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US5841870A
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Dynamic classes of service for an international cryptography framework
Assignee: Cheyenne Property Trust
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Filing: 1996-11-12
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Granted: 1998-11-24
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Expires: 2016-11-12
Abstract
Abstract An international cryptography framework (ICF) allows manufacturers to comply with varying national laws governing the distribution of cryptographic capabilities. The invention is concerned primarily with the application certification aspects of the framework where an application that requests cryptographic services from the ICF service elements is identified through some form of certificate to protect against the misuse of a granted level of cryptography. The levels of cryptography granted are described via security policies and expressed as classes of service. A cryptographic unit, one of the ICF core elements, can be used to build several certification schemes for application objects. The invention provides various methods that determine the strength of binding between an application code image and the issued certificates within the context of the ICF elements. A key element with regard to the exercise of a cryptographic function concerns the special requirements for the trust relation that an authority specifies for the cryptographic unit. Any function exercised by the cryptographic unit must be controllable by the associated class of service which represents the security policy. Touchpointing, both in the application and the firmware elements inside the cryptographic unit, plays a key role in exercising control over the functioning of these modules. Another fundamental requirement of the ICF architecture is that the application is assured of the integrity of the cryptographic unit from which it is receiving services. Thus, the invention also provides methods that allow a determination of whether or not the cryptographic unit has been replaced or tampered with.
Inventors
- 👤 Helmut Fieres
- 👤 Roger Merckling
- 👤 Keith Klemba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:02
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/50; G06F21/57; G06F21/51
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 62
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for validating that an application rightfully executes a certain class of service, comprising the steps of: either defining classes of service with an application domain authority or creating classes of service with a security domain authority; wherein said classes of service are validated by said security domain authority which has policies defined to meet said security domain authorities' security interests and requirements, where said class of service has a unique identification that is not reused by said security domain authority; granting said level of authority from said application domain authority in the form of a certificate containing valid classes of services; and tightly binding said application to said certificate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for validating that an application rightfully executes a certain class of service, comprising the steps of: either defining classes of service with an application domain authority or creating classes of service with a security domain authority; wherein said classes of service are validated by said security domain authority which has policies defined to meet said security domain authorities' security interests and requirements, where said class of service has a unique identification that is not reused by said security domain authority; granting said level of authority from said application domain authority in the form of a certificate containing valid classes of services; and tightly binding said application to said certificate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: establishing trust between said application and a cryptographic unit, wherein said application is assured that said cryptographic unit has not been tampered with.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: performing application validation with a trusted load subsystem; loading a program image into a system memory space; and while doing that, validating that said application has not been tampered with.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said application validation step further comprises the step of: using a checksum over a program image; wherein the load fails and said program image is not loaded if the checksum does not match a checksum stored by a loader subsystem at application installation time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: validating any object governed by a certificate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: challenging said cryptographic unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: shipping said application to a target system in a scrambled form; and preparing said application to function with said cryptographic unit; wherein only a cryptographic unit which has a correct decryption key can unscramble said application.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, where said class of service has a unique identification that is not reused by said security domain authority.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service from said security domain authority to said application domain authority to allow said application domain authority to issue application certificates for an application which contains said class of service; wherein a path of access control is formed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein an application must have a certificate to access a method identified by said class of service.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: propagating a class of service to said cryptographic unit to enable said class of service at a target cryptographic unit; wherein methods labelled by said class of service must be in a present state for a request to be executed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein both control of access and control of existence of a method must always be present to maintain a method defined by said application in a functioning state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: activating said cryptographic unit with a policy before an application can be granted a class of service via said application certificate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said cryptographic unit must be in communication with a policy for said class of service to be downloaded.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said policy is a virtual policy that requires a network connection to a network security server to distribute said virtual policy to said cryptographic unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said policy is a physical policy that requires said cryptographic unit to implement touchpoints in hardware; wherein said touchpoints are placed in deterministic locations in said hardware; and wherein a policy containing touchpoint data can be loaded, but cannot be removed from said cryptographic unit without a decay of said application's function.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16, wherein said class of service contains the touchpoint data necessary to control said touchpoints inside said cryptographic unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said class of service contains a method field that describes an actual method for which said class of service stands.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said class of service contains a constraints field that describes attributes of said method.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the interval for which a class of service can be declared to be valid may be unbounded or may be considered by a predetermined criteria.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein classes of service are organized not only by an object that they describe, but also by a level of validation or set of constraints an implementation performs before granting a service level described by said class of service.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 20, said class of service further comprising: a special, predefined class of service that is used to guard class of service decay functionality.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 22, wherein tighter validation and control over a service to be granted is achieved based upon said level of validation or set of constraints.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service level that validates a class of service ID, as it is made available through an application certificate, has been signed by a security domain authority.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service level that requires validation of said application certificate, where said certificate is required to be issued by said application domain authority that requested the class of service identified by said class of service ID from said security domain authority.