Method for secure device discovery and introduction

1. A method for obtaining a credential, comprising:

transmitting a first message from a client device to a registrar device over a wireless communication channel between the client device and the registrar device to initiate a transaction, the first message to contain a first random number and a public key of the client device;

receiving a second message from the registrar device, with the client device, to continue the transaction, the second message to contain a second random number and a public key of the registrar device;

receiving, with the client device, a third message containing a device password proof-of-possession and a credential, the credential to be encrypted with a credential key by transmitting a first half of the device password hashed with the first random number and a second half of the device password hashed with the second random number, wherein the hashes are irreversible;

decrypting the credential with the client device utilizing the first random number with the first half of the device password and the second random number with the second half of the device password;

verifying, with the client device, the proof-of-possession with a device password of the client device; and

if the proof-of-possession is verified, altering a configuration of the client device according to the credential, wherein the configuration enables the client device to access a wireless network securely via a wireless access point.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (“EAP”) transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a plurality of bits by a key derivation function;

wherein the key derivation function generates the plurality of bits according to an algorithm that accepts as inputs the first random number, the second random number and a Media Access Control (“MAC”) address of the client device.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

selecting a subset of the plurality of bits to form a second key; and

decrypting the credential with the second key.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

selecting a subset of the plurality of bits as a configuration key;

encrypting a present configuration of the client device with the configuration key; and

transmitting a message containing the encrypted present configuration.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the credential key is a private key corresponding to the public key of the registrar device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one message is received over the communication channel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one message is received over a second, different communication channel.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second communication channel is a removable storage medium.

10. A system comprising:

a first device having a device password;

an access point (“AP”) to provide access to a network to a client having a credential; and

a registrar;

wherein the registrar is to prove its possession of the device password to the first device by transmitting a first half of the device password hashed with the first random number and a second half of the device password hashed with the second random number, wherein the hashes are irreversible;

the first device to transmit a first message over a wireless communication channel between the first device the registrar to initiate a transaction, the first message to contain a first random number and a public key of the first device;

the registrar to transmit a second message to the first device, to continue the transaction, to provide a credential to the first device the second message to contain a second random number and a public key of a second device; and

the first device is to use the credential to alter its configuration and access the network through the AP.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first device further comprises:

a near-field communication (“NFC”) token to contain the device password;

the registrar further comprises:

a near-field communication reader to read an NFC token; and wherein

the registrar is to obtain the first device's device password by reading the first device's NFC token.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the registrar is to prove its possession of the device password and provide the credential by performing an Extensible Authentication Protocol (“EAP”) transaction with the first device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first device is to identify itself in the EAP transaction by a text string of the form “SomePrefix-Enrollee-m-n”, where SomePrefix is a predetermined string, and m and n are integers representing a protocol version.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the first device further comprises a radio communication interface; and

the first device is to receive the credential through the radio communication interface.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the first device further comprises a removable storage interface; and

the first device is to receive the credential through the removable storage interface.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting a first message from a client device to a registrar device over a wireless communication channel between the client device and the registrar device to initiate a transaction, the first message to contain a first random number and a public key of the client device;

receiving a second message from the registrar device, with the client device, to continue the transaction, the second message to contain a second random number and a public key of the registrar device;

receiving, with the client device, a third message containing a device password proof-of-possession and a credential, the credential to be encrypted with a credential key by transmitting a first half of the device password hashed with the first random number and a second half of the device password hashed with the second random number, wherein the hashes are irreversible;

decrypting the credential with the client device utilizing the first random number with the first half of the device password and the second random number with the second half of the device password;

verifying, with the client device, the proof-of-possession with a device password of the client device; and

if the proof-of-possession is verified, altering a configuration of the client device according to the credential, wherein the configuration enables the client device to access a wireless network securely via a wireless access point.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the transaction is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (“EAP”) transaction.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , comprising further instructions that the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a plurality of bits by a key derivation function;

wherein the key derivation function generates the plurality of bits according to an algorithm that accepts as inputs the first random number, the second random number and a Media Access Control (“MAC”) address of the first device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , comprising further instructions that the processor to perform operations comprising:

selecting a subset of the plurality of bits to form a second key; and

decrypting the credential with the second key.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , comprising further instructions that the processor to perform operations comprising:

selecting a subset of the plurality of bits as a configuration key;

encrypting a present configuration of the client device with the configuration key; and

transmitting a message containing the encrypted present configuration.