Secure remote modification of device credentials using device-generated credentials

1. A method in a user device, comprising:

storing a plurality of credentials policies at the user device;

merging the credentials policies by the user device to generate a merged credentials policy;

subsequent to storing and merging the plurality of credential policies, receiving by the user device an instruction to initiate a device credentials change from a trusted service that is external to the user device;

in response to receiving the instruction, generating by the user device a new device credentials without input from a user of the user device, the new device credentials generated based at least on the merged credentials policy; and

receiving the new device credentials, subsequent to the new device credentials being provided to the user, that allows the user of the user device to access the user device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the new device credentials to the trusted service.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the new device credentials in storage of the user device, the new device credentials not transmitted to the trusted service.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating comprises:

generating the new device credentials based at least on the merged credentials policy and a seed that is known to the trusted service.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating comprises:

generating the new device credentials to have an associated active lifespan.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an access request from a user attempting to access the user device; and

requiring the user to provide at least the new device credentials to be enabled to access to the user device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said requiring comprises:

requesting the user to provide at least one additional authentication factor including at least one of answering a security question or authenticating using a smartcard previously associated with the user device in addition to providing the new device credentials to be enabled to access to the user device.

8. A user device, comprising:

storage that stores a plurality of credentials policies;

a user interface;

a device management engine configured to merge the credentials policies to generate a merged credentials policy; and

a credential generation engine;

the device management engine configured to subsequent to storing and merging the plurality of credential policies in the storage, receive by the device management engine of the user device an instruction to initiate a device credentials change from a trusted service that is external to the user device, and in response to receiving the instruction, to instruct the credential generation engine to generate a new device credentials by the credential generation engine of the user device without input from a user of the user device, the new device credentials generated based at least on the merged credentials policy;

the user interface configured to accept entry of the new device credentials, subsequent to the new device credentials being provided to the user, that allows the user to access the user device.

9. The user device of claim 8 , wherein the device management engine is configured to transmit the new device credentials to the trusted service in response to a device credentials retrieval request received from the trusted service.

10. The user device of claim 8 , wherein the device management engine is configured to store the new device credentials in the storage, the new device credentials not transmitted to the trusted service.

11. The user device of claim 8 , wherein the credential generation engine is configured to generate the new device credentials based at least on the merged credentials policy and a seed that is known to the trusted service.

12. The user device of claim 8 , wherein the credential generation engine is configured to generate the new device credentials to have an associated active lifespan.

13. The user device of claim 8 , further comprising:

an access user interface configured to receive an access request from a user attempting to access the user device, and configured to require the user to provide at least the new device credentials to be enabled to access to the user device.

14. The user device of claim 13 , wherein the access user interface is configured to request that the user answer at least one security question or authenticating using a smartcard previously associated with the user device in addition to providing the new device credentials to be enabled to access to the user device.

15. A computer-readable storage device comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method in a user device, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of credentials policies and at least one additional requirement related to the credentials policies at the user device, each credentials policy setting one or more rules for a particular password;

merging the credentials policies, by the user device, to generate a merged credentials policy that conforms to the most stringent of the rules of the credential policies;

subsequent to storing and merging the plurality of credential policies, receiving by the user device an instruction to initiate a device credentials change from a trusted service that is external to the user device;

in response to receiving the instruction, generating by the user device a new device credentials without input from a user of the user device, the new device credentials generated based at least on the merged credentials policy; and

receiving the new device credentials, subsequent to the new device credentials being provided to the user, that allows the user of the user device to access the user device.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the new device credentials to the trusted service.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

storing the new device credentials in storage of the user device, the new device credentials not transmitted to the trusted service.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein said generating comprises:

generating the new device credentials based at least on the merged credentials policy and a seed that is known to the trusted service.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein said generating comprises:

generating the new device credentials to have an associated active lifespan.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving an access request from a user attempting to access the user device; and

requiring the user to provide at least the new device credentials to be enabled to access to the user device.