Spyrus, Inc.

Charles R J Moore

Russell D Housley

Duane J Linsenbardt

William P Bialick

Peter V O'Connor

A licensing attribute certificate enables a trusted computing base to enforce access to a computing resource by a computer application. The licensing attribute certificate can contain enforcement data which limits the use of the computing resource. The licensing attribute certificate can also contain information allowing for the tracking of licensing data about the use of the computing resource. The use of a licensing attribute certificate to enforce access to a computing resource can allow products to be fielded which have their capability limited to a specific subset of functions. The enforcement data, the licensing data, and the data limiting the application to a specific subset of functions are cryptographically bound to the computing resource using a licensing attribute certificate according to the invention. Prior to allowing access to the computing resource by the computer application, a trusted computing base strongly authenticates that usage via the licensing attribute certificate.

Method and system for enforcing access to a computing resource using a licensing attribute certificate

A programmable policy module (PPM) allows a user to configure specific policy elements available from a software application, in order to meet a particular assurance level. The policy will then be enforced by the PPM to meet a target set of policy requirements. In one embodiment, the PPM provides the linkage between the certificate policy identified in an X.509 certificate extension, and the execution of a module that enforces the specific policy elements during the process of digital certificate registration. The PPM can execute at the Registration Authority (RA) in a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and can permit enforcement of the policy elements in the Certificate Policy (CP) which governs the operations of the RA.

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Brisbane, Australia

Charles R J Moore