Transfer of trust between authentication devices

An authentication system for associating an authentication device with a user using another authentication device already associated with the user, comprising:

• a program store storing a code;
• and
• at least one processor of an authentication system coupled to the program store for executing the stored code, the code comprising:
• code instructions to receive an authentication request from a first authenticator executed by a first client device used by the user for accessing at least one secure online resource, the first authenticator is not associated with any user;
• code instructions to transmit an authentication message to the first authenticator;
• code instructions to receive the authentication message from a second authenticator executed by a second client device used by the user after the authentication message is transferred from the first authenticator to the second authenticator indicating that both the first authenticator and the second authenticator are controlled by the user, the second authenticator is already associated with the user based on at least one identity assurance indicator verified for the user;
• code instructions to associate the first authenticator with the user in case the received authentication message is valid;
• and
• code instructions to enable the first authenticator to authenticate the user for accessing the at least one secure online resource based on the at least one identity assurance indicator.

A method of associating an authentication device with a user using another authentication device already associated with the user, comprising:

• using at least one processor for:
• receiving an authentication request from a first authenticator executed by a first client device used by the user for accessing at least one secure online resource, the first authenticator is not associated with any user;
• receiving identification information identifying a second authenticator executed by a second client device used by the user, the second authenticator is already associated with the user based on at least one identity assurance indicator verified for the user;
• transmitting an authentication message to the second authenticator;
• receiving a response to the authentication message from the second authenticator within a predefined time period;
• associating the first authenticator with the user;
• and
• enabling the first authenticator to authenticate the user for accessing the at least one secure online resource based on the at least one identity assurance indicator.