Patent ID: 8892887

Claim:
A method for mutual authentication between first entity of hardware and a second entity of hardware, comprising: the first entity initiating mutual authentication by sending a message to the second entity; the second entity verifying a first public key associated with the first entity, generating a first random number, encrypting the first random number using the first public key in a first encryption, and sending the encrypted first random number in a message to the first entity; the first entity verifying a second public key associated with the second entity, decrypting the encrypted first random number using a first private key corresponding to the first public key in a first decryption, generating a second random number, generating a first hash based on at least the first random number, encrypting the second random number and the first hash using the second public key in a second encryption, and sending the encrypted second random number and first hash in a message to the second entity; the second entity decrypting the encrypted second random number and first hash using a second private key corresponding to the second public key in a second decryption, verifying the first hash to authenticate the first entity, generating a second hash based on at least the second random number, and sending the second hash to the first entity; and the first entity verifying the second hash to authenticate the second entity:, wherein the mutual authentication is limited to no more than two encryptions comprising the first and second encryptions, and is limited to no more than two decryptions comprising the first and second decryptions.