Apparatus and method for using a customer device certificate on a device

A method for using a customer device certificate on a device, involving:

• generating a certificate request for a customer device certificate on the device, wherein the certificate request for the customer device certificate is generated using a manufacturer's device certificate stored on the device;
• transmitting the generated certificate request to a first external computing unit which is configured to generate a customer device certificate and to forward the generated customer device certificate to a second external computing unit, which re-signs the generated customer device certificate with a manufacturer's signature;
• receiving the re-signed customer device certificate;
• checking the manufacturer's signature based on information stored in the device;
• and
• using the customer device certificate depending on a result of the check;
• wherein the manufacturer's signature comprises the customer device certificate and further information.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code executable by a processor of a computer system to implement a method comprising:

• generating a certificate request for a customer device certificate on the device, wherein the certificate request for the customer device certificate is generated using a manufacturer's device certificate stored on the device;
• transmitting the generated certificate request to a first external computing unit which is configured to generate a customer device certificate and to forward the generated customer device certificate to a second external computing unit, which re-signs the generated customer device certificate with a manufacturer's signature;
• receiving the re-signed customer device certificate;
• checking the manufacturer's signature based on information stored in the device;
• and
• using the customer device certificate depending on a result of the check;
• wherein the manufacturer's signature comprises the customer device certificate and further information.