Patent ID: 8181017
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An intermediate certificate authority (ICA) for a hierarchical certificate authority structure (HCAS), the HCAS having a plurality of levels, the levels including a root level, at least one intermediate level, and a leaf level, the root level having a root certificate authority, the ICA being in the at least one intermediate level, the ICA comprising: a certificate receiving module to receive a first certificate from a certificate authority in a level above the level of the ICA, the first certificate certifying an aspect of the ICA, the first certificate having: a policy associated with the ICA; and a lifetime; and a certificate signing module to sign a second certificate for a member of the HCAS, during the lifetime of the first certificate, such that the second certificate has a policy which allows at least one operation that the policy of the first certificate does not allow, the member being in a level below the level of the ICA, the second certificate certifying an aspect of the member.