Patent ID: 7363500
Filing Date: 2008-04-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of at least partially authenticating a user on a communications network, the method comprising acts of: (A) receiving, with a second network device, a first communication from a first network device, wherein the first communication includes a challenge; (B) in response to receiving the challenge, generating, with the second network device, a preliminary hash value by performing only a first part of a hash function on a first part of the challenge when the second network device received the challenge via a secure network tunnel between the first network device and the second network device, wherein the first part of the challenge is less than the complete challenge; (C) transmitting a second communication from the second network device to the first network device via the secure network tunnel, the second communication including the preliminary hash value; (D) applying, with the first network device, a remaining part of the hash function to the preliminary hash value, thereby generating a final hash value; and (F) authenticating the user based on the final hash value.