Method for associating a pass phase with a secured public/private key pair

• US 6,704,868 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vanover, Michael, Challener, David Carroll, Ward, James Peter, Dayan, Richard Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US09/439,235
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 713/184, 713/202, 713/168
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0863 involving passwords or one-time passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for using one-time keys in a packet data network H04L63/067
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

A method for associating a pass phrase with a secured public/private key pair is disclosed. A user public/private key pair is first established for a user. The user public/private key pair includes a user public key and a user private key. Then, the user public/private key pair is encrypted along with a random password, utilizing a chip public key. Next, a first symmetric key is generated. The random password is encrypted utilizing the first symmetric key. A first password is generated by hashing a first pass phrase. Finally, the first password is encrypted along with the first symmetric key, also utilizing the chip public key. As a result, a user can access the user private key to perform an authentication function by providing the first pass phrase.

Claims

1. A method for associating a pass phrase with a secured user public/private key pair within a computer system, said method comprising:

establishing a user public/private key pair for a user, wherein said user public/private key pair includes a user public key and a user private key;

encrypting said user private key along with a random password;

generating a first symmetric key;

encrypting said random password utilizing said first symmetric key;

generating a first password by hashing a first pass phrase;

encrypting said first password along with said first symmetric key;

utilizing said first pass phrase to access said user private key for performing an authentication function;

generating a second password by hashing a second pass phrase;

generating a second symmetric key;

encrypting said random password utilizing said second symmetric key;

encrypting said second password along with said second symmetric key; and

utilizing said second pass phrase to access said user private key for performing an authentication function.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein encrypting said user private key along with said random password is performed utilizing a chip public key.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein encrypting said first password along with said first symmetric key is performed utilizing a chip public key.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein encrypting said user private key along with a random password further includes encrypting said user private key and said random password along with said user public key.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein encrypting said second password along with said second symmetric key is performed utilizing a chip public key.

6. A computer system having a password associated with a secured user public/private key pair, said computer system comprising:

means for establishing a user public/private key pair for a user, wherein said user public/private key pair includes a user public key and a user private key;

means for encrypting said user private key along with a random password;

means for generating a first symmetric key;

means for encrypting said random password utilizing said first symmetric key;

means for generating a first password by hashing a first pass phrase;

means for encrypting said first password along with said first symmetric key;

means for utilizing said first pass phrase to access said user private key for performing an authentication functions;

means for generating a second password by hashing a second pass phrase;

means for generating a second symmetric key;

means for encrypting said random password utilizing said second symmetric key;

means for encrypting said second password along with said second symmetric key; and

means for utilizing said second pass phrase to access said user private key for performing an authentication function.

7. The computer system according to claim 6, wherein means for encrypting said user private key performs an encryption utilizing a chip public key.

8. The computer system according to claim 6, wherein means for encrypting said first password performs an encryption utilizing a chip public key.

9. The computer system according to claim 6,wherein means for encrypting said user private key along with a random password further includes a means for encrypting said user private key and said random password along with said user public key.

10. The computer system according to claim 6, wherein means for encrypting said second password along with said second symmetric key is performed utilizing a chip public key.

11. A computer program product for associating a pass phrase with a secured user public/private key pair within a computer system, said computer program product comprising:

program code means for establishing a user public/private key pair for a user, wherein said user public/private key pair includes a user public key and a user private key;

program code means for encrypting said user private key along with a random password;

program code means for generating a first symmetric key;

program code means for encrypting said random password utilizing said first symmetric key;

program code means for generating a first password by hashing a first pass phrase;

program code means for encrypting said first password along with said first symmetric key;

program code means for utilizing said first pass phrase to access said user private key for performing an authentication functions;

program code means for generating a second password by hashing a second pass phrase;

program code means for generating a second symmetric key;

program code means for encrypting said random password utilizing said second symmetric key;

program code means for encrypting said second password along with said second symmetric key; and

program code means for utilizing said second pass phrase to access said user private key for performing an authentication function.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein program code means for encrypting said user private key performs an encryption utilizing a chip public key.

13.The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein program code means for encrypting said random password performs an encryption utilizing a chip public key.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said program code means for encrypting said user private key along with a random password further includes encrypting said user private key and said random password along with said user public key.

14. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said program code means for encrypting said second password along with said second symmetric key is performed utilizing a chip public key.