Apparatus and Method for Secure Administrator Access to Networked Machines

1 . A secure access method, comprising:

generating administrator access security information including a public and private key pair;

associating the administrator access security information with a set of client users assigned to a specified group, each client user having personal security credentials for accessing a client computer;

copying the administrator access security information to a set of security tokens;

distributing the security tokens; and

accessing a client computer associated with a client user of the set of client users by utilizing one of the security tokens instead of personal security credentials for the client computer.

2 . The secure access method of claim 1 further comprising accessing a client computer using a unique administrator identifier associated with the security token distributed to each administrator.

3 . The secure access method of claim 1 further comprising identifying an administrator security event selected from a lost security token and a departed administrator.

4 . The secure access method of claim 3 further comprising repeating said generating, associating, copying and distributing in response to identifying.

5 . The secure access method of claim 1 wherein associating the administrator access security information includes downloading the administrator access security information from a server to client computers used by the client users assigned to the specified group.

6 . The secure access method of claim 2 further comprising:

supplying a security token at a client computer; and

entering into the client computer a unique administrator identifier.

7 . The secure access method of claim 1 further comprising performing administrator tasks at the client computer.

8 . A computer readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions to:

generate administrator access security information including a public and private key pair;

associate the administrator access security information with a set of client users assigned to a specified group, each client user having personal security credentials for accessing a client computer; and

copy the administrator access security information to a security token such that the security token can access a client computer associated with a client user of the set of client users without the personal security credentials for the client computer.

9 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising executable instructions to assign an administrator identifier to the security token.

10 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the administrator identifier includes an administrator password.

11 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the executable instructions to associate include executable instructions to download the administrator access security information from a server machine to client computers used by the set of client users assigned to the specified group.

12 . A computer readable storage medium associated with a client computer, comprising executable instructions to:

read a security token with a public and private key pair to secure administrator access security information associated with a set of client users assigned to a specified group, each client user having personal security credentials for accessing a client computer;

compare the administrator access security information with stored administrator access security information to identify a match; and

grant access to the client machine in the event of a match.

13 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 further comprising executable instructions prompt a user for an administrator password.