Patent ID: 7840813
Filing Date: 2010-11-23
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of accessing a service with authentication and revocable anonymity, comprising the steps of: i) identifying and registering a client and providing the client with means for authenticating the client to an anonymous certification authority; ii) authenticating the client to the anonymous certification authority using the means provided in step i) and supplying the client with an anonymous certificate associated to a public key and configured to enable the client to authenticate the client anonymously to a server; iii) the client calculating data formed as a series of tokens, wherein an initialization token of the series of tokens is configured to enable an authentication session to be opened and tokens of the series of tokens other than the initialization token are configured to enable the authentication session to be maintained; iv) authenticating the client by producing an anonymous signature of the initialization token, the signatures being obtained using a private key associated with said public key and opening an anonymous authentication session with the server, wherein said anonymous signature is a unique signature used for said authentication session; v) maintaining the anonymous authentication session with the aid of the series of tokens, thereby enabling the server to prove each of the actions of the client; and vi) selectively allowing contact between the server and the anonymous certification authority to revoke the anonymity of the client using the anonymous signature provided in step iv.