Abstract: Respective cryptographic shares of password data, dependent on a user password, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t1?n of the password data shares determine if the user password matches a password attempt. Respective cryptographic shares of secret data, enabling determination of a username for each verifier server, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t2?t1 of the shares reconstruct the secret data. For a password attempt, the user computer communicates with at least t1 authentication servers to determine if the user password matches the password attempt and, if so, the user computer receives at least t2 secret data shares from respective authentication servers. The user computer uses the secret data to generate, with T?t1 of said t1 servers, a cryptographic token for authenticating the user computer to a selected verifier server, secret from said at least T servers, under said username.

Abstract: A user computer generates a secret cryptographic key through communication with a server. A secret user value is provided at the user computer. A secret server value is provided at the server with a check value which encodes the secret user value and a user password. In response to input of an input password, the user computer encodes the secret user value and the input password to produce a first value corresponding to said check value, and communicates the first value to the server. The server compares the first value and check value to check whether the input password equals the user password. If so, the server encodes the first value and secret server value to produce a second value and communicates the second value to the user computer. The user computer generates the secret cryptographic key by encoding the second value, the input password and the secret user value.

Abstract: Respective cryptographic shares of password data, dependent on a user password, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t1?n of the password data shares determine if the user password matches a password attempt. Respective cryptographic shares of secret data, enabling determination of a username for each verifier server, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t2?t1 of the shares reconstruct the secret data. For a password attempt, the user computer communicates with at least t1 authentication servers to determine if the user password matches the password attempt and, if so, the user computer receives at least t2 secret data shares from respective authentication servers. The user computer uses the secret data to generate, with T?t1 of said t1 servers, a cryptographic token for authenticating the user computer to a selected verifier server, secret from said at least T servers, under said username.

Abstract: Effecting reissue in a data processing system of a cryptographic credential certifying a set of attributes, the credential being initially bound to a first secret key stored in a first processing device. A backup token is produced using the first device and comprises a commitment to said set of attributes and proof data permitting verification that the set of attributes in said commitment corresponds to the set of attributes certified by said credential. At a second processing device, a second secret key is stored and blinded to produce a blinded key. A credential template token produced from the backup token and the blinded key is sent to a credential issuer where said verification is performed using the proof data and the credential template token is used to provide a reissued credential, certifying said set of attributes, to the second device, the reissued credential being bound to the second secret key.

Abstract: A system of ??2 servers is provided. The server system comprises an access control server for communication with user computers via a network and controlling access by the user computers to a resource in dependence on authentication of user passwords associated with respective user IDs, and a set of authentication servers for communication with the access control server via the network. In this system, at least each authentication server stores a respective key-share Ki of a secret key K which is shared between a plurality of the ? servers. The access control server is adapted, in response to receipt from a user computer of a user ID and an input password, to produce a hash value h via a first hash function operating on the input password. The access control server blinds the hash value h to produce a blinded hash value u, and sends the blinded hash value u via the network to at least a subset of the set of authentication servers.

Abstract: A user computer generates a secret cryptographic key through communication with a server. A secret user value is provided at the user computer. A secret server value is provided at the server with a check value which encodes the secret user value and a user password. In response to input of an input password, the user computer encodes the secret user value and the input password to produce a first value corresponding to said check value, and communicates the first value to the server. The server compares the first value and check value to check whether the input password equals the user password. If so, the server encodes the first value and secret server value to produce a second value and communicates the second value to the user computer. The user computer generates the secret cryptographic key by encoding the second value, the input password and the secret user value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a secret cryptographic key of a user computer connectable to a server via a network. A secret user value is provided at the user computer. A secret server value is provided at the server with a check value which encodes the secret user value and a user password. The user computer encodes the secret user value and an input password to produce a first value corresponding to said check value, and communicates the first value to the server. The server compares the first and the check values to check whether the input password equals the user password. If so, the server encodes the first and the secret server values to produce a second value and communicates the second value to the user computer. The user computer generates the secret cryptographic key by encoding the second value, the input password and the secret user value.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for demonstrating authorization to access a resource to a verifier computer controlling access to the resource. The method comprises, at a user computer, storing an attribute credential certifying a set of attributes; and communicating with a revocation authority computer to obtain an auxiliary credential, bound to the attribute credential, certifying a validity status for each attribute in the attribute credential. The method further comprises, at the user computer, communicating with the verifier computer to prove possession of the attribute credential and the auxiliary credential such that the verifier computer can determine whether at least one attribute in the attribute credential, certified as valid by the auxiliary credential, satisfies an access condition for the resource.

Abstract: Respective cryptographic shares of password data, dependent on a user password, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t1?n of the password data shares determine if the user password matches a password attempt. Respective cryptographic shares of secret data, enabling determination of a username for each verifier server, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t2?t1 of the shares reconstruct the secret data. For a password attempt, the user computer communicates with at least t1 authentication servers to determine if the user password matches the password attempt and, if so, the user computer receives at least t2 secret data shares from respective authentication servers. The user computer uses the secret data to generate, with T?t1 of said t1 servers, a cryptographic token for authenticating the user computer to a selected verifier server, secret from said at least T servers, under said username.

Abstract: Respective cryptographic shares of password data, dependent on a user password, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t1?n of the password data shares determine if the user password matches a password attempt. Respective cryptographic shares of secret data, enabling determination of a username for each verifier server, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t2?t1 of the shares reconstruct the secret data. For a password attempt, the user computer communicates with at least t1 authentication servers to determine if the user password matches the password attempt and, if so, the user computer receives at least t2 secret data shares from respective authentication servers. The user computer uses the secret data to generate, with T?t1 of said t1 servers, a cryptographic token for authenticating the user computer to a selected verifier server, secret from said at least T servers, under said username.

