Patent ID: 8646062
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for authenticating users by presenting a previously acquired signed digital signature, the method comprising: in response to receiving a facilitator password from a user that verifies an identity of the user, creating a unique username for the user, unlocking access by the user to a client digital signature for use with a request for service from a server, and establishing a secure facilitator session with the server by sending a session establishment message comprising an establishment message type identifier and the unique username to the server; and in response to receiving from the server, in reply to the session establishment message, a challenge message comprising the unique username, a challenge message type identifier that is different from the establishment message type identifier, and a unique secure facilitator session identification indicia, replying to the server with a request message comprising service type identifier indicating a service requested by the user for execution by the server and that is different from the challenge message type identifier and the establishment message type identifier, and the unique session identification indicia, wherein the service type identifier and the unique session identification indicia are signed by the unlocked digital signature; and wherein, in response to validating the digital signature on the service identifier and the unique session identification indicia within the request message and to determining that the established secure facilitator session has not timed out, the server, without requiring the user to provide the facilitator password with the request message, executes a process requested by the service type identifier and provides results of the process in a response message; and sending an additional request message to the server comprising an additional service type identifier indicating an additional service that is requested by the user for execution by the server, wherein the additional service type identifier is different from the challenge message type identifier and the establishment message type identifier and is signed with the unique session identification indicia by the unlocked digital signature; and wherein, in response to validating the unlocked digital signature on the additional service type identifier and the unique session identification indicia within the additional request messages and to determining that the established secure facilitator session has not timed out, the server, without requiring the user to provide the facilitator password with the additional request message, executes an additional process requested by the additional service type identifier and provides results of the additional process in an additional response message.