Patent ID: 8238558
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of key confirmation carried out by a first system in conjunction with a second system over a bidirectional communication path between the first system and the second system, the method comprising: calculating a value in a known manner using a master key, the master key having been calculated at the first system based upon (i) a first private key generated by the first system as part of a first key pair, (ii) a second public key generated by the second system and received from the second system, (iii) a long-term private key generated by the first system as part of a long-term key pair during a previous key-agreement method with the second system, and (iv) a long-term public key generated by the second system and received from the second system during the previous key-agreement method; receiving a key confirmation value from the second system; and determining whether the calculated value is identical to the key confirmation value received from the second system, wherein the previous key-agreement method required a secret to be known to the first system and to the second system, thus conferring authentication based on the secret to the long-term public key, and wherein the first public key, the second public key, the long-term public key, and a public key of the long-term key pair are all independent of the secret.