Patent ID: 7765398
Filing Date: 2010-07-27
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: generating, at an update engine in communication with a first computer, a request upon determining that an old certificate associated by the first computer with the first computer is to be replaced with a new certificate, wherein a given certificate facilitates communication between the first computer and another computer by authenticating the first computer when the given certificate is associated by the first computer with the first computer and is associated by the other computer with the first computer; transmitting the request from the update engine to a certificate issuer; receiving, at the update engine, the new certificate from the certificate issuer in response to the request; transmitting the new certificate from the update engine to the first computer for the first computer to associate the new certificate with the first computer in place of the old certificate; in response to receiving the new certificate at the update engine, accessing, by the update engine, the first computer to access an electronic mail address book of the first computer having information identifying a prior communication instance between the first computer and a second computer facilitated by the old certificate determining at the update engine that the second computer is associating the old certificate with the first computer based on the information of the electronic mail address book of the first computer; and upon the update engine determining that the second computer is associating the old certificate with the first computer, transmitting the new certificate directly from the update engine to the second computer along a communication path independent of the certificate issuer for the second computer to associate the new certificate with the first computer in place of the old certificate.