Host certification method and system

An apparatus for certifying a device, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a certificate request from the device, the certificate request including a plurality of fields, including a field holding a protocol public key;
• means for verifying digital signatures in the certificate, the verifying including at least one of:
• verifying the certifying authority digital signature using the certifying authority public key;
• and
• verifying a device digital signature using a device public key in the certificate;
• and
• means for receiving validation data from a source, the validation data identifying one or more data in the certificate as valid or invalid according to predetermined criteria;
• and
• means for transmitting a session key to the device to establish a secure communication channel when the digital signatures are verified and validated.

An engine configured to certify a host, the engine comprising:

• a firmware component including:
• a block configured to receive a certificate from the host, the certificate including a plurality of fields, including a field holding a protocol public key;
• a block configured to verify one or more digital signatures in the certificate, including at least one of:
• a certifying authority digital signature using a certifying authority public key;
• and
• a device digital signature using a device public key in the certificate;
• and
• a block configured to receive validation data from a source, the validation data identifying one or more data in the certificate as valid or invalid according to predetermined criteria;
• and
• a block configured to transmit a session key to the host to establish a secure communication channel when the digital signatures are verified and validated.

A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:

• signal bearing media bearing digital information holding a firmware component, the firmware component including:
• a block configured to receive a certificate from the device, the certificate including a plurality of fields, including a field holding a protocol public key;
• a block configured to verify digital signatures in the certificate, including at least one of:
• a certifying authority digital signature using the certifying authority public key and
• a device digital signature using a device public key in the certificate;
• and
• a block configured to receive validation data from a source, the validation data identifying one or more data in the certificate as valid or invalid according to predetermined criteria;
• and
• a block configured to transmit a session key to the device to establish a secure communication channel when the digital signatures are verified and validated.