Patent ID: 7418512
Filing Date: 2008-08-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of obtaining an electronic resource from a resource provider (RP) for a resource requester (RR) operating on a computing device, the RP and the RR residing on separate computing devices, the RP being a software or hardware electronics construct providing the resource, the RR having an identity descriptor (id) associated therewith, the id including security-related information specifying an environment in which the RR operates, the method comprising: loading the RR onto the computing device; loading the id corresponding to the RR onto the computing device; providing the RR with a reference to the loaded id; calculating a code identity (code-ID) corresponding to and based on the loaded RR and loaded id; receiving at an authenticator separate from the RR and the RP a request from the RR for the resource; ascertaining at the authenticator that the requesting RR has rights to the resource and is to be trusted with the resource; forwarding, by the authenticator the request for the resource from the RR to the RP, the forwarded request including the calculated code-ID for the requesting RR, the id for the requesting RR, and a definition of the resource requested by the RR, the RP verifying that the calculated code-ID in the forwarded request matches one of one or more valid code-IDs for the identified RR, concluding based thereon that the RR can be trusted as being a known RR that can be presumed to be trustworthy, and also that the security-related information upon which the RR operates is known security-related information that can be presumed to be trustworthy, and responding to the forwarded request by providing the requested resource only upon so concluding; receiving, by the RR, the requested resource as provided by the RP, and employing same in a manner consistent with the trust imparted to the RR by the RP, and in accordance with the security-related information set forth in the id corresponding to the RR.