A network authentication method to be implemented using a user terminal, a downloading unit, a content-provider server and a plurality of identity verification servers for secure verification of identity of a user of the user terminal, said network authentication method being characterized by the following steps of: a) the user terminal downloading a scan program and an asymmetrical public key from the downloading unit; b) each of the identity verification servers downloading from the downloading unit a respective set of encrypted information that is signed with an asymmetrical private key and that includes an encrypted web address of the identity verification server, and storing reference hardware scan data that is associated with the user terminal and that corresponds uniquely to a user identifier of the user; c) in response to a user login request from the user terminal for accessing the content-provider server through a first communication link, the content-provider server transmitting to one of the identity verification servers a verification notification that the identity of the user needs to be verified, and redirecting the user terminal for connecting with said one of the identity verification servers through a second communication link; d) said one of the identity verification servers transmitting to the user terminal the respective set of encrypted information downloaded in step b) through the second communication link; e) the user terminal determining, based on at least the respective set of encrypted information transmitted in step d) and the asymmetrical public key downloaded in step a), whether said one of the identity verification servers is currently valid to perform identity verification; f) upon determining that said one of the identity verification servers is currently valid to perform identity verification, the user terminal executing the scan program downloaded in step a) to obtain hardware scan data associated with the user terminal, and transmitting the hardware scan data thus obtained to said one of the identity verification servers through the second communication link; and g) said one of the identity verification servers verifying the identity of the user based on relationship between the hardware scan data received from the user terminal in step f) and the reference hardware scan data stored in step b), and notifying the content-provider server of a verification result. a) the user terminal downloading a scan program and an asymmetrical public key from the downloading unit; b) each of the identity verification servers downloading from the downloading unit a respective set of encrypted information that is signed with an asymmetrical private key and that includes an encrypted web address of the identity verification server, and storing reference hardware scan data that is associated with the user terminal and that corresponds uniquely to a user identifier of the user; c) in response to a user login request from the user terminal for accessing the content-provider server through a first communication link, the content-provider server transmitting to one of the identity verification servers a verification notification that the identity of the user needs to be verified, and redirecting the user terminal for connecting with said one of the identity verification servers through a second communication link; d) said one of the identity verification servers transmitting to the user terminal the respective set of encrypted information downloaded in step b) through the second communication link; e) the user terminal determining, based on at least the respective set of encrypted information transmitted in step d) and the asymmetrical public key downloaded in step a), whether said one of the identity verification servers is currently valid to perform identity verification; f) upon determining that said one of the identity verification servers is currently valid to perform identity verification, the user terminal executing the scan program downloaded in step a) to obtain hardware scan data associated with the user terminal, and transmitting the hardware scan data thus obtained to said one of the identity verification servers through the second communication link; and g) said one of the identity verification servers verifying the identity of the user based on relationship between the hardware scan data received from the user terminal in step f) and the reference hardware scan data stored in step b), and notifying the content-provider server of a verification result.