Registration and authentication of computing devices using a digital skeleton key

A non-transitory computer readable medium useful in association with a skeleton key server which includes one or more processors, and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the skeleton key server, by execution of the computer instructions in the one or more processors from the memory, to implement authentication of a first device associated with a user account using at least one second device accessible by the first device, wherein the second device is user-selected and fingerprintable, by:

• transmitting an authentication information request to the first device;
• receiving an encrypted identification data from the first device which has been encrypted by at least one device fingerprint of at least one second device accessible by the first device, wherein the second device is user-selected and fingerprintable;
• decrypting the encrypted identification data using a skeleton key associated with the user account;
• wherein the skeleton key includes at least one stored device fingerprint, and the decrypting step further comprises using the at least one stored device fingerprint to decrypt the encrypted identification data;
• comparing the decrypted identification data with a primary identification data associated with the user account;
• and
• authenticating the computing device when the decrypted identification data matches the primary identification data.