International Business Machines Corporation

Michael D Hocker

Daniel James Winarski

Clifford A Pickover

James Gordon McLean

Craig Henry Becker

Tamas Visegrady

David Wayne Glass

Brandon S Johnson

Brent J Bahnub

Gregory Tad Kishi

Louie Arthur Dickens

Tara Lynn Astigarraga

Vincenzo Condorelli

Michael E Starling

Thomas J Dewkett

Damian Leo Osisek

Reinhard Theodor Buendgen

Neal Martin Keller

Louis P Gomes

Richard Victor Kisley

Michael J Jordan

Klaus Werner

Eric David Rossman

Richard John Moore

Mark D Marik

Volker Urban

Harald Freudenberger

Jimmie Ray Mayfield

James Gordon Mc Lean

According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for establishing identity-based hierarchical sessions on a hardware security module (HSM) for binding secure keys to a guest system, is disclosed. The present invention may include establishing a communication channel between the guest system and the HSM, wherein the communication channel is identity-based, end-to-end and encrypted, thereby establishing a session, transferring login information of the guest system through the communication channel to the HSM, maintaining a predefined security level throughout a hierarchy of the sessions, wherein no child session has a higher security level than its parent session, and performing a challenge-response protocol based on a session ownership verification with the guest, such that an HSM generated and secured key is bound to a related session.

Identity based hierarchical sessions

A message limit value to be used in enqueuing one or more messages on a queue of a device of the computing environment is obtained. The message limit value indicates whether an extended maximum message length is supported by the device. The extended maximum message length is different from a default maximum message length supported by the device. Based on determining that the extended maximum message length is supported and that the obtained message limit value has a defined relationship with a select value, at least one message of an extended length is enqueued on the queue of the device.

Adjunct processor extended message limit facility

A cryptographic hardware security module (HSM) includes a memory storage device and an immutable hardware unit in signal communication with the memory storage device. The memory storage device is configured to store firmware. The immutable hardware unit is configured to perform a hash operation on targeted firmware stored in the memory storage device to determine an authenticity of the targeted firmware based at least in part on results of the hash operation.

Trojan detection in cryptographic hardware adapters

A computing system may be protected from revoked system updates. A computing system receives an object and scans it for revocation updates to a security structure of the computing system. The security structure is a monotonically nondecreasing collection of segments containing data on whether a system update is revoked, and a system update's status as revoked signifies the revoked system update can no longer be used by the computing system. Based upon scanning the object, the computing system identifies and validates a revocation update. The computing system resolves the revocation update by applying the revocation update to the security structure, by adding or changing one or more segments of the security structure identified by the revocation update, in response to determining that the revocation update is valid, or by denying application of the revocation update to the security structure in response to determining that the revocation update is invalid.

Protection for computing systems from revoked system updates

A computing system may be protected from revoked system updates. A computing system receives an object and scans it for revocation updates to a security structure of the computing system. The security structure is a monotonically nondecreasing collection of segments containing data on whether a system update is revoked and a system update's status as revoked signifies the revoked system update can no longer be used by the computing system. Based upon scanning the object, the computing system identifies and validates a revocation update. The computing system resolves the revocation update by applying the revocation update to the security structure, by adding or changing one or more segments of the security structure identified by the revocation update, in response to determining that the revocation update is valid, or by denying application of the revocation update to the security structure in response to determining that the revocation update is invalid.

A method, system, and computer program product for performing robust, parallel data transfer by a processor device. Data is segmented into k-bit segments, where k&#x2267;1. The k-bit segments are convolution encoded, using m&#x2267;1 stages of delay. The n output streams are transmitted in parallel for increased effective data rate, where n&#x3e;k. The n output streams are received. An XOR (Exclusive OR) logic is applied to the n output streams with pathing allowed by the convolution encoding, in a trellis-decoding diagram.

