Secure login credentials for substantially anonymous users
Methods and apparatus for secure communications. The techniques feature receiving over the first connection a login credential for the server, generated by the server without the use of any information identifying a computer user. The techniques further feature establishing a second secure connection with the server using a secure protocol and the login credential provided by the server.
1. A method comprising:
receiving in a user computer a certificate from a virtual private network (VPN) server;
establishing a first secure connection between the user computer and the VPN server using a Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol based on the certificate provided by the VPN server;
in the user computer, receiving over the first secure connection from the VPN server a login credential including a username and a password to login to the VPN server, the username and the password having been generated by the VPN server and without any identifying information provided to the VPN server;
calculating a secret encryption key based on the username and the password;
establishing a second secure connection with the VPN server using a Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) tunnel based on the username and the password and the secret encryption key;
logging in to the VPN server over the second secure connection using the username and the password; and
maintaining the second secure connection indefinitely, even after the login credential expires.
2. A method comprising:
on a server computer, receiving an anonymous request from a user computer to establish a first secure connection, the request including no identifying information of a user of the user computer;
establishing the first secure connection between the server computer and the user computer using a Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol;
sending over the first secure connection to the user computer a username and a password, without using any identifying information identifying the user;
receiving a login request containing the username and the password from the user computer;
providing a distinct second secure connection between the server computer and the user computer using a Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) tunnel based on the username and the password;
on the server computer, receiving encrypted communications from the client computer over the second secure connection;
sending encrypted communications to the client computer over the second secure connection; and
maintaining the second secure connection indefinitely, even after the user name and the password expire.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the username and password can only be used a predetermined number of times.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the number of times is protected by a digital signature of the server computer.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the username and password are purchased.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the username and password are assigned a set expiration time.
7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising verifying a purchase of the username and password.
8. A method comprising:
on a server computer, receiving an anonymous request from a user computer to establish a first secure connection, the request including no identifying information of a user of the user computer, wherein the server computer is a virtual private network (VPN) server;
establishing the first secure connection between the server computer and the user computer using a Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol or a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol;
generating a username and a password without using andy information identifying the user;
sending over the first secure connection to the user computer the username and the password;
receiving a login request containg the username and the password from the user computer;
providubg a distinct second secure connection between the server computer and the user computer based on the username and the password; and
maintaining the second secure connection indefinitely, even after the user name and the password expire.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the username and the password are randomly generated.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the username and password can only be used a predetermined number of times.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the number of times is protected by a digital signature of the server computer.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the username and password are purchased.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the VPN server uses a Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP).
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the username and password are assigned a set expiration time.
15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising verifying a purchase of the username and password.