Abstract: The current document is directed to methods and systems for secure provisioning, publication, distribution, and utilization of public-key certificates. These methods and systems employ domain name system (“DNS”) servers implementing the DNS security extensions (“DNSSEC servers”), a publisher component, and additional client-side and server-side functionalities. Public-key certificates provided by the DNSSEC servers engender a high degree of trust, as their integrity is protected and can be readily authenticated by the cryptographic-digital-signature based chains of trust provided by the DNSSEC. The systems to which the current document is directed employ DNSSEC servers, a publisher component, and additional client-side and server-side functionalities, and are referred to as “Public-key certificate Distribution and Management Systems” (“CDMSs”).

Abstract: The current application is directed to methods and systems for secure distribution of public-key certificates using the domain name system with security extensions (“DNSSEC”), a publisher component, and additional client-side functionality. These methods and systems, when combined with public/private-key-based cryptography used for encrypting digitally encoded information, provides a computationally efficient and well-understood method and system for secure communications and digitally-encoded-information verification without current difficulties and inefficiencies attendant with distributing and managing the public keys used for encrypting digitally encoded information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a random bit stream. In one embodiment the method comprises accumulation of a plurality of hardware driven numbers from whence a portion of each hardware driven number is extracted. The extracted portions are combined to form a random bit stream.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing random bits are described. In one embodiment, random bits are provided by storing a succession of random bits in a buffer. A quantity of bits is selected from the buffer at a source location and used as a basis of a new quantity of random bits. The content of the buffer is altered and the source location is advanced to the next position in the buffer. The source location is placed at the beginning of the buffer plus an offset when the next location is beyond the limit of the buffer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a random bit stream. In one embodiment the method comprises accumulation of a plurality of hardware driven numbers from whence a portion of each hardware driven number is extracted. The extracted portions are combined to form a random bit stream.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing random bits are described. In one embodiment, random bits are provided by storing a succession of random bits in a buffer. A quantity of bits is selected from the buffer at a source location and used as a basis of a new quantity of random bits. The content of the buffer is altered and the source location is advanced to the next position in the buffer. The source location is placed at the beginning of the buffer plus an offset when the next location is beyond the limit of the buffer.