Apparatus and methods for verifying the identity of a party

Apparatus for transmitting a secure password signal over a public communication channel, comprising

• a server element having
• a memory element having storage for an authentication value signal representative of said password signal encoded according to a one-way commutative function,
• a non-repeating number generator having an output means and arranged for providing a non-repeating number signal at said output means,
• processor element arranged for processing signals according to a one-way commutative function, and coupled to said non-repeating number generator and to said memory element for generating a key signal representative of said authentication value encoded as a one-way commutative function of said non-repeating number signal and for generating a challenge signal representative of numeric value encoded as a one-way commutative function of said non-repeating number,
• a communication port, interfaced to the communication channel, for transmitting said challenge signal and for receiving a response signal, and
• a comparator element for comparing said key signal with said response signal and for generating a match signal representative of a substantial identity between said key signal and said response signal,
• a client element having
• a communication port, interfaced to the communication channel, for receiving said challenge signal and for transmitting said response signal, and
• processor element arranged for processing signals according to a one-way commutative function, and coupled to said communication port for generating said response signal as a one-way commutative function of said challenge signal, and said password signal.

Method for transmitting a password over a communication channel, said method comprising the steps of

• providing a memory element for storing an authentication value signal representative of said password encoded according to a one-way commutative function,
• generating a non-repeating number signal,
• generating, according to said one-way commutative function, a key signal representative of said authentication value encoded as a one-way commutative function of said non-repeating number signal, and a challenge signal representative of a numeric value encoded as a one-way commutative function of said non-repeating number signal,
• transmitting said challenge signal to a client requesting access to a secure system and receiving a response signal from said client, and
• comparing said response signal with said key signal to generate a match signal representative of a substantial identity between said response signal and said key signal.

Method for responding to a challenge signal transmitted over a communication channel, comprising the steps of

• storing in a memory element, a signal representative of a password signal,
• providing a communication port adapted to interface to the communication channel, for transmitting a response signal,
• generating said response signal processor element as a one-way commutative function of said challenge signal, and said password signal, and
• transmitting said response signal via said communication port.