Abstract: A method and apparatus wherein, for a network protocol a message is encoded in a first computer unit upon employment of the encoding format of the network protocol, being encoded to form an encoded message. The encoded message is subjected to a cryptographic process. The cryptographically processed message thereby formed is again encoded upon employment of the encoding format of the network protocol. The cryptographically processed message encoded in this way is transmitted from the first computer unit to the second computer unit. In the second computer unit, the received message is decoded according to the encoding format of the network protocol, and an inverse cryptographic process is applied to the decoded message. The inversely cryptographically processed message is again decoded according to the encoding format of the network protocol.

Abstract: A method for protecting an item of software, wherein at least one challenge means is associated with said protected item of software, and at least one response means accesses one private keying material. The challenge means has no access to said private keying material. The response means proves to the challenge means that the response means has access to the private keying material using an asymmetric probabilistic proof, e.g., zero knowledge proof. The challenge means validates this proof using the public keying material that corresponds to the response means' private keying material.