Certifying the identity of a network device
First Claim
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1. A method for certifying the identity of a network device, the method comprising:
- directly physically coupling the network device to a provisioning device via an electrical cable without requiring any network connectivity;
wherein the provisioning device comprises both a configuration module and a certification module;
the provisioning device certifying the identity of the network device by performing;
the configuration module generating a cryptographic public/private key pair for the network device and the certification module obtaining a digital certificate for the network device, and sending both the generated private key and the obtained digital certificate to the network device over the electrical cable;
wherein the obtained digital certificate is signed by a certificate authority;
wherein the obtained digital certificate includes the generated public key.
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Abstract
According to one aspect, a method for certifying the identity of a network device. The method includes an initial step of coupling the network device to a provisioning device via a physically secure communications link. The provisioning device then certifies the identity of the network device including generating a cryptographic private key for the network device and sending the generated private key to the network device over the physically secure communications link.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for certifying the identity of a network device, the method comprising:
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directly physically coupling the network device to a provisioning device via an electrical cable without requiring any network connectivity; wherein the provisioning device comprises both a configuration module and a certification module; the provisioning device certifying the identity of the network device by performing;
the configuration module generating a cryptographic public/private key pair for the network device and the certification module obtaining a digital certificate for the network device, and sending both the generated private key and the obtained digital certificate to the network device over the electrical cable;wherein the obtained digital certificate is signed by a certificate authority; wherein the obtained digital certificate includes the generated public key. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of a method for certifying the identity of a network device, the method comprising the step of:
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a provisioning device, comprising both a configuration module and a certification module, certifying the identity of the network device by performing;
the configuration module generating a cryptographic public/private key pair for the network device and the certification module obtaining a digital certificate for the network device, and sending both the generated private key and the obtained digital certificate to the network device over an electrical cable;wherein the obtained digital certificate is signed by a certificate authority; wherein the obtained digital certificate includes the generated public key. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A provisioning device comprising:
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one or more processors; one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause performance of a method for certifying the identity of a network device, the method comprising the step of; the provisioning device, comprising both a configuration module and a certification module, certifying the identity of the network device by performing;
the configuration module generating a cryptographic public/private key pair for the network device and the certification module obtaining a digital certificate for the network device, and sending both the generated private key and the obtained digital certificate to the network device over an electric cable that directly and physically couples the network device to the provisioning device;wherein the obtained digital certificate is signed by a certificate authority; wherein the obtained digital certificate includes the generated public key. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification