EP0813133A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A uniform mechanism for using signed content
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-05-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A scheme for downloading signed content onto a machine by a delivery mechanism (such as floppy diskettes and the Internet) is described. While there are no restrictions on the nature of the contents, the signature on the content describes the security credentials of the creator, the resource requirements, and licensing information (such as the time period of its validity). Once the content has been downloaded, it can be used on the client machine in various ways. It can be installed on the client machine and there after users can execute it. Any use of the content of the content requires access to computing resources on the client machine. This access is mediated by means of a security manager that uses the information in the content's signature to manufacture capabilities that grant and regulate access to different subsets of the computing resources. In this sense, our scheme unifies work done in the previously disparate fields of network security and operating systems and results in data structures and algorithms that combine and manipulate elements of both.
Inventors
- 👤 Rangachari Anand
- 👤 Nayeem Islam
- 👤 Josyula Ramachandra Rao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:28
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F12/00; G06F12/14; H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/08; H04L63/0823; G06F21/00; G06F21/10; G06F21/50; G06F21/52; G06F21/53; H04L63/12; H04L63/126; G06F2211/00; G06F2211/007; G06F2211/009; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2137; G06F2221/2141; G06F2221/2149
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A secure content usage system for use in a computing system, comprising: a content importation mechanism; an extractor, operatively connected to receive signed content imported by way of the importation mechanism, for extracting portions of a signature from the signed content, the portions including a security credentials associated with the content; resource requirements for using the content; an analysis module for verifying authenticity and integrity of the signed content using at least the security credentials supplied by the extractor and taking remedial actions when any of the authenticity and the integrity are in doubt; and, an enforcement module for ensuring that use of the signed content conforms to the resource requirements and security credentials.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of Claim 1 wherein the extractor further includes one or both of: i) means for extracting registration information from the signature and further comprising means for registering the signed content with a provider without further user intervention; and ii) means for extracting licensing terms from the signature and wherein the enforcement module includes means for interacting with the operating system to ensure that the use conforms with the licensing terms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system of Claim 1 further including a data structure stored in a memory of the computing system, the data structure including a table of correspondence between users, the security credentials and features of the signed content, wherein the enforcement mechanisms is connected to read the table of correspondence from the data structure and includes means for enforcing use of the signed content by the users in accordance with the correspondence.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of Claim 1 wherein the enforcement module includes means for tracking processes spawned from the signed content and for ensuring operation of the processes conform to the resource requirements and security credentials.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of Claim 1 wherein the importation mechanism is one of: i) a communication channel coupled to a communication network; ii) rotating storage; or iii) a removable memory card.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
57 words
The system of any of Claims 1 to 5 further including a data structure stored in a memory of the computing system, the data structure including a table of correspondence between the signed content, the resource requirements, actual resources consumed by the signed content and any resource limits imposed on the signed content by the computing system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of Claim 6 wherein the table further includes usage restrictions imposed on the signed content by the licensing terms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A computer readable memory having signed content instatiated thereon, the signed content including a computer readable signature and computer readable content, the computer readable signature including a plurality of fields comprising a security credentials field including cryptographic identifies of at least an originator and intermediaries involved in a chain of distribution of the computer readable content and a resource requirements field identifying computing resources required for using the computer readable content.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
A content usage system for use in a computing system, comprising: a content importation mechanism; an extractor, operatively connected to receive signed content imported by way of the importation mechanism, for extracting portions of a signature from the signed content, the portions including a computer readable licensing terms associated with the content; and an enforcement module for controlling operation of the computing system so as to ensure that use of the signed content conforms to the licensing terms.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for ensuring secure usage of signed content in a computing system, comprising: importing the signed content into the computing system; extracting portions of a signature from the signed content, the portions including a security credentials associated with the content; resource requirements for using the content; verifying authenticity and integrity of the signed content using at least the security credentials and taking remedial actions when any of the authenticity and the integrity are in doubt; and controlling an operating system of the computing system so as ensure that use of the signed content does not exceed the resource requirements and security credentials.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method Claim 10 comprising one or both further steps of: extracting registration information from the signature and registering the signed content with a provider by way of a communication channel without further user intervention; and extracting licensing terms from the signature and controlling the operating system to ensure that the use of the signed content conforms with the licensing terms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of Claim 10 or 11 comprising the further steps of forming a data structure in a memory of the computing system, the data structure including a table of correspondence between users, the security credentials and features of the signed content, and enforcing use of the signed content by the users in accordance with the correspondence.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of Claim 10, 11 or 12 comprising the further steps of tracking processes spawned from the signed content and constraining operation of the processes so as to conform to the resource requirements and security credentials.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
24 words
The method of any of Claims 10 to 13 wherein the signed content includes at least one of an application program and a document.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of controlling content usage in a computing system, comprising the steps of: importing contents into the computing system, the contents including computer readable licensing terms; extracting the computer readable licensing terms from the imported contents; and controlling operation of the computing system so as to ensure that use of the signed content conforms to the licensing terms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 15 comprising the further steps of extracting registration information from the signature and automatically registering the signed content with a provider by way of a communication channel without further user intervention.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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