Patent ID: 7607015

Claim:
A method of authenticating a client to one or more computing devices at an edge of one or more communications networks, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining, by the client, a computing device identifier associated with a computing device; selecting, at said client, a set of authentication parameters associated with said computing device identifier, said authentication parameters being stored in a tamper-resistant physical token operatively coupled to said client, said tamper-resistant physical token further permanently storing a unique identifier associated with said client, said tamper resistant physical token further storing a first cryptographic key; and implementing an authentication process employing said set of authentication parameters, the authentication process comprising the steps of: transmitting, by the client to the computing device, a first challenge, wherein said first challenge comprises an encrypted first random number and said unique identifier associated with said client, said first random number being generated inside said tamper-resistant physical token, said encrypted first random number being encrypted with said first cryptographic key; receiving, by the client from the computing device, a second challenge, wherein said second challenge comprises an encrypted second random number, said second random number generated at said computing device and encrypted with a second cryptographic key, said second cryptographic key being obtained by said computing device and associated with said computing device identifier; and permitting, at said client, said client to access said communications network via said computing device if said authentication process results in a successful authentication of said client.