Method and apparatus for authenticating a mobile device

A method comprising:

• initiating transmission, from a mobile device, of a request to an authentication platform, different from the mobile device, for generating a public-key certificate to access a service from the mobile device;
• receiving, by the mobile device, an identity challenge, initiated from the authentication platform, corresponding to the request;
• initiating transmission of a tag specific to the mobile device to the authentication platform, wherein the tag is used by the authentication platform to generate the public-key certificate;
• initiating transmission of another request to access the service;
• receiving another identity challenge in response to the other request;
• generating, in response to the other identity challenge, a public-key signature calculated from a hash of the tag, a predetermined string, and the other identity challenge;
• initiating transmission of the public-key signature to the authentication platform for validation;
• and
• receiving a license file granting access to the service based on the validation.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code,
• the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
• initiate transmission, from a mobile device, of a request to an authentication platform, different from the mobile device, for generating a public-key certificate to access a service from the mobile device,
• receive at the mobile device, an identity challenge from the authentication platform corresponding to the request,
• initiate transmission of a tag specific to the mobile device to the authentication platform, wherein the tag is used by the authentication platform to generate the public-key certificate,
• initiate transmission of another request to access the service,
• receive another identity challenge in response to the other request,
• generate, in response to the other identity challenge, a public-key signature calculated from a hash of the tag, a predetermined string, and the other identity challenge,
• initiate transmission of the public-key signature to the authentication platform for validation, and
• receive a license file granting access to the service based on the validation.

A method comprising:

• receiving, at an authentication platform, a request from a mobile device, different from the authentication platform, to generate a public-key certificate for accessing a service;
• initiating transmission of an identity challenge from the authentication platform to the mobile device;
• receiving a tag specific to the mobile device in response to the identity challenge;
• calculating a partial hash of the tag;
• calculating a full hash of the tag, a predetermined string, and the identity challenge;
• retrieving a public-key corresponding to the mobile device;
• generating a public-key signature from the full hash using the public key;
• and
• constructing the public-key certificate to include at least the public-key signature, the public key, and the partial hash.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code,
• the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
• receive, at an authentication platform, a request from a mobile device, different from the authentication platform, to generate a public-key certificate for accessing a service;
• initiate transmission of an identity challenge from the authentication platform to the mobile device;
• receive a tag specific to the mobile device in response to the identity challenge;
• calculate a partial hash of the tag;
• calculate a full hash of the tag, a predetermined string, and the identity challenge;
• retrieve a public-key corresponding to the mobile device;
• generate a public-key signature from the full hash using the public key;
• and
• construct the public-key certificate to include at least the public-key signature, the public key, and the partial hash.