System and method for certificate based authentication for tethering

An electronic device comprising:

• at least one memory configured to store instructions;
• and
• at least one processor configured when executing the instructions to:
• enable a firewall to redirect network traffic from a tethered device to an authentication application executing on the electronic device, wherein the tethered device is tethered to the electronic device;
• receive a user certificate of the tethered device from the tethered device during an authentication process;
• verify the user certificate of the tethered device using a certificate authority (CA) certificate of the tethered device that is installed on the electronic device;
• send a user certificate of the electronic device to the tethered device during the authentication process, wherein the user certificate of the electronic device is configured to be verified by the tethered device using a CA certificate of the electronic device that is installed on the tethered device;
• and
• in response to successful verification of the user certificate of the tethered device, disable the firewall to allow the network traffic to and from the tethered device.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer readable program code that, when executed, causes at least one processor of an electronic device to:

• enable a firewall to redirect network traffic from a tethered device to an authentication application executing on the electronic device, wherein the tethered device is tethered to the electronic device;
• receive a user certificate of the tethered device from the tethered device during an authentication process;
• verify the user certificate of the tethered device using a certificate authority (CA) certificate of the tethered device that is installed on the electronic device;
• send a user certificate of the electronic device to the tethered device during the authentication process, wherein the user certificate of the electronic device is configured to be verified by the tethered device using a CA certificate of the electronic device that is installed on the tethered device;
• and
• in response to successful verification of the user certificate of the tethered device, disable the firewall to allow the network traffic to and from the tethered device.