Client authentication by server not known at request time

Abstract

A method for providing network security is disclosed wherein a network is comprised of at least one client and at least one server. The server identity may be unknown at the time of a client request. The method begins when a client transmits an information processing request and a negotiator object reference to a server. The server receives the information processing request and the negotiator object reference. If the server can process the request it becomes the accepting server. If the server cannot process the request, the server retransmits the request. This process continues until an accepting server is located. Next, the accepting server initiates a server request for the client to process an authentication object in response to the received negotiator object reference. The accepting server determines whether the client has the authentication object and if the client does not have the authentication object the accepting server sends the authentication object to the client. Then the client processes a method on the authentication object. The accepting server verifies client authentication in response to the authentication object processed by the accepting server. Next, the accepting server services the information processing request if the client is verified such that a server which is unknown to a client at the time of a client request can verify a requesting clients authenticity.