Patent ID: 7395430

Claim:
A method for providing secure authentication, the method comprising: a) sending basic authentication data from a first computer to a second computer, wherein the basic authentication data provides a certificate including a validity status date and a credential, the credential being for permitting a first type of transaction access by the first computer to an application provided by the second computer, wherein the basic authentication data has been certified by an accepted certifying authority, and the basic authentication data sent to the second commuter includes a public key of the first computer; b) generating an additional individual authentication data unit by the first computer, wherein the additional individual authentication data unit provides a self certificate including a validity status date and a credential, the self certificate credential being for permitting a second type of access by the first computer to an application provided by the second computer, and wherein the generating includes: signing the individual authentication data unit by the first computer using a key associated with the public key; and c) sending the additional individual authentication data unit by the first computer to the second computer, so that the second computer can verify authenticity of the additional individual authentication data unit using the first computer's public key that was received from the first computer by the second computer with the basic authentication data.