Patent ID: 8151364
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of providing to a user information to enable the user to know that a remote service to which the user connects via a communications network is in fact the service that it represents itself to be as opposed to an imitator of such service, the method including: the remote service obtaining a service authentication code that has been generated, using a code generation algorithm, based on a first secret key; communicating the service authentication code to the user via the communications network; entering the service authentication code into an authentication device in the control of the user; generating in the authentication device, using the same code generation algorithm, an expected code value based on a second secret key, then comparing the expected code value to the service authentication code received from the remote service; and if the expected code value correlates correctly with the service authentication code, the authentication device generating a response that indicates to the user that the remote service is the remote service that it represents itself to be, as opposed to an imitator of such service.