Abstract: A method of authenticating a user of a computing device is proposed, together with computing device on which the method is implemented. In the method a modified base image is overlaid with a modified overlay image on a display. The modified overlay image comprises a plurality of numbers. At least one of the modified base image and modified overlay image is moved by the user. Positive authentication is indicated in response to the base image reference point on the modified base image being aligned, in sequence, with two or more numbers from the overlay image that equal a pre-selected algebraic result when one or more algebraic operator is apply to the numbers.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for pre-processing encrypted and/or signed messages at a host system before the message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device. The message is received at the host system from a message sender. There is a determination as to whether any of the message receivers has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device. For each message receiver that has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device, the message is processed so as to modify the message with respect to one or more encryption and/or authentication aspects. The processed message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device that corresponds to the first message receiver. The system and method may include post-processing messages sent from a wireless mobile communications device to a host system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the host system to one or more receivers.

Abstract: System and methods for processing encoded messages at a message receiver are described. Encoded message processing is performed in multiple stages. In a first stage, a new received message is at least partially decoded by performing any decoding operations that require no user input and a resulting context object is stored in memory, before a user is notified that the new message has been received. When the user accesses the new message, any further required decoding operations are performed on the stored context object in a second stage of processing. The message can subsequently be displayed or otherwise processed relatively quickly, without repeating the first stage decoding operations. Decoding operations may include signature verification, decryption, other types of decoding, or some combination thereof.

Abstract: A method of authenticating a user of a computing device is proposed, together with computing device on which the method is implemented. In the method a modified base image is overlaid with a modified overlay image on a display and with each execution of the method, at least one of a position of a pre-selected base image reference point on the modified base image and a position of a pre-selected overlay image reference point on the modified overlay image is varied. Positive authentication is indicated in response to an input resulting in the base image reference point on the modified base image being aligned with the overlay image reference point on the modified overlay image.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating communication of packets between one or more applications residing on a first computing device and at least one second computing device. The system comprises a connection manager adapted to receive packets from the at least one second computing device, and a packet cache for storing packets received by the connection manager. The connection manager, upon receiving a packet from a second computing device, transmits the packet to the packet cache for storage and notifies each of the applications of receipt of the packet. Subsequently, the packet is retrievable from the packet cache by a notified application, and verification that the packet is intended for communication to the notified application is made.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for implementation on a mobile device to force the mobile device into a secure state upon detection or determination of a triggering event. Once it is determined that a triggering event has occurred, each application operating on the mobile device is caused to immediately unreference sensitive objects and a secure garbage collection operation is performed upon the unreferenced sensitive objects to render data associated therewith unreadable. The mobile device is then caused to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization. A microprocessor within the mobile device is configured to determine the existence of the triggering event according to a configuration data structure and to perform the secure garbage collection.

Abstract: A challenge response scheme authenticates a requesting device by an authenticating device. The authenticating device generates and issues a challenge to the requesting device. The requesting device combines the challenge with a hash of a password provided by a user, and the combination is further hashed in order to generate a requesting encryption key used to encrypt the user supplied password. The encrypted user supplied password is sent to the authenticating device as a response to the issued challenge. The authenticating device generates an authenticating encryption key by generating the hash of a combination of the challenge and a stored hash of an authenticating device password. The authenticating encryption key is used to decrypt the response in order to retrieve the user-supplied password. If the user-supplied password hash matches the stored authenticating device password hash, the requesting device is authenticated and the authenticating device is in possession of the password.

Abstract: A system and method for processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device (e.g. a mobile device). Embodiments are described in which the performance of certain tasks is initiated before a direction is received from a user to send a message being composed by the user. This may involve, for example, “pre-fetching” security-related data that will be required in order to send a message that is in the process of being composed by the user securely. Such data may include security policy data, certificate data, and/or certificate status data, for example.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (and its related method of operation) includes, if invoked, password protected access to data stored therewithin and/or to normal device operations and further includes duress password checking logic that automatically causes a duress message to be sent if a duress password has been entered. The duress message is preferably sent without maintaining any user accessible indication of such sending. It is also preferred that the password checking logic automatically cause an end-of-duress message to be sent if a normal password is entered after a duress password has been entered. A plurality of different duress passwords may be entered into a duress password portion of data memory in the device.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for fingerprint authentication for a computing device. In one embodiment, the method comprises: storing a default finger swipe scan direction; receiving a finger swipe scan; authenticating the received finger swipe scan; determining a received finger swipe scan direction; and configuring the default finger swipe scan direction. The computing device may comprise a mobile device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing digitally signed messages in which address mismatch errors are detected. In at least one aspect, the number of address mismatch errors reported to a user for a message may be minimized for messages that properly incorporate message portions signed by someone other than the sender of the message, as may be the case where the message contains a conversation thread for example, by performing at least one pre-determined action for digital signatures corresponding to signed data appearing after a message separator. The message separator may indicate that the message contains data from an older forwarded message or from an older message that has been replied to, for example. The at least one-predetermined action may comprise bypassing verification of address matches for those digital signatures, or verifying address matches for those digital signatures but suppressing user notification of any address mismatch errors, for example.

