Method and apparatus for using a secret in a distributed computing system
US7779267B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 4, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 6, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/78
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There are many times when a secret needs to be used in a distributed computing system—these are often held in security tokens, such as smart cards. It may be desirable for another device, such as a computer platform, to act in place of the security token as the repository of a secret, particularly for operations within a distributed computing system. Within the distributed computing system there is located a trusted entity, physically and logically resistant to unauthorized modification—this may be a trusted device located within a specific computing platform. This contains validation information which can be communicated to the security token. The security token then carries out a validation process on this validation information—if successful, the security token then provides a secret to the trusted device for use within the distributed computing system. The trusted device may be required to use this secret only for a specified period of time, or for a specific purpose or task.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.