Method and apparatus for providing a secure remote password graphic interface

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said prompting said user to enter user information comprises displaying a graphic interface for receiving said user information.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein said new password information is validated, according to a first set of validation criteria, at said local machine before said spawning of said communication process.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein said new password information is stored at said local machine after validation.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 wherein said new password information is stored in a temporary memory area at said local machine after validation.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein said temporary memory area is de-allocated at said local machine upon receipt of said third responsive information.

Claim 8

The method of claim 2 wherein said user identification information and old password information are transmitted from said local machine to said remote machine using at least one of a first set of commands.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7, wherein said first responsive information comprises an indication that said local machine is successfully connected to a user's account at said remote machine.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 wherein said receiving of said first responsive information is accomplished using an expect command.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8 wherein said communication process transmits a request to update said password after receipt of said first responsive information.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 wherein said third responsive information comprises an indication that said password was either successfully or unsuccessfully updated.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein said transmitting of said request to update said user's password is accomplished using a password command.

Claim 14

The method of claim 2 wherein said graphic interface includes fields for entering said user identification information, old password information and new password information.

Claim 15

An article of manufacture comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for updating a password, said computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to cause said local computer to prompt a user to enter user information at said local machine, said user information comprising user identification information, old password information, and new password information; computer readable program code configured to cause said local computer to receive said user information; computer readable program code configured to cause said local computer, after receiving said user information, to spawn a communication process at said local machine, said communication process: establishing communication with a remote machine over a communications network coupled to said local machine; transmitting a first portion of said user information comprising said user identification information to said remote machine via said communications network; awaiting receipt of first responsive information from said remote machine via said communications network; transmitting a second portion of said user information comprising said old password information to said remote machine via said communications network only upon receipt of said first responsive information; awaiting receipt of second responsive information from said remote machine via said communications network; transmitting a third portion of said user information comprising said new password information to said remote machine via said communications network only upon receipt of said second responsive information; awaiting receipt of third responsive information from said remote machine via said communications network.

Claim 16

An article of manufacture comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for updating a password, said computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to cause said local computer to prompt a user to enter user information at said local machine, said user information comprising user identification information, old password information, and new password information; computer readable program code configured to cause said local computer to receive said user information; computer readable program code configured to cause said local computer, after receiving said user information, to spawn a communication process at said local machine, said communication process: establishing communication with a remote machine over a communications network coupled to said local machine; transmitting a first portion of said user information comprising said user identification information to said remote machine via said communications network; awaiting receipt of first responsive information from said remote machine via said communications network; transmitting a second portion of said user information comprising said old password information to said remote machine via said communications network only upon receipt of said first responsive information; awaiting receipt of second responsive information from said remote machine via said communications network; transmitting a third portion of said user information comprising said new password information to said remote machine via said communications network only upon receipt of said second responsive information; awaiting receipt of third responsive information from said remote machine via said communications network.

Claim 17

The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein said computer readable program code for prompting said user to enter user information comprises computer readable program code to cause said local computer to display a graphic interface for receiving said user information.

Claim 18

The article of manufacture of claim 15 comprising computer readable program code configured to cause said local machine to validate said new password information, according to a first set of validation criteria, at said local machine before said communication is spawned.

Claim 19

The article of manufacture of claim 16 comprising computer readable program code configured to cause said local machine to store said new password information in a temporary memory area at said local machine after validation.

Claim 20

The article of manufacture of claim 17 comprising computer readable program code configured to cause said local machine to de-allocate said temporary memory area upon receipt of said third responsive information.

Claim 21

The article of manufacture of claim 15 comprising computer readable program code configured to cause said local machine to accomplish transmission of said user identification information and old password information over a network using at least one of a first set of commands.

Claim 22

The article of manufacture of claim 19 said first responsive information comprises an indication that said local machine is successfully connected to a user's account.

Claim 23

The article of manufacture of claim 20 comprising computer readable program code configured to cause said local machine to transmit a request to update said password after receipt of said first responsive information.

Claim 24

The article of manufacture of claim 21 wherein said third responsive information comprises an indication that said password was either successfully or unsuccessfully updated.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said user information is entered in a graphic interface.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said graphic interface comprises fields for entering said user identification information, old password information and new password information.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said new password information is validated, according to a first set of validation criteria, at said local machine before said spawning.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said new password information is stored in a temporary memory area at said local machine after validation.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said temporary memory area is de-allocated at said local machine upon receipt of said third responsive information.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said user identification information and old password information are transmitted using at least one of a first set of commands.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said first responsive information comprises an indication that said local machine is successfully connected to a user's account.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said communication process transmits a request to update said password after receipt of said first responsive information.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said third responsive information comprises an indication that said password was either successfully or unsuccessfully updated.