Patent ID: 7454782

Claim:
A method for operating an access control system to camouflage a secret so as to be accessible by an authorized user yet protected against unauthorized access, said method comprising the steps of: (a) representing in digital form a secret to be protected against unauthorized access; (b) storing a plurality of computer-represented objects related to said secret; (i) at least one of said objects being accessible by an authorized user as a password; (ii) at least another of said objects being stored in a computer-readable wallet accessible to said access control system; and (c) representing said secret as a function of said plurality of objects, using a composition function; and (d) storing, in a computer-readable memory, said composition function: (i) in a manner accessible to said access control system; (ii) so as to be executable to generate a candidate secret using a user-inputted candidate password in conjunction with at least said another object stored in said wallet; (iii) wherein said candidate secret comprises a pseudo-valid secret configured to camouflage said secret if said candidate password is not said password; and (iv) wherein said candidate secret comprises said secret if said candidate password is said password; thereby protecting said secret against unauthorized access by camouflaging the secret from persons not having said password.