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service level that requires validation of said application ID issued by said application domain authority.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service level that requires interaction with a network security server to validate said class of service requested by said application.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service level that interacts with said network security server on each operation requested by said application.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of: providing a class of service level that requires a token for anyone, or combination of, validations and interactions.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 29, wherein said class of service levels may be provided alone or in combination.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for validating that an application rightfully executes a certain class of service, comprising: an application domain authority for granting a level of authority in the form of a certificate containing valid classes of service; means for either creating classes of service with a security domain authority or for defining classes of service with said application domain authority, where said classes of service are validated by said security domain authority which has policies defined to meet said security domain authorities' security interests and requirements, where said class of service has a unique identification that is not reused by said security domain authority; and means for tightly binding said application to said certificate.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for validating that an application rightfully executes a certain class of service, comprising: an application domain authority for granting a level of authority in the form of a certificate containing valid classes of service; means for either creating classes of service with a security domain authority or for defining classes of service with said application domain authority, where said classes of service are validated by said security domain authority which has policies defined to meet said security domain authorities' security interests and requirements, where said class of service has a unique identification that is not reused by said security domain authority; and means for tightly binding said application to said certificate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: a cryptographic unit; and means for establishing trust between said application and said cryptographic unit, wherein said application is assured that said cryptographic unit has not been tampered with.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: a trusted load subsystem for performing application validation; means for loading a program image into a system memory space; and while doing that, validating that said application has not been tampered with.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said trusted load subsystem further comprises: means for using a checksum over a program image; wherein the load fails and said program image is not loaded if the checksum does not match a checksum stored by a loader subsystem at application installation time.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: means for validating any object governed by a certificate.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: means for challenging said cryptographic unit.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said application is shipped to a target system in a scrambled form; said apparatus further comprising: means for preparing said application to function with said cryptographic unit; wherein only a cryptographic unit which has a correct decryption key can unscramble said application.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 31, where said class of service has a unique identification that is not reused by said security domain authority.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: means for providing a class of service from said security domain authority to said application domain authority to allow said application domain authority to issue application certificates for an application which contains said class of service; wherein a path of access control is formed.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 31, wherein an application must have a certificate to access a method identified by said class of service.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising: means for propagating a class of service to said cryptographic unit to enable said class of service at a target cryptographic unit; wherein methods labelled by said class of service must be in a present state for a request to be executed.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 31, wherein both control of access and control of existence of a method must always be present to maintain a method defined by said application in a functioning state.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising: a policy for activating said cryptographic unit before an application can be granted a class of service via said application certificate.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said cryptographic unit must be in communication with a policy for said class of service to be downloaded.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said policy is a virtual policy that requires a network connection to a network security server to distribute said virtual policy to said cryptographic unit.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said policy is a physical policy that requires said cryptographic unit to implement touchpoints in hardware; wherein said touchpoints are placed in deterministic locations in said hardware; and wherein a policy containing touchpoint data can be loaded, but cannot be removed from said cryptographic unit without a decay of said application's function.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said class of service contains the touchpoint data necessary to control said touchpoints inside said cryptographic unit.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said class of service contains a method field that describes an actual method for which said class of service stands.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said class of service contains a constraints field that describes attributes of said method.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the interval for which a class of service can be declared to be valid may be an unbounded or may be constrained by predetermined criteria.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 50, said class of service furtier comprising: a special, predefined class of service that is used to guard class of service decay functionality.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 31, wherein classes of service are organized not only by an object that they describe, but also by a level of validation or set of constraints an implementation performs before granting a service level described by said class of service.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 52, wherein tighter validation and control over a service to be granted is achieved based upon said level of validation or set of constraints.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising: a class of service level that validates a class of service ID, as it is made available through an application certificate, has been signed by a security domain authority.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising: a class of service level that requires validation of said application certificate, where said certificate is required to be issued by said application domain authority that requested the class of service identified by said class of service ID from said security domain authority.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 55, further comprising: a class of service level that requires validation of said application ID issued by said application domain authority.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising: a class of service level that requires interaction with a national security server to validate said class of service requested by said application.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising: a class of service level that interacts with said national security server on each operation requested by said application.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising: a class of service level that requires a token for any one, or combination of, validations and interactions.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said class of service levels may be provided alone or in combination.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5651068A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-23 | 2002-05-25 | 2002-11-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-23 | 2006-05-25 | 2006-11-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-23 | 2010-05-25 | 2010-11-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |