Device, System and Method of Performing an Administrative Operation on a Security Token

• US 20080263656A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Athena SCS Ltd. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: K.K. Athena Smartcard Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Abel, Gil, Kosaka, Masaru, Navoth, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 8,387,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/77 in smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include a method, device and/or system of performing an administrative operation on a user token. The method may include, for example, providing to an admin token user-identification data identifying the user token; receiving from the admin token an administrator code to enable performing the administrative operation; and providing the administrator code to the user token. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method of performing an administrative operation on a user token, the method comprising:

providing to an admin token user-identification data identifying said user token;

receiving from said admin token an administrator code to enable performing said administrative operation; and

providing said administrator code to said user token.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing said user-identification data to said admin token comprises transferring said user-identification data from said user token to said admin token via at least one station.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving a request message including said user identification data, wherein providing said administrator code comprises generating a response message based on said administrator code.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising authenticating a holder of said admin token, and providing said administrator code if said holder is authenticated.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising:

coupling said user token to a first token terminal; and

coupling said admin token to a second token terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein coupling said user token to said first token terminal comprises coupling said user token to a token terminal of a user station, and wherein coupling said admin token to said second token terminal comprises coupling said admin token to a token terminal of an admin station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing said administrator code to said user token comprises:

transmitting from said admin station to said user station a transmission corresponding to said administrator code; and

transferring said administrator code from said user station to said user token via said first token terminal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein providing said user-identification data to said admin token comprises transferring said user-identification data from said admin station to said admin token via said second token terminal, and wherein receiving said administrator code from said admin token comprises receiving said administrator code via said second token terminal.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising performing said administrative operation based on said administrator code.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein performing said administrative operation comprises performing an operation selected from the group consisting of unlocking said user token, personalizing said user token, modifying data on said user token, formatting said user token, creating new data on said user token, controlling complexity rules of said user token, defining a number of allowed trials of entering a user code to said user token, defining a life cycle of said user token, and terminating said user token.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving said administrator code from said admin token comprises receiving an administrator personal-identification-number code.

12. An admin station to be coupled to an admin token, said station comprising:

an admin token terminal connectable to said admin token;

an admin station application to transfer to said admin token via said token terminal user-identification data identifying a user token, receive from said admin token via said token terminal an administrator code to enable performing an administrative operation on said user token, and provide an output corresponding to said administrator code.

13. The station of claim 12, wherein said admin station application is able to receive a request message including said user-identification data, and wherein said output comprises a response message based on said administrator code.

14. The station of claim 12, wherein said output comprises a transmission to a user station connected to said user token.

15. The station of claim 12 comprising a user token terminal connectable to said user token.

16. The station of claim 12, wherein said administrative operation comprises an operation selected from the group consisting of unlocking said user token, personalizing said user token, modifying data on said user token, formatting said user token, creating new data on said user token, controlling complexity rules of said user token, defining a number of allowed trials of entering a user code to said user token, defining a life cycle of said user token, and terminating said user token.

17. The station of claim 12, wherein said administrator code comprises an administrator personal-identification code.

18. A security token system comprising:

a user token;

an admin token; and

an admin station to be coupled to said admin token, transfer to said admin token user-identification data identifying said user token, receive from said admin token an administrator code to enable performing an administrative operation on said user token, and provide an output corresponding to said administrator code.

19. The security token system of claim 18, wherein said admin station is able to receive a request message including said user-identification data, and wherein said output comprises a response message based on said administrator code.

20. The security token system of claim 18 comprising a user station connectable to said user token, wherein said output comprises a transmission to said user station.

21. The security token system of claim 18, wherein said admin station is connectable to said user token.

22. The security token system of claim 18, wherein said admin token is able to authenticate a holder of said admin token and provide said administrator code to said admin station if said holder is authenticated.

23. The security token system of claim 18, wherein said administrative operation comprises an operation selected from the group consisting of unlocking said user token, personalizing said user token, modifying data on said user token, formatting said user token, creating new data on said user token, controlling complexity rules of said user token, defining a number of allowed trials of entering a user code to said user token, defining a life cycle of said user token, and terminating said user token.

24. The security token system of claim 18, wherein said administrator code comprises an administrator personal-identification code.

25. The security token system of claim 18, wherein at least one of said admin token and user token comprises a smartcard.