Abstract: A system and method for handling e-mail address mismatches between the address contained within a user's certificate or certificate chain, and the account address actually being used is disclosed. In order to resolve address mismatches a canonical or generic domain name or user name may, for example, be used as a lifelong address of a user that is contained in the user's certificate. Upon detection of an address mismatch, the system and method disclosed herein may automatically re-check the certificate or search for a certificate containing the canonical or generic domain name and/or user name to attempt to resolve the mismatch.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operation upon a wireless mobile device to handle message notifications. A method can include receiving a message by the wireless mobile device over a wireless communications network. The received message is processed so that at least a portion of the sender's message is displayed to a user of the wireless mobile device before a signed receipt is provided to the sender.

Abstract: A system includes a first wireless-enabled device that transparently stores confidential information and a second wireless-enabled device that stores the same confidential information. The confidential information is to be used to secure a wireless communication link between the first device and the second device. One or both of the first device and the second device is to delete the confidential information upon fulfillment of one or more conditions related to the communication link. The conditions include general timeout, device inactivity, loss of connection over the communication link, a decline in signal strength, and a predefined number of transactions having occurred between the first device and the second device.

Abstract: A system and method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client are provided. A data store configured to operate in conjunction with the messaging client stores records comprising messaging settings or characteristics for previously received and/or sent messages. The messaging client is configured to send outgoing messages, each of the messages having message characteristics, to determine whether a record for an addressed recipient of an outgoing message exists in the data store, and to select messaging settings to control the message characteristics of the outgoing message based on the record where a record exists.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing intelligent error messaging is disclosed wherein a user of a mobile communications device is provided with descriptive error messaging information to assist the user in overcoming errors associated with the processing of electronic messages and data.

Abstract: One embodiment of a method of authenticating data comprises: receiving, at a device, data in a plurality of indexed packets transmitted by a data server, the data of the indexed packets being at least a portion of a larger data stream; receiving, at the device, from a data authentication server connected to the device by a network, a server-computed authentication value based on a subset of the data transmitted by the data server, the data authentication server having access to the data that was transmitted from the data server to the device; and comparing a device-computed authentication value based on a subset of the received data, corresponding to the subset of the data transmitted by the data server, with the server-computed authentication value in order to determine whether the subset of the data received at the device is authentic.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method operable on a mobile communications device is disclosed, the method comprising generating an authentication key for securing a personalized indicium assigned to the mobile communications device, wherein the personalized indicium comprises a Personal Information Number (PIN) that is mapped to at least one identifier associated with the mobile communications device; transmitting a registration request to a network node operable with a wireless network, the registration request having a registration request payload including the authentication key; receiving a challenge message from the network node, the challenge message generated when the network node detects a change of the IP address associated with the mobile communications device, and responsive to receiving the challenge message, executing a challenge response including an authentication value of a challenge string transmitted in the challenge message, wherein the authentication value is created using the authentication key.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a security encoding to be applied to a message being sent by a user of a computing device. In one broad aspect, the device comprises a processor configured to: determine whether a general message encoding configuration setting indicates that when a security encoding is to be applied to a message then the security encoding is to be established by a policy engine; if the general message encoding configuration setting so indicates, query the policy engine for the security encoding to be applied to the message; otherwise, determine the security encoding to be applied to the message in accordance with a user-selected security encoding; and apply the determined security encoding to the message prior to transmission of the message to at least one recipient.

Abstract: A method for preventing a recipient of an electronically transmitted message from taking at least one action in relation to the message is disclosed. The message has at least two parts with one of the parts having a higher level of security than the other part. The method includes the step of extracting information from the message. The information indicates that the higher level security part is not permitted to have the action taken on it while the other part is so permitted. The method also includes the step of preventing the higher level security part from having the action taken on it in reaction to said recipient making an offending request.