System and method for securely accessing a wirelessly advertised service

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying software that is operable when executed to:

• send a request for information about available services to a network device;
• receive a message from the network device, the message comprising information associated with a first service provider;
• determine whether the information is certified by a trusted third party as being associated with the first service provider by:
• retrieving a trusted certificate associated with the trusted third party using a first address, the message comprising the first address, the trusted certificate comprising a trusted third party key;
• authenticating a service provider key with the trusted third party key, the message comprising the service provider key;
• in response to authenticating the service provider key with the trusted third party key, validating that a first service-provider identifier associated with the first address was created by the service provider key;
• if the information is certified by the trusted third party, communicate with the first service provider using the information;
• and
• in response to communicating with the first service provider using the information, receive access to a service from the first service provider through the network device.

An apparatus comprising:

• a communication interface;
• a memory storing software for execution by one or more processors;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the memory, the processors being operable when executing the software to:
• send a request via the communication interface for information about available services to a network device;
• receive a message via the communication interface from the network device using the communication interface, the message comprising information associated with a first service provider;
• determine whether the information is certified by a trusted third party as being associated with the first service provider by:
• retrieving a trusted certificate associated with the trusted third party using a first address, the message comprising the first address, the trusted certificate comprising a trusted third party key;
• authenticating a service provider key with the trusted third party key, the message comprising the service provider key;
• in response to authenticating the service provider key with the trusted third party key, validating that a first service-provider identifier associated with the first address was created by the service provider key;
• if the information is certified by the trusted third party, communicate via the communication interface with the first service provider using the information;
• and
• in response to communicating with the first service provider using the information, receive via the communication interface access to a service from the first service provider through the network device.

An apparatus comprising:

• a communication interface;
• a memory storing software for execution by one or more processors;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the memory, the processors being operable when executing the software to:
• send a request via the communication interface for information about available services to a network device;
• receive a message via the communication interface from the network device using the communication interface, the message comprising information associated with a first service provider;
• determine whether the information is certified by a trusted third party as being associated with the first service provider;
• if the information is certified by the trusted third party, communicate via the communication interface with the first service provider using the information by:
• providing requested information to the first service provider, the requested information comprising payment information;
• receiving credentials for access to the service;
• and
• receiving configuration information for access to the service;
• and
• in response to communicating with the first service provider using the information, receive via the communication interface access to a service from the first service provider through the network device.

A method comprising:

• sending by a client computing device a request for information about available services to a network device;
• receiving by the client computing device a message from the network device, the message comprising information associated with a first service provider;
• determining by the client computing device whether the information is certified by a trusted third party as being associated with the first service provider;
• if the information is certified by the trusted third party, communicating by the client computing device with the first service provider by:
• providing requested information from the client computing device to the first service provider, the requested information comprising payment information;
• receiving from the first service provider credentials for access to a service associated with the first service provider;
• and
• receiving from the first service provider configuration information for access to the service;
• and
• in response to communicating with the first service provider, receiving by the client computing device access to the service from the first service provider through the network device.

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying software that is operable when executed to:

• send a request for information about available services to a network device;
• receive a message from the network device, the message comprising information associated with a first service provider;
• determine whether the information is certified by a trusted third party as being associated with the first service provider;
• if the information is certified by the trusted third party, communicate with the first service provider using the information by:
• providing requested information to the first service provider, the requested information comprising payment information;
• receiving from the first service provider credentials for access to a service;
• and
• receiving from the first service provider configuration information for access to the service;
• and
• in response to communicating with the first service provider using the information, receive access to the service from the first service provider through the network device.