Patent ID: 6628786
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A method for generating a session key for use in electronic transmission comprising the steps of:receiving entropy in the form of a first bit string from a first computer at a second computer, the first bit string being a first key that has previously been used in a first set of communications between two computers; combining the entropy with a second bit string residing in the second computer to create a third bit string; mixing the third bit string to create a fourth bit string; using at least a portion of the fourth bit string to initialize the internal state of a random number generator residing in the second computer, thereby enabling a second key to be generated for use in a second set of communications between two computers; generating a random number with the random number generator residing in the second computer after the internal state is initialized using at least a portion of the fourth bit string; and creating a second key for use in a second set of communications between two computers, the second key being created using the random number generated by the random number generator residing in the second computer.