Patent ID: 7743246

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for securely exchanging cryptographic identities through a mutually trusted intermediary computer, the method comprising: receiving, at the trusted intermediary computer, from a petitioner computer, data that specifies: a first cryptographic identity of the petitioner computer, a first resource identifier identifying a first location where the petitioner computer is located, and an input receiving entity for accepting input, from a particular entity at the trusted intermediary computer, that specifies a second resource identifier identifying a second location where an authority computer is located; receiving, at the trusted intermediary computer, from the particular entity, the input that specifies the second resource identifier identifying the second location where the authority computer is located, and to which the trusted intermediary computer is to send the data received from the petitioner computer; sending, from the trusted intermediary computer, the first cryptographic identity and the first resource identifier to the authority computer at the second location indicated by the second resource identifier; receiving, from the authority computer, data that specifies a second cryptographic identity of the authority computer and the first resource identifier and the second resource identifier; and sending, from the trusted intermediary computer, the second cryptographic identity and the second resource identifier to the petitioner computer at the first location indicated by the first resource identifier.