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An authentication system for electronic information networks having small hand-held portable authenticating devices which are remotely initialized and can use 4 bit microprocessors in a challenge-response security system and yet permit practical communication of the large numbers which are necessary

An authentication system for electronic information networks having small hand-held portable authenticating devices which are remotely initialized and can use 4 bit microprocessors in a challenge-response security system and yet permit practical communication of the large numbers which are necessary for sufficient security.

대표청구항 ▼

In combination a method for authenticating the authority of any of a plurality of remote users to access a host computer, the method comprising: (a) storing in the host computer and in each of a plurality of remote user computers the identical selected constant, instructions for using a first, non-i

In combination a method for authenticating the authority of any of a plurality of remote users to access a host computer, the method comprising: (a) storing in the host computer and in each of a plurality of remote user computers the identical selected constant, instructions for using a first, non-invertible algorithm for raising a number to a power using modulo arithmetic, for performing a non-invertible authentication second algorithm which is a function of a secret key and for generating a random number; (b) distributing the computers to the remote users; (c) initializing the computers independently with the host computer and from a remote location selected by the remote user by: (i) establishing communication between the host computer and a remote user computer; (ii) independently generating a random first number as a first key in the remote user\s computer and in the host computer; (iii) independently raising said selected constant in each of the communicating computers to that computer\s first key using modulo arithmetic and said first non-invertible algorithm to generate a second key for each computer; (iv) communicating the second key of each communicating computer to the other; (v) generating and storing in each communicating computer the identical secret key by raising in each computer the second key of the other computer to the power of the computer\s own first key using modulo arithmetic by the first non-invertible algorithm; and (vi) disconnecting said communication; (d) subsequently authenticating the authority of a remote user to access or continue to access the host computer by detecting whether a remote user communicating with and seeking access to the host computer has a remote user computer which has been subjected to steps (a), (b) and (c) by: (i) generating a second number in the host computer; (ii) communicating that second number to the remote user computer; (iii) performing said stored, second non-invertible algorithm upon that second number in the remote user computer as a function of its stored secret key and in the host computer as a function of the same secret key; (iv) communicating the result of said second algorithm in the remote user computer to the host computer; and (v) comparing the transmitted result to the result obtained at the host computer; and (e) permitting access to the host computer if the compared portions are identical and preventing access if they are not.