Patent attributes
To provide key management layered on a quasi-out-of-band authentication system, a security server receives a request for activation of a user interface window for a particular user from a network device via a communication channel. It then transmits an activation PIN to an out of band authentication system for forwarding to the user's telephone via a voice or text message. It next receives the previously transmitted PIN from the network device via the communication channel, and authenticates the user based on the received PIN. After authenticating the user, it establishes a secure, independent, encrypted communication channel between the user interface window and the security server on top of the original communication channel. It then generates and transmits to the user interface window and/or receives from the user interface window via the secure communication channel, key material and certificate material for public key and/or symmetric key cryptography based operations.