In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for facilitating network transactions including user identity verification over a network provide strong mutual authentication of client web application to server side application server, provide session encryption key negotiation after authentication to continue encryption during communication, and provide a high-level encryption technique referred to as an effective zero knowledge proof of identity (eZKPI) algorithm. In various implementations, the eZKPI algorithm is adapted to couple something the user Knows (e.g., a password) with something the user Has (e.g., a biometric signature) to create a stronger identity authentication proof for access to a mobile device and applications running on that device.