Importance

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Abstract

A computer communications control system is provided for authenticating the authorization of a user of computer equipment such as a terminal of a computer network, more specifically communicating data terminal equipment that is connected through a communications link to other computer equipment such as a host computer. The system utilizes a security unit that is associated with and connected to the user's terminal. The security unit operates in conjunction with the other computer equipment to which the user's terminal is linked, for example a host computer, to check the authorization of the user to access the host computer by requiring that an encryption device which has been assigned to the user be received in a port that is defined by the security unit in order that the security unit can respond properly to query signals which are sent along the communications link from the host computer. In the absence of a proper authenticating signal from a terminal's security unit, the host computer denies the terminal's requested access. The security unit and the user's encryption device operate in synchronization with the host computer such that each new authentication query signal that is sent from the host computer will be answered by an appropriate, newly calculated authenticating signal that the host computer checks for correctness of calculation. A feature of the invention resides in requiring that each newly requested authenticating signal differ in a calculated manner from the user's previously sent authenticating signal, with the manner in which sequential authenticating signals differ being determined, at least in part, by the unique character of th user's encryption device.

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First Claim