Method for digital identity authentication
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an authenticating device ( 22 ) receives a first digital identity ( 43 ) and a second digital identity ( 63 ). The authenticating device ( 22 ) uses the second digital identity ( 63 ) as a key to a Identity Association Database ( 24 ) to retrieve a database entry ( 33 ). If the database entry ( 33 ) shows an association between the first digital identity ( 43 ) and the second digital identity ( 63 ), the digital identities are valid and an indication ( 72 ) of the validation of existence of association between first digital identity and second digital identity ( 96 ) is made by the authenticating device ( 22 ).
1. A method comprising the steps of:
receiving a first digital identity ( 43 ) using an authenticating device ( 22 );
receiving a second digital identity ( 63 ) using said authenticating device ( 22 );
retrieving a database entry ( 33 ) using said second digital identity ( 63 ) as a lookup key;
authenticating said second digital identity ( 63 ) by the existence of an association with said first digital identity ( 43 ) in said database entry ( 33 ); and
indicating the result ( 72 ) of said authentication on said authenticating device ( 22 ).
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
Said first digital identity ( 43 ) is obtained by a public key mechanism.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 , in which:
Said first digital identity ( 43 ) is a PKI Certificate ( 65 ).
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
Said first digital identity ( 43 ) is obtained by a symmetric key mechanism.
5. Method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
Said second digital identity ( 63 ) is obtained by a public key mechanism.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 , in which:
Said second digital identity ( 63 ) is a PKI Certificate ( 65 ).
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
Said second digital identity ( 63 ) is obtained by a symmetric key mechanism.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
said indication of authentication ( 72 ) is temporal.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
said indication of authentication ( 72 ) includes the invalidation of said first digital identity ( 43 ).
10. A method comprising the steps of:
receiving a first digital identity ( 43 ) using an authenticating device ( 22 );
receiving a second digital identity ( 63 ) and context information ( 95 ) using said authenticating device ( 22 );
retrieving a database entry ( 33 ) using said second digital identity ( 63 ) as a lookup key;
authenticating said second digital identity ( 63 ) by the existence of an association with said first digital identity ( 43 ) and said context information ( 95 ) in said database entry ( 33 ); and
indicating the result ( 72 ) of said authentication on said authenticating device ( 22 ).
11. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
Said first digital identity ( 43 ) is obtained by a public key mechanism.
12. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
Said first digital identity ( 43 ) is a PKI Certificate ( 65 ).
13. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
Said first digital identity ( 43 ) is obtained by a symmetric key mechanism.
14. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
Said second digital identity ( 63 ) is obtained by a public key mechanism.
15. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
Said second digital identity ( 63 ) is a PKI Certificate ( 65 ).
16. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
Said second digital identity ( 63 ) is obtained by a symmetric key mechanism.
17. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said indication of authentication ( 72 ) is temporal.
18. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said indication of authentication ( 72 ) includes the invalidation of said first digital identity ( 43 ).
19. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said context information ( 95 ) includes network layer state information.
20. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said context information ( 95 ) includes transport layer state information.
21. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said context information ( 95 ) includes TCP/IP state information.
22. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said context information ( 95 ) includes application state.
23. The method as recited in claim 10 , in which:
said context information ( 95 ) includes state information from any of the OSI protocol stack layers.