Means and Method of Using Cryptographic Device to Combat Online Institution Identity Theft

A method for a first party to verify an identity of a second party in an electronic communication environment, the method comprising:

• storing in a tamper resistant storage device held by the first party at least one cryptographic Public Key associated with at least one electronic security protocol of the second party;
• and
• verifying to the first party the identity of the second party by using the at least one cryptographic Public Key stored on the tamper resistant storage device in accordance with the at least one electronic security protocol.

A system for a first party to verify an identity of a second party in an electronic communication environment, the system comprising:

• a tamper resistant storage device held by the first party and storing at least one cryptographic Public Key associated with at least one electronic security protocol of the second party;
• and
• means for verifying to the first party the identity of the second party by using the at least one cryptographic Public Key stored on the tamper resistant storage device in accordance with the at least one electronic security protocol.

A client software application for verifying an identity of a second party in an electronic communication environment, the client software application comprising:

• code for verifying the identity of the second party by using at least one cryptographic Public Key stored on a tamper resistant storage device held by a first party in accordance with at least one electronic security protocol of the second party.

A tamper resistant storage device storing at least one cryptographic Public Key associated with at least one electronic security protocol of a second party, the tamper resistant storage device to be held by a first party for use in verifying the identity of the second party by using the at least one cryptographic Public Key stored on the tamper resistant storage device in accordance with the at least one electronic security protocol.