Patent ID: 8484461
Filing Date: 2013-07-09
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. An external organization path length (EOPL) validation method, comprising: storing, in memory at a relying party node, a current external organization path length constraint (current EOPLC) value, and an external organization path length (EOPL) counter that maintains a count of an actual external organization path length; receiving, at the relying party node, an authentication request from a subject node affiliated with an external organization that is external to an organization of the relying party node and seeking to be authenticated by the relying party node; obtaining, at the relying party node, a chain of certificates that link the subject node to a trust anchor affiliated with the organization of the relying party node, wherein both the organization and the external organization comprise at least one node and at least one trust anchor; initially setting the current EOPLC value to infinity and the EOPL counter to zero before processing any certificates in the chain; and processing the certificates in the chain by: