System and method for provisioning device certificates

1. A method at a communication device for provisioning a device certificate, the method comprising:

transmitting a device certificate request to a server in a communication network using an established communications channel between the communication device and the server, wherein the device certificate request comprises at least a user identifier and a device identifier; and

responsive to transmitting the device certificate request, receiving a device certificate that comprises a signed version of the device certificate request that is signed by a private key of a certification authority, the device certificate binding together the user identifier and the device identifier.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling user input of the user identifier at the communication device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the device certificate request is transmitted to the server in a communication that is encrypted with a master communication key established between the server and the communication device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the device certificate is received from the server in a communication that is encrypted with the master communication key.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the server acts as the certification authority.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the certification authority is a third party certification authority.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user identifier is associated with a person and comprises one or more of the following: a number assigned by a government agency to the person, an identification of an employer of the person, a name or address or both of the person, a telephone number of the person.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the device identifier comprises one or more of the following: a device personal identification number, a device serial number, and a device International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

9. A method at a server in a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a device certificate request from a communication device over an established communications channel between the communication device and the server, wherein the device certificate request comprises at least a user identifier and a device identifier; and

responsive to receiving the device certificate request, providing to the communication device a device certificate that comprises a signed version of the device certificate request that is signed by a private key of a certification authority, the device certificate binding together the user identifier and the device identifier.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the device certificate request is received by the server in a communication that is encrypted with a master communication key established between the server and the communication device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the device certificate is provided to the communication device by the server in a communication that is encrypted with the master communication key.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the server acts as the certification authority.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the certification authority is a third party certification authority.

14. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the user identifier is associated with a person and comprises one or more of the following: a number assigned by a government agency to the person, an identification of an employer of the person, a name or address or both of the person, a telephone number of the person.

15. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the device identifier comprises one or more of the following: a device personal identification number, a device serial number, and a device International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

16. A communication device configured:

to establish a master communication key with a server in a communication network for encryption and decryption of communication with the server;

to transmit a device certificate request to a server in a communication network using an established communications channel between the communication device and the server, wherein the device certificate request comprises at least a user identifier and a device identifier; and

responsive to transmitting the device certificate request, to receive a device certificate that comprises a signed version of the device certificate request that is signed by a private key of a certification authority, the device certificate binding together the user identifier and the device identifier.

17. The communication device as recited in claim 16 , further configured to:

enable user input of the user identifier at the communication device.

18. The communication device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the device certificate request is transmitted to the server in a communication that is encrypted with a master communication key established between the server and the communication device.

19. The communication device as recited in claim 18 , wherein the device certificate is received from the server in a communication that is encrypted with the master communication key.

20. The communication device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the server acts as the certification authority.

21. The communication device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the certification authority is a third party certification authority.

22. The communication device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the user identifier is associated with a person and comprises one or more of the following: a number assigned by a government agency to the person, an identification of an employer of the person, a name or address or both of the person, a telephone number of the person.

23. The communication device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the device identifier comprises one or more of the following: a device personal identification number, a device serial number, and a device International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

24. A server comprising:

a processor; and

a communication interface coupled to the processor;

wherein the server is configured:

to receive, via the communication interface, a device certificate request from a communication device over an established communications channel between the communication device and the server, wherein the device certificate request comprises at least a user identifier and a device identifier; and

responsive to receiving the device certificate request, to provide, via the communication interface, to the communication device a device certificate that comprises a signed version of the device certificate request that is signed by a private key of a certification authority, the device certificate binding together the user identifier and the device identifier.

25. The server as recited in claim 24 , wherein the device certificate request is received, via the communication interface, by the server in a communication that is encrypted with a master communication key established between the server and the communication device.

26. The server as recited in claim 25 , wherein the device certificate is provided, via the communication interface, to the communication device by the server in a communication that is encrypted with the master communication key.

27. The server as recited in claim 24 , wherein the server acts as the certification authority.

28. The server as recited in claim 24 , wherein the certification authority is a third party certification authority.

29. The server as recited in claim 24 , wherein the user identifier is associated with a person and comprises one or more of the following: a number assigned by a government agency to the person, an identification of an employer of the person, a name or address or both of the person, a telephone number of the person.

30. The server as recited in claim 24 , wherein the device identifier comprises one or more of the following: a device personal identification number, a device serial number, and a device International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

31. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the communication device to:

transmit a device certificate request to a server in a communication network using an established communications channel between the communication device and the server, wherein the device certificate request comprises at least a user identifier and a device identifier; and

responsive to transmitting the device certificate request, receive a device certificate that comprises a signed version of the device certificate request that is signed by a private key of a certification authority, the device certificate binding together the user identifier and the device identifier.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 , wherein the device certificate request is transmitted to the server in a communication that is encrypted with a master communication key established between the server and the communication device.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 32 , wherein the device certificate is received from the server in a communication that is encrypted with the master communication key.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 , wherein the user identifier is associated with a person and comprises one or more of the following: a number assigned by a government agency to the person, an identification of an employer of the person, a name or address or both of the person, a telephone number of the person.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 31 , wherein the device identifier comprises one or more of the following: a device personal identification number, a device serial number, and a device International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a server in a communication network, cause the server to:

receive a device certificate request from a communication device over an established communications channel between the communication device and the server, wherein the device certificate request comprises at least a user identifier and a device identifier; and

responsive to receiving the device certificate request, provide to the communication device a device certificate that comprises a signed version of the device certificate request that is signed by a private key of a certification authority, the device certificate binding together the user identifier and the device identifier.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 36 , wherein the device certificate request is received by the server in a communication that is encrypted with a master communication key established between the server and the communication device.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 37 , wherein the device certificate is provided to the communication device by the server in a communication that is encrypted with the master communication key.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 36 , wherein the user identifier is associated with a person and comprises one or more of the following: a number assigned by a government agency to the person, an identification of an employer of the person, a name or address or both of the person, a telephone number of the person.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 36 , wherein the device identifier comprises one or more of the following: a device personal identification number, a device serial number, and a device International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).