Convolution-encoded hyper-speed channel with robust trellis error-correction

A software version management system comprising a host driver and at least one software module. The host driver comprises migration means to start, stop and replace the software modules on a computer system in response to replacement actions. The system is characterized by the software module being a downgradable software module comprising a compatibility database specifying dependencies between different versions of the software module; the migration means further comprising i) at least a status means to retrieve temporal information from the downgradable software module; ii) at least a downgrading means responsive to a replacement action to downgrade the downgradable software module to a particular downgrade version and to the status means, the downgrading means identifying an intermediate version of the downgradable software module; the host driver comprising restarting means responsive to the report of the completion of the intermediate version to load and start the downgrade version of the software module.

Software version management for executing replacement actions

A method, system, and computer program product for performing robust, parallel data transfer by a processor device. Data is segmented into k-bit segments, where k&#x2267;1. The k-bit segments are convolution encoded, using m&#x2267;1 stages of delay. The n output streams are transmitted in parallel for increased effective data rate, where n&#x3e;k. The n output streams are received. The n output streams are exclusive-or'ed with pathing allowed by the convolution encoding, in a trellis-decoding diagram. Error-corrected data is identified as an overall path in the trellis-decoding diagram with zero Hamming radius.

Providing concurrent embedded application updates comprising a first computer processor for executing a first embedded application, the executing generating a first plurality of processing threads, the first computer processor coupled to a first storage location and a second storage location. The first computer processor configured to accept and process instructions from a host system, receive one or more notifications indicating that a second embedded application has been successfully loaded into one of the first storage location and the second storage location, terminate execution of the first plurality of processing threads in response to receiving the one or more notifications, and execute the second embedded application while continuing to accept instructions from the host system and without restarting in response to receiving the one or more notifications.

Concurrent embedded application update

In a communications channel coupled to multiple duplicated subsystems, a method, interposer and program product are provided for verifying integrity of subsystem responses. Within the communications channel, a first checksum is calculated with receipt of a first response from a first subsystem responsive to a common request, and a second checksum is calculated for a second response of a second subsystem received responsive to the common request. The first checksum and the second checksum are compared, and if matching, only one of the first response and the second response is forwarded from the communications channel as the response to the common request, with the other of the first response and the second response being discarded by the communications channel.

Communications channel interposer, method and program product for verifying integrity of untrusted subsystem responses to a request

Communications channel method for verifying integrity of untrusted subsystem responses to a request

A web browser displays historical information about hyperlinks shown on web pages. Initially, a computer receives user instructions to download an internet web page, and begins the download. The computer identifies any hyperlinks present in the web page, and for each hyperlink, analyzes the hyperlink with respect to any of the user's past visits to the hyperlinked address. Analysis is performed with the following steps. First, the computer determines whether the user has previously selected that hyperlink, such by 'mouse clicking' on the hyperlink. If so, the computer consults a database to identify characteristics of the underlying data obtained from past visits (or attempts) to the hyperlinked address. These characteristics are input into a presentation table to derive various enhanced presentation attributes for the hyperlink. The presentation table maps between each possible data characteristic and a corresponding enhanced presentation attribute. Presentation attributes may relate to text, graphics images, videos, sound, tactile sensations, etc. Ultimately, the computer displays the downloaded web page, each hyperlink with its enhanced presentation attributes.

Internet web browser with memory enhanced hyperlink display

A web browser program presents historical information about hyperlinks shown on web pages. Initially, the computer determines whether it is receiving certain user input, such as placement of a cursor over a hyperlink for a certain time. When this occurs, the computer accesses a database to determine whether one or more users in a predefined access group have previously selected the hyperlink for the purpose of downloading underlying data represented by the hyperlink. Some examples of the underlying data include web pages, graphics images, software programs, and the like. If the hyperlink has not been previously selected, no action needs to be taken. However, if the database shows that the hyperlink has been previously selected, the computer consults the database to gather characteristics of the underlying data obtained from previous selections of the hyperlink by access group members. Such characteristics may include, for example, the data's size, date of last download, expired or &ldquo;under construction&rdquo; status of web site, errors occurring during the download, etc. The computer presents a report containing the characteristics gathered from the database.

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Staatsburg, NY, United States of America

Michael D Hocker