Transaction processing system

A transaction processing system processing system comprises:

• a first data processing facility (13) for use by a verifier, the first data processing facility comprising:
• means to receive from the network and store the transaction message (520) and
• means to effect the transaction using the transaction data;
• a second data processing facility (14) for use by an arbiter, the second data processing facility comprising
• means to store the user data;
• logic for recovering the characteristic data (517b) from the stored transaction message (520) using the transaction data (514);
• and logic for reconstructing the characteristic image (512b, 521) from the characteristic data (523, 517b) using the user data for use in establishing that the transaction was valid by associating the characteristic image with the transaction data.

A process for providing security in transaction processing systems comprising the steps of:

• creating a seal key and storing the key in a verifier storage and in a smart card containing user identification data;
• creating a user electronic signature and combining the signature with an input from a random number generator to form an electronic signature record (ESR);
• hashing the ESR to form a hashed ESR (HESR);
• enciphering the ESR using the HESR and the seal key to form an enciphered ESR for storage in the verifier storage;
• generating a transaction message using the smart card;
• hashing the transaction message to form a MASH;
• combining the HESR with the user identification information in the smart card to form a +HESR+;
• enciphering the message using the MASH, the seal key and the +HESR+ to form a sealed message;
• and
• validating the transaction message comprising the steps of:
• deciphering the sealed message to reform the +HESR+;
• deciphering the ESR from the verifier storage and hashing the ESR to form the HESR, and
• comparing the +HESR+ to the HESR to form a verdict.

A process for providing security in a transaction processing system comprising the steps of:

• enrolling a user in the transaction processing system, the user being identified by an enciphered electronic signature record (ESR) stored in the system;
• conducting a transaction in the system, the user using a card containing the user identity, a seal and a hashed ESR (HESR), a card initiating an enciphered transaction message, an enciphered message description of the transaction data, and accompanying the transaction data with an enciphered hashed ESR (+HESR+);
• and
• verifying the transaction by comparing the deciphered stored ESR, after hashing, to the +HESR+ accompanying the transaction data.

A smart card adapted for providing security in a transaction system said smart comprising:

• a seal key stored in a memory;
• a smart card specific data stored in the memory;
• a hashed electronic signature record (HESR) stored in the memory;
• and
• a logic means for receiving a message, generating a seal and outputting the seal with the smart card specific data, wherein said seal is generated by hashing the message and combining the hashed message with the seal key to then encipher the HESR to form said seal.