Methods and apparatus for private certificates in public key cryptography

A method of generating a certificate for use in cryptographic applications, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving information associated with a first certificate, the first certificate being based at least in part on at least a portion of a first public key having a corresponding first secret key;
• and
• generating from the received information at least one additional certificate related to the first certificate but having associated therewith a second public key that is not correlatable to the first public key associated with the first certificate, such that a second secret key associated with the at least one additional certificate is determinable from the first secret key associated with the first certificate.

An apparatus for generating a certificate for use in cryptographic applications, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor-based client device adapted for connection via a network to one or more servers of an information processing system, the client device being operative to produce verification information associated with a first public key, the verification information being generated at least in part using at least a portion of a corresponding first secret key;
• wherein the verification information is delivered to a certification authority configured to generate based at least in part on at least a portion of the first public key and the verification information a second public key having a corresponding second secret key, and to generate a certificate based at least in part on at least a portion of the second public key.

An apparatus for generating a certificates for use in cryptographic applications, the apparatus comprising:

• a set of one or more servers adapted for connection via a network to one or more client devices of an information processing system, the one or more servers being operative (i) to receive verification information associated with a first public key, the verification information being generated at least in part using at least a portion of a corresponding first secret key, (ii) to generate based at least in part on at least a portion of the first public key and the verification information a second public key having a corresponding second secret key, and (iii) to generate a certificate based at least in part on at least a portion of the second public key.