redirected to an
authenticator broker system (i.e. a secondary authentication system) that
makes use of the local system authentication process paths and the local
system authenticator file. The authenticator broker system includes an
authenticator broker system file having stored therein secret
authenticators of prospective users, a mapping file to assign a
replacement identifier for the identifier entered by a particular user at
the local system and redirected to the secondary system, and a decoy
authenticator file to assign a decoy authenticator for the secret
authenticator entered by the user and originally stored in the local
system authentication file. It is the decoy authenticator that is
captured and unknowingly used by the intruder to give away his or her
presence. By way of example, the authenticator broker system may be a
mainframe computer that is responsible for authentication and access
control with respect to a local computer system.