APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATING ACCESS TO A NETWORK RESOURCE

摘要

A device (101) for providing access to a remote site (105) is disclosed. Access to the device is gained through an authentication process during which a user password and biometrics (310) are provided to the device. The device also includes a security feature such that only authorized users of the specific device can gain access to it. Once authenticated (502), the device authorizes access to a remote site (e.g., a web site or a server on a local area network). The communications from the device to the remote site is encrypted and further the hand-held device uses a computer generated password to gain access to the site. In this way, user generated passwords, which are typically simple and infrequently changed, are avoided in favor of a more complex and frequently changed computer generated passwords for site access.