Abstract: A computer system and a method for the protected distribution of certificate and keying material between a certification authority and at least one entity in the certification authority's domain, including the steps of sending keying material, including a password, generated by the Certifying Authority to the entity via a secure medium; generating and protecting, by the entity, a public and a private key pair using the keying material provided it by the certifying authority; generating, protecting and sending a request for a certificate to the certifying authority using the keying material provided it by the certifying authority; requesting, by the certifying authority, that the public key and address of the entity be sent to the certifying authority; protecting and sending the public key and address of the entity to the certifying authority using the keying material provided it by the certifying authority; assembling and issuing the certificate to the entity from the certifying authority and recording the pu

Abstract: An authentication method that permits a user and a file serving workstation to mutually authenticate themselves. This is accomplished by exchanging a random number that is encrypted by a password that is known to the user and stored in a password file on the file serving workstation. A logon ID is sent from the client workstation to the server workstation. The stored user password corresponding to the user ID is retrieved from the password file. A random number is created that is encrypted by a symmetric encryption algorithm on the server workstation using the retrieved user password, and which provides an encrypted password. The user is then requested to enter the password into the user workstation. The entered password is used to decrypt the encrypted password received from the server workstation and retrieve the random number therefrom to authenticate the server workstation. The random number is then used as the encryption and decryption key for communication between the user and server workstations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for remotely accessing a host computer from a remote location. The invention permits a user to remotely change a telephone number that allows the host computer to dial the user's current location. A user performs this change only after he has been strongly authenticated using a distributed user authentication protocol in addition to a simple user ID and password. This allows the user to move between locations and access the host computer, while the call-back feature protects the host computer from unauthorized intrusion. Also, a second registered user who does not have call-back authority may gain access to the host computer through a user that has call-back authority. In this case the user with call-back authority gains entry into the host computer and causes it to call the second registered user, who then enters a user ID and password to gain entry to the host computer.