Multi-server authentication using proactivization journaling

1. A method for authenticating information in a system comprising a plurality of processing devices each adaptable for communication with one or more of the other devices, the method comprising the steps of:

generating at least first and second shares of a first password associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;

storing the first and second shares in respective second and third devices of the plurality of devices;

updating the first and second shares using a secret value;

assigning a version number to said updated first and second shares; and

upon submission of additional information associated with the first device to at least one of the second and third devices, the second and third devices (i) exchange a given version number for the respective updated first and second shares during the authentication, and (ii) utilize the respective updated first and second shares for said given version number to collectively determine a correspondence of the submitted additional information with the first password.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein third and fourth shares are computed by the respective second and third devices as a function of their respective first and second shares and at least a portion of the submitted additional information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the submitted additional information comprises a third share and a fourth share, the third share being delivered by the first device to the second device, the fourth share being delivered by the first device to the third device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a client device and wherein the second and third devices comprise respective first and second servers connectable to the client device over a network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating and storing steps provide a registration of the first password for subsequent authentication of the submitted additional information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second shares comprise respective first and second elements in an algebraic group, the composition of said first and second elements under an operator of said group yielding a representation of the first password.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the submitted additional information comprises third and fourth shares of a second password associated with the client device and wherein the first and second servers accept the submitted additional information as authentic if a first quantity and a second quantity are determined to be substantially equivalent, wherein the first quantity is generated by the first server as a function of the first and third shares and the second quantity is generated by the second server as a function of the second and fourth shares.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second shares each comprise a representation of a corresponding information element from a set of information for one or more users, such that no single one of at least the second and third devices can feasibly determine the entire set of information.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the version numbers are monotonically increasing.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of updating the first and second shares comprises adding a hashed version of the secret value to a prior version of the first and second shares.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of updating the first and second shares comprises applying an exclusive OR function (XOR) to the secret value and a prior version of the first and second shares.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of updating one or more of the first and second shares using the secret value if a desired version number does not exist.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of storing a first portion of a data secret on the second device with a version number and a second portion of the data secret on the third device with the version number and updating the first and second portions using a second secret value.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the steps of authenticating the first device and providing the first and second portions for a given version number to the first device for reassembly of the data secret.

15. An apparatus for authenticating information in a system comprising a plurality of processing devices each adaptable for communication with one or more of the other devices, the apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware device, coupled to the memory, operative to:

generate at least first and second shares of a first password associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;

store the first and second shares in respective second and third devices of the plurality of devices;

update the first and second shares using a secret value;

assign a version number to said updated first and second shares; and

upon submission of additional information associated with the first device to at least one of the second and third devices, the second and third devices (i) exchange a given version number for the respective updated first and second shares during the authentication, and (ii) utilize the respective updated first and second shares for said given version number to collectively determine a correspondence of the submitted additional information with the first password.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the generation and storage of the first and second shares provide a registration of the first password for subsequent authentication of the submitted additional information.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the version numbers are monotonically increasing.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first and second shares are updated by adding a hashed version of the secret value to a prior version of the first and second shares.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first and second shares are updated by applying an exclusive OR function (XOR) to the secret value and a prior version of the first and second shares.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said at least one hardware device is further configured to update one or more of the first and second shares using the secret value if a desired version number does not exist.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said at least one hardware device is further configured to store a first portion of a data secret on the second device with a version number and a second portion of the data secret on the third device with the version number and update the first and second portions using a second secret value.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said at least one hardware device is further configured to authenticate the first device and provide the first and second portions for a given version number to the first device for reassembly of the data secret.

23. An article of manufacture for authenticating information in a system comprising a plurality of processing devices each adaptable for communication with one or more of the other devices, comprising a tangible machine readable recordable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

generating at least first and second shares of a first password associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;

storing the first and second shares in respective second and third devices of the plurality of devices;

updating the first and second shares using a secret value-T;

assigning a version number to said updated first and second shares; and

upon submission of additional information associated with the first device to at least one of the second and third devices, the second and third devices (i) exchange a given version number for the respective updated first and second shares during the authentication, and (ii) utilize the respective updated first and second shares for said given version number to collectively determine a correspondence of the submitted additional information with the first password.