Patent ID: 8688989

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a secure device, cause the secure device to perform a method, the method comprising: managing, via the secure device, certificates with a sender via a receiver, wherein the sender and the receiver are to engage in a communication with one another, the secure device being a tamper-resistant device that is located in a local processing environment of the receiver, and the secure device comprising a private key that, when provided, grants administrative access to the secure device; wherein managing the certificates comprises, before the sender and the receiver engage in the communication, performing a certificate exchange between the secure device and the sender, the certificate exchange comprising: receiving a certificate for the sender from the sender at the secure device via the receiver; and recording a date and time that the certificate for the sender is received from the sender, the recorded date and time forming a proof that communication between the sender and the secure device via the receiver was established; sending, from the secure device, a decrypted version of an encrypted key to the receiver, once the receiver presents the encrypted key provided by the sender, and wherein the receiver uses the decrypted version to engage in the communication with the sender.