Abstract: A method is provided for establishing a split-terminated secure communication connection between a client and a server. A first network intermediary intercepts a secure communication connection request directed from the client to the server. A second intermediary having a digital certificate in the name of the server (and a corresponding private key) acts in place of the server to establish a first secure communication session with the client, during which it receives a secret from the client for generating the session key. The second intermediary supplies the secret and/or the session key to the first intermediary, which allows the first intermediary to establish follow-on secure communication sessions in which the secret is reused. The second intermediary may also supply the first intermediary with a copy of its certificate so that it can respond to new secure communication requests and, yet further, may also supply a copy of the private key.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for split-terminating a secure client-server communication connection, with client authentication. During handshaking between the client and the server, cooperating network intermediaries relay the handshaking messages, without altering the messages. At least one of the intermediaries possesses a private key of the server, and extracts a set of data fields from the handshaking messages, including a Client-Key-Exchange message that can be decrypted with the private key. The intermediary uses the extracted data to compute the client-server session key separate from the client's and the server's similar computation, and may transmit the key to the other intermediary via a secure communication channel. The client and the server thus establish the end-to-end client-server connection, and may authenticate each other, after which the network intermediaries may intercept and optimize the client-server communications transparently to the client and the server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for split-terminating a secure client-server communication connection, with client authentication. During handshaking between the client and the server, cooperating network intermediaries relay the handshaking messages, without altering the messages. At least one of the intermediaries possesses a private key of the server, and extracts a set of data fields from the handshaking messages, including a Client-Key-Exchange message that can be decrypted with the private key. The intermediary uses the extracted data to compute the client-server session key separate from the client's and the server's similar computation, and may transmit the key to the other intermediary via a secure communication channel. The client and the server thus establish the end-to-end client-server connection, and may authenticate each other, after which the network intermediaries may intercept and optimize the client-server communications transparently to the client and the server.

Abstract: A method is provided for establishing a split-terminated secure communication connection between a client and a server. A first network intermediary intercepts a secure communication connection request directed from the client to the server. A second intermediary having a digital certificate in the name of the server (and a corresponding private key) acts in place of the server to establish a first secure communication session with the client, during which it receives a secret from the client for generating the session key. The second intermediary supplies the secret and/or the session key to the first intermediary, which allows the first intermediary to establish follow-on secure communication sessions in which the secret is reused. The second intermediary may also supply the first intermediary with a copy of its certificate so that it can respond to new secure communication requests and, yet further, may also supply a copy of the private key.

Abstract: A network intermediary device such as a transaction accelerator intercepts a client request for a secure communication connection with a server. The intermediary issues a substitute connection request to the server and receives a digital certificate during establishment of a secure communication session between the intermediary and the server. Based on information in the received digital certificate, the intermediary selects an appropriate operational configuration for responding to the client's request. The intermediary consults an ordered list or other collection of digital certificates it possesses, and chooses one having a common name that matches the server's common name. The match may comprise the first matching name, the longest match, the best match, the broadest match (e.g., a certificate having a name that includes one or more wildcard characters), etc. The intermediary then uses the selected certificate (and corresponding private key) to establish a secure communication session with the client.