Patent ID: 7945779

Claim:
A distributed computer system for securing a communications exchange between computers in the distributed computer system, wherein a client computer is operable to communicate with a server computer and to receive a digital certificate associated with a remote external component, the computer system comprising: a processor; and a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with instructions and wherein the instructions when executed comprise: responsive to the client computer receiving a digital certificate, instructions for hashing a user password and data associated with the digital certificate, using a hash algorithm, to create a first message digest; instructions for encrypting said first message digest, said first message digest comprising said hashed user password and said hashed data associated with the digital certificate, with a client computer generated session key; instructions for transmitting said encrypted first message digest to the server computer; instructions for decrypting said encrypted first message digest into said hashed user password and said hashed data associated with the digital certificate at the server computer; instructions for hashing, at said server, a clear text copy of said user password, previously stored at said server, and said data associated with the digital certificate using said hash algorithm to form a second message digest; comparing, at said server, said first message digest with said second message digest; when it is determined at the server computer that said first message digest and said second message digest are not the same, instructions for denying the communications exchange; and when it is determined that said first message digest and said second message digest are the same, instructions for allowing the communications exchange.