Cookie verification methods and apparatus for use in providing application services to communication devices

Abstract

In one illustrative example, a method in a communication device adapted for communications using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) involves setting, at the communication device, an HTTP cookie which includes a user identification of a user of the communication device and a message portion which is signed with a digital signature of the user. The communication device sends, to an application server site via the communication network, a request message which includes the HTTP cookie. If verification of the digital signature at the application server site is successful, the communication device will receive access to an application service of the application server site. In one variation, the HTTP cookie is alternatively set with a group identification of a group with which the user is associated, and the message portion is signed with a digital signature of the group. The group may be a plurality of users associated with a service provider which provides the communication device access to a communication service in the communication network. In this case, the HTTP cookie may be set with a token retrieved from the service provider, where the token includes the digital signature of the service provider.