Patent ID: 8312263
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of updating a certificate trust list on a first endpoint, comprising: receiving an initial certificate trust list at the first endpoint, the initial certificate trust list comprising authentication data for at least one second endpoint, wherein the first endpoint comprises a communications device and the initial certificate trust list is authenticated at the first endpoint using a self-authentication process while the first endpoint is coupled to a secure communications network; receiving information at the first endpoint, the information signed with a digital signature of the at least one second endpoint, the information containing updates to the certificate trust list and a configuration setting of the first endpoint; initiating authentication of the digital signature against the authentication data for the at least one second endpoint, the authentication occurring only when the digital signature is complementary to the authentication data for the at least one second endpoint; initiating verification of a privilege of the at least one second endpoint prior to updating at least one of the initial certificate trust list and the configuration setting at the first endpoint with the received information by determining that verification data for the at least one second endpoint falls into a particular category, wherein the initial certificate trust list is updated at the first endpoint with the received information only when the particular category indicates the privilege of an administrator, and wherein the configuration setting is updated at the first endpoint with the received information only when the particular category indicates the privilege of a configuration manager; and after successful authentication and verification, updating at least one of the initial certificate trust list and the configuration setting with the received information to yield at least one of an updated certificate trust list and an updated configuration setting.