System and methods for remote software authentication of a computing device

A method for authenticating at least one entity machine, the method comprising:

• generating at least one authentication challenge;
• obtaining an expected challenge result comprising a calculated result for said at least one authentication challenge, at least one hardware count value and an execution time threshold value;
• sending said authentication challenge to said at least one entity machine;
• starting a timer;
• receiving a challenge result from said entity machine;
• stopping said timer thereby recording an execution time for said entity machine;
• rejecting said entity machine if said execution time is longer than said execution time threshold value;
• comparing said received challenge result with said expected challenge result;
• and
• rejecting said entity machine if said received challenge result does not match said expected challenge result;
• wherein said at least one hardware count value comprises a combined count of at least two events monitored on said entity machine during execution of said authentication challenge.