Patent attributes
Methods and systems are directed to authenticating a client over a network. The client generates a certificate and sends it to a server through a trusted mechanism. The server is configured to store the received certificate. When the client requests authentication over the network, it provides the certificate again, along with a parameter associated with a secure session. The server verifies the parameter associated with the secure session and determines if the certificate is substantially the same as the stored certificate. The server authenticates the client over the network, if the certificate is determined to be stored. In another embodiment, the client transmits the certificate that is generated by a third party Certificate Authority (CA) based, in part, on the client's public key.