Abstract: A method for authentication of a user towards a multi-node party includes at least two nodes. The user contacts the nodes of the multi-node party, via a user application, and each of the nodes of the multi-node party generates a nonce and returns the nonce to the user application. The user application requests authentication from an Identity Provider, based on the nonces received from the nodes of the multi-node party and on a unique identity of the user. The Identity Provider generates a message, based on the request for authentication, and provides the message to the user application. The user application provides the message in a secret form to each of the nodes of the multi-node party. The nodes of the multi-node party verify the message by means of a multi-party verifying operation, and the user is authenticated based on the multi-party verifying operation.

Abstract: A method and a system for providing a digital signature are disclosed. A private signature key is distributed among two or more nodes of a cold wallet. Each node of the cold wallet generates a pre-signature, based on its share(s) of the private signature key, and transmits the pre-signature to one of two or more pre-signature nodes. A signing application requests a signature and transmits a message to be signed to each of the pre-signature nodes. In response to receiving the request for a signature and the message to be signed, each pre-signature node generates a partial signature, based on its pre-signature and on the message to be signed. Each pre-signature node transmits its partial signature to the signing application, and the signing application computes a digital signature from the partial signatures.