Public Key Infrastructure & Method of Distribution

Abstract

The invention provides a computer-implemented method for validating the respective identities of co-operating entities on a computer network, and comprises generating, transmitting or exchanging a signed digital certificate. The certificate includes a public key associated with an entity on the network; and an arbitrary identifier associated with the public key. The identifier is arbitrary such that the identity of the entity cannot be, or is unlikely to be, discerned from the identifier alone; and/or its generation is random or pseudo-random; and/or selection of the identifier is not related to the identity of the entity or the public key. The certificate is generated and issued by a Certificate Authority in response to a Certificate Signing Request from the entity. In order to validate each other's identities, entities on a network exchange their arbitrary identifiers. Preferably, the exchange is conducted in person or some other manner which enables or facilitates detection of a man-in-the-middle attack, or reduces the likelihood of such an attack. The invention provides a lightweight public key infrastructure which includes a certificate authority arranged to generate the arbitrary identifier and sign and issue the digital certificate. It also comprises a discovery service component to: access and/or update a register of entities in response to a registration request from an entity on a network; record the location of an entity on a computer network based on registration made using the digital certificate; and/or introduce entities to one another. The discovery service component is also arranged to transmit a network address and/or reachability information for an entity on a network to another entity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.