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US 4,731,841 AGranted
Field initialized authentication system for protective security of electronic information networks
AssigneeApplied Information Technologies Research Center
InventorsRichard D. Rosen, Robert B. McCown, Matthew S. Fleming
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An authentication system for electronic information networks having small hand-held portable authenticating devices which are remotely initialized and can use 4 bit microprocessors in a challenge-response security system and yet permit practical communication of the large numbers which are necessary for sufficient security.
Claims12
In combination a method for authenticating the authority of any of a plurality of remote users to access a host computer, the method comprising:
- (a) storing in the host computer and in each of a plurality of substantially identical hand-held, portable, remote user computers the identical selected constant, instructions for using a first, non-invertible algorithm for raising a number to a power using modulo arithmetic, for performing a non-invertible authentication second algorithm which is a function of a secret key and for generating a random number;
- (b) distributing the identical portable computers which use four bit microprocessors to the remote users;
- (c) initializing the portable computers independently with the host computer and from a remote location selected by the remote user by:
- (i) establishing communicating between the host computer and a remote user computer;
- (ii)independently generating a random first number as a first key in the remote user's computer and in the host computer;
- (iii) independently raising said selected constant in each of the communicating computers to that computer's first key using modulo arithmetic and said first non-invertible algorithm to generate a second key for each computer;
- (iv) communicating the second key of each communicating computer to the other;
- (v) generating and storing in each communicating computer the identical secret key by raising in each computer the second key of the other computer to the power of the computer's own first key using modulo arithmetic by the first non-invertible algorithm;
- and
- (vi) disconnecting said communication;
- (d) subsequently authenticating the authority of a remote user to access or continue to access the host computer by detecting whether a remote user communicating with and seeking access to the host computer has a remote user computer which has been subjected to steps (a), (b) and (c) by:
- (i) generating a second number in the host computer;
- (ii) communicating that second number to the remote user computer;
- (iii) performing said stored, second non-invertible algorithm upon that second number in the remote user computer as a function of its stored secret key and in the host computer as a function of the same secret key;
- (iv) communicating the result of said second algorithm in the remote user computer to the host computer;
- and
- (v) comparing the transmitted result to the result obtained at the host computer;
- and
- (e) permitting access to the host computer if the compared portions are identical and preventing access if they are not.
16 more elements
A system in accordance with claim 12 further comprising means associated with the host computer and with the authenticating means for computing using modulo arithmetic and for storing the identical modulus in the host computer and in each authenticating means.
In combination an apparatus for authenticating the authority of any of a plurality of remote users to access a host computer, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a plurality of identical, hand-held remote user portable computers which use a four bit microprocessor and are distributed to the remote users;
- (b) means for storing in the host computer and in each of the plurality of substantially identical portable, remote user computers the identical selected constant, instructions for using a first, non-invertible algorithm for raising a number to a power using modulo arithmetic, for performing a non-invertible authentication second algorithm which is a function of a secret key and for generating a random number;
- (c) means for initializing the portable computers independently with the host computer and from a remote location selected by the remote user by:
- (i) establishing communication between the host computer and a remote user computer;
- (ii) independently generating a random first number as a first key in the remote user's computer and in the host computer;
- (iii) independently raising said selected constant in each of the communicating computers to that computer's first key using modulo arithmetic and said first non-invertible algorithm to generate a second key for each computer;
- (iv) communicating the second key of each communicating computer to the other;
- (v) generating and storing in each communicating computer the identical secret key by raising in each computer the second key of the other computer to the powr of the computer's own first key using modulo arithmetic by the first non-invertible algorithm;
- and
- (vi) disconnecting said communication;
- (d) means for subsequently authenticating the authority of a remote user to access or continue to access the host computer by detecting whether a remote user communicating with and seeking access to the host computer has a remote user computer which has been subjected to steps (a), (b) and (c) by:
- (i) generating a second number in the host computer;
- (ii) communicating that second number to the remote user computer;
- (iii) performing said stored, second non-invertible algorithm upon that second number in the remote user computer as a function of its stored secret key and in the host computer as a function of the same secret key;
- (iv) communicating the result of said second algorithm in the remote user computer to the host computer;
- and
- (v) comparing the transmitted result to the result obtained at the host computer;
- and
- (e) means for permitting access to the host computer if the compared portions are identical and preventing access if they are not.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.