Abstract: A system of ??2 servers is provided. The server system comprises an access control server for communication with user computers via a network and controlling access by the user computers to a resource in dependence on authentication of user passwords associated with respective user IDs, and a set of authentication servers for communication with the access control server via the network. In this system, at least each authentication server stores a respective key-share Ki of a secret key K which is shared between a plurality of the ? servers. The access control server is adapted, in response to receipt from a user computer of a user ID and an input password, to produce a hash value h via a first hash function operating on the input password. The access control server blinds the hash value h to produce a blinded hash value u, and sends the blinded hash value u via the network to at least a subset of the set of authentication servers.

Abstract: “A method for controlling access to a resource of an owner of the resource is provided. The owner can be a user of a resource computer system. The access control can be based on social network data of a social network system and/or on an owner token relating to the owner or, a requester token relating to a requester requesting access to the resource and an access control policy. The owner token and the requester token can be received by the system to determine by the social networking system whether access to the resource is to be granted based on the content of the owner token and the requester token. A social network identity of the owner and a social network identity of the requester may only be determinable by the social network system.

Abstract: Effecting reissue in a data processing system of a cryptographic credential certifying a set of attributes, the credential being initially bound to a first secret key stored in a first processing device. A backup token is produced using the first device and comprises a commitment to said set of attributes and proof data permitting verification that the set of attributes in said commitment corresponds to the set of attributes certified by said credential. At a second processing device, a second secret key is stored and blinded to produce a blinded key. A credential template token produced from the backup token and the blinded key is sent to a credential issuer where said verification is performed using the proof data and the credential template token is used to provide a reissued credential, certifying said set of attributes, to the second device, the reissued credential being bound to the second secret key.

Abstract: Effecting reissue in a data processing system of a cryptographic credential certifying a set of attributes, the credential being initially bound to a first secret key stored in a first processing device. A backup token is produced using the first device and comprises a commitment to said set of attributes and first proof data permitting verification that the set of attributes in said commitment corresponds to the set of attributes certified by said credential. At a second processing device, a second secret key is stored and blinded to produce a blinded key. A credential template token produced from the backup token and the blinded key is sent to a credential issuer where said verification is performed using the first proof data and the credential template token is used to provide a reissued credential, certifying said set of attributes, to the second device, the reissued credential being bound to the second secret key.

Abstract: A protocol that allows customers to buy database records while remaining fully anonymous, i.e. the database server does not learn who purchases a record, and cannot link purchases by the same customer; the database server does not learn which record is being purchased, nor the price of the record that is being purchased; the customer can only obtain a single record per purchase, and cannot spend more than his account balance; the database server does not learn the customer's remaining balance. In the protocol customers keep track of their own balances, rather than leaving this to the database server. The protocol allows customers to anonymously recharge their balances.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for authenticating user computers 2 in distributed single sign-on systems 1. A user computer 2 is connectable via a network 3 to a plurality of verifier servers 4 and a plurality n of authentication servers 5. Through communication with authentication servers 5, the user computer 2 can generate a cryptographic token for authenticating the user computer 2 to a selected verifier server 4 under a username identifying the user computer to that verifier server. Respective cryptographic shares of password data, which is dependent on a predetermined user password, are provided at the n authentication servers 5. A plurality t1?n of the password data shares is needed to determine if the user password matches a password attempt. Respective cryptographic shares of secret data, which enables determination of said username for each verifier server, are also provided at the n authentication servers 5. A plurality t2?t1 of the secret data shares is needed to reconstruct the secret data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a secret cryptographic key of a user computer connectable to a server via a network. A secret user value is provided at the user computer. A secret server value is provided at the server with a check value which encodes the secret user value and a user password. The user computer encodes the secret user value and an input password to produce a first value corresponding to said check value, and communicates the first value to the server. The server compares the first and the check values to check whether the input password equals the user password. If so, the server encodes the first and the secret server values to produce a second value and communicates the second value to the user computer. The user computer generates the secret cryptographic key by encoding the second value, the input password and the secret user value.

Abstract: Effecting reissue in a data processing system of a cryptographic credential certifying a set of attributes, the credential being initially bound to a first secret key stored in a first processing device. A backup token is produced using the first device and comprises a commitment to said set of attributes and first proof data permitting verification that the set of attributes in said commitment corresponds to the set of attributes certified by said credential. At a second processing device, a second secret key is stored and blinded to produce a blinded key. A credential template token produced from the backup token and the blinded key is sent to a credential issuer where said verification is performed using the first proof data and the credential template token is used to provide a reissued credential, certifying said set of attributes, to the second device, the reissued credential being bound to the second secret key.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying ownership of an electronic receipt in a communication system providing a public key infrastructure, the verification arising out of a series of messages being sent and received between a first party and a verifying party, the method comprising the steps of receiving a proof message from the first party, the proof message being derived from at least a first public key based on a secret owned by the first party and wherein the secret is associated with at least the secret of a further public key of the first party and an electronic receipt that has been issued by electronically signing a request message with a second public key, determining whether or not the proof message was derived from the second public key.

Abstract: A method and system for maintaining privacy for transactions performable by a user device having a security module with a privacy certification authority and a verifier are disclosed. The system includes an issuer providing an issuer public key; a user device having a security module for generating a first set of attestation-signature values; a privacy certification authority computer for providing an authority public key and issuing second attestation values; and a verification computer for checking the validity of the first set of attestation signature values with the issuer public key and the validity of a second set of attestation-signature values with the authority public key, the second set of attestation-signature values being derivable by the user device from the second attestation values, where it is verifiable that the two sets of attestation-signature values relate to the user device.