Abstract: A method for establishing shared information is described. The method includes estimating characteristics of a communication channel between two nodes based on signals transmitted between the nodes. The method also includes transmitting a signal from the first node to the second node, the signal being modulated with a first data sequence according to a first estimated characteristic, and transmitting a signal from the second node to the first node, the signal being modulated with a second data sequence according to a second estimated characteristic. Shared information is formed at each of the first and second nodes based on at least a portion of the first data sequence and at least a portion of the second data sequence.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and system for paging platform configuration registers in and out of a trusted platform module. In a trusted computing platform, an unlimited number of platform configuration registers can be obtained through paging. The trust platform module encrypts and decrypts platform configuration registers for storage outside the trusted platform module.

Abstract: A smartcard comprises a substrate having a smartcard chip formed on it as well as a secondary memory device, for example, a FLASH ROM, operatively connected to the smartcard chip. The secondary memory device is capable of storing a plurality of pages of data, each having associated with it a unique sequence number, the sequence number being stored separately from the data page so that when the page is to be read, the sequence number retrieved with the page can be compared with the stored sequence number to authenticate the page.

Abstract: Digital franking notes generated in customer systems and comprise cryptographic information that is used for verifying the postage indicia in local payment assurance systems. A data key used for generating the postage indicia is generated in a value transfer center and transmitted via a central payment assurance system to the local payment assurance systems, which import the key in order to verify franking notes generated using the key. The local payment assurance systems notify the value transfer center of successful key imports. After a successful import, the value transfer center issues a data key to the customer systems and postage indicia are verified by decrypting the contained cryptographic information in the local payment assurance systems.