Abstract: Systems and methods for providing user logon and state-less authentication are described in a distributed processing environment. Upon an attempted access by a user to an online resource, transaction, or record, a logon component asks the user to supply a logon ID and a password. The logon component verifies the provided information, and upon successful identification, a security context is constructed from information relevant to the user. The security context is sent to the user and is presented to the system each time the user attempts to invoke a new resource, such as a program object, transaction, record, or certified printer avoiding the need for repeated logon processing.

Abstract: Digital signatures are not valid indefinitely but only during the validity periods of their authentication certificates, which themselves are not indefinite but typically expire in order to limit the chances for compromise of the digital signatures. This poses a problem for electronic information objects that are intended to have legal weight for periods longer than the remaining validity period of a signature. There are thus provided methods of handling stored electronic original objects that have been created by signing information objects by respective transfer agents, submitting signed information objects to a trusted custodial utility, validating the submitted signed information objects by at least testing the integrity of the contents of each signed information object and the validity of the signature of the respective transfer agent, and applying to each validated information object a date-time stamp and a digital signature and authentication certificate of the trusted custodial utility.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided that implement digital signing and/or encryption for the electronic transmission, storage, and retrieval of authenticated documents and that enable the establishment of the identity of the originator of an electronic document and of the integrity of the information contained in such a document. Together these provide irrevocable proof of authenticity of the document. The methods and apparatus make it possible to provide “paper-less” commercial transactions, such as real-estate transactions and the financial transactions secured by real estate. A Certification Authority provides tools for initializing and managing the cryptographic material required to sign and seal electronic documents. An Authentication Center provides “third party” verification that a document is executed and transmitted by the document's originator. The methods and apparatus eliminate the need for “hard copies” of original documents as well as hard-copy storage.