Novell, Inc.

Other

Roger R Schell

Thomas A Berson

Kevin W Kingdon

Robert R Jueneman

Douglas LaVell Hale

James P Anderson

Willard Monten Wiseman

Tammy Anita Green

Daniel Gene Fritch

Mark G Gayman

An apparatus and method provides one or more controlled, dynamically loaded, modular, cryptographic fillers. Fillers may be loaded by a single loader, multiple independent loaders, or nested loaders. Loaders may be adapted to load other loaders, within cryptographic controls extant and applicable thereto. Integration into a base executable having one or more slots, minimizes, controls, and links the interface between the fillers and base executables. The filler may itself operate recursively to load another filler in nested operations, whether or not the fillers are in nested relation to one another. An ability of any filler to be loaded may be controlled by the base executable verifying the integrity, authorization, or both for any filler. The base executable may rely on an integrated loader to control loading and linking of fillers and submodules. A policy may limit each module function, access, and potential for modification or substitution. Dynamically loaded modules (loaders, other fillers, and submodules thereof), typically represent a relatively small portion of the overall coding required by the base executable, and may provide strong controls limiting integration by providing access that is nested, layered, or both between modules excluding direct access to or by them from the base executable or supported applications.

Nested strong loader apparatus and method

An apparatus and method provide a controlled, dynamically loaded, modular, cryptographic implementation for integration of flexible policy implementations on policy engines, and the like, into a base executable having at least one slot. The base executable may rely on an integrated loader to control loading and linking of fillers and submodules. A policy module may be included for use in limiting each module's function, access, and potential for modification or substitution. The policy may be implemented organically within a manager layer or may be modularized further in an underlying engine layer as an independent policy, or as a policy created by a policy engine existing in an engine layer. The policy module is subordinate to the manager module in the manager layer in that the manager module calls the policy module when it is needed by the manager module. The policy module is preferably dynamically linkable, providing flexibility, and is layered deeper within the filler module than the manager module.

Apparatus for control of cryptography implementations in third party applications

Method and apparatus for escrowing properties used for accessing executable modules

An apparatus, system, and method to provide an initial and an on-going authentication mechanism with which two executable entities may unilaterally or bilaterally authenticate the identity, origin, and integrity of each other. In one instance, the authentication mechanisms are implemented within a dynamically loaded, modular, cryptographic system. The initial authentication mechanism may include digitally signed challenge and possibly encrypted response constructs that are alternately passed between the authenticating and authenticated executable entities. A chain of certificates signed and verified with the use of asymmetric key pairs may also be part of the initial authentication mechanism. Representative asymmetric key pairs include a run-time key pair, a per-instance key pair, and a certifying authority master key pair. The on-going authentication mechanism may include a nonce variable having a state associated therewith. The state may be both time and incidence varying and may be combined in an obfuscating or encrypted manner into data passed between the executable entities. The initial and ongoing authentication mechanisms may have instances implemented without the use of export-regulated cryptography.

Module authentication and binding library extensions

An apparatus and method provides one or more controlled, dynamically loaded, modular, cryptographic fillers. Fillers may be loaded by a single loader, multiple independent loaders, or nested loaders. Loaders may be adapted to load other loaders, within cryptographic controls extant and applicable thereto. Integration into a base executable having one or more slots, minimizes, controls, and links the interface between the fillers and base executables. The filler may itself operate recursively to load another filler in nested operations, whether or not the fillers are in nested relation to one another. An ability of any filler to be loaded may be controlled by the base executable verifying the integrity, authorization, or both for any filler. The base executable may rely on an integrated loader to control loading and linking of fillers and submodules. A policy may limit each module's function, access, and potential for modification or substitution. Dynamically loaded modules (loaders, other fillers, and submodules thereof), typically represent a relatively small portion of the overall coding required by the base executable, and may provide strong controls limiting integration by providing access that is nested, layered, or both between modules, excluding direct access to or by them from the base executable or supported applications.

A trusted workstation includes a network interface card (NIC) with trusted computing base (TCB) extensions that provide for securely booting the workstation and performing subsequent receive and transmit packet filtering in support of a network's system architecture requirements. The NIC includes a send address confirm circuit which includes a trusted source address (e.g., a MAC address) uniquely associated with the trusted workstation. For each packet to be transmitted from the trusted workstation over the network, the NIC first checks the source address inserted in the packet by the NIC driver running in the user session to be sure that the driver inserted source address is to equal to the trusted address resident. Thus, if untrusted software on the workstation attempts mischiefly transmit a forged packet with a source address other than the trusted source address, the NIC prohibits transmission of the packet with the forged source address. This prevents the trusted workstation from forging its packets with another client's source address. The NIC also includes a receive address confirmation circuit which ensures that the trusted workstation only receives packets from authorized servers.

Trusted workstation in a networked client/server computing system

A trusted workstation includes a network interface card (NIC) with trusted computing base (TCB) extensions that provide for securely booting the workstation and performing subsequent receive and transmit packet filtering in support of a network's system architecture requirements. The NIC includes a send address confirm circuit which includes a trusted source address (e.g., a MAC address) uniquely associated with the trusted workstation. For each packet to be transmitted from the trusted workstation over the network, the NIC first checks the source address inserted in the packet by the NIC driver running the user session to be sure that the driver inserted source address is equal to the trusted address resident. Thus, if untrusted software on the workstation attempts mischiefly transmit a forged packet with a source address other than the trusted source address, the NIC prohibits transmission of the packet with the forged source address. This prevents the trusted workstation from forging its packets with another client's source address. The NIC also includes a receive address confirmation circuit which ensures that the trusted workstation only receives packets from authorized servers.

Methods and systems are provided which control access by a task to an information object in a computer system. The task is authenticated by an authentication procedure to act on behalf of a user. A computer-implemented method includes associating an authentication grade with the authentication procedure, identifying at least one clearance level previously assigned to the user by a clearance administrator, and identifying at least one classification level previously assigned to the information object by a classification administrator. The method then determines the access rights of the task with respect to the information object based at least on the authentication grade, the clearance level, and the classification level. Information about the user's connection to the system may also be considered. The results of the determination are distributed to promote consistent access; rights throughout the system.

Computer network graded authentication system and method

An apparatus and method provide a controlled, dynamically loaded, modular, cryptographic filler for integration into a base executable having a 'slot' minimizing the interface between the filler and the base executable, and between individual component modules in the filler. Cryptographic engines provide for security (privacy and integrity) of data. The base executable having potential cryptographic capability may rely on an integrated loader to control linking of the filler and its modules according to a controlling policy set by export or import laws. A base executable may be a network operating system having a 'slot' for dynamically linking the filler and its modules. Modules may be created by a third party vendor within controls enforced by the loader and a management module in the filler. Asymmetric key cryptography may assure that modules have not been modified, functionally extended, or created by unauthorized sources, and may ensure that keys used in the modules come only from authorized sources. The policy may limit each module's function, access, and potential for modification or substitution. The filler and modules, typically representing a relatively small portion of the overall coding required by the base executable, may provide strong controls limiting integration by providing layered access between modules, and excluding direct access to or by them from the base executable or supported applications.

Growing community of inventors

Orem, UT, United States of America

Roger R Schell