Patent ID: 7844816
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A public key (PK) framework having a relying party user authentication system for allowing a relying party to authenticate a user, wherein the PK framework places user credentials under the control of the relying party, and wherein the relying party user authentication system includes: a storage system for storing certificates received via a secure channel from users in a user credentials data repository that acts as a trust anchor, wherein the certificates are issued by a plurality of different certificate authorities, and wherein the certificates in the user credential data repository are publically available; a management system for managing records in the user credentials data repository associated with users; and a validation system that retrieves certificates from the user credentials data repository in order to authenticate users, wherein the validation system utilizes a public key obtained from a stored certificate to decrypt a digital signature of a user that was encrypted by the user with an associated private key, and wherein authentication is performed without obtaining a certificate from the user at a time of authentication.