Patent Publication Number: US-7591021-B2

Title: Object model document for obfuscating object model therein

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to an object model document such that the document may be executed by an appropriate application but that obfuscates the object model therein such that certain actions may not be taken with regard to the object model, such as saving the object model in a non-obfuscated form. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and mechanisms that achieve such obfuscation of such object model within the object model document. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   As may be appreciated, in the computer-related art, an object model is a collection of computer-type objects that are instantiated in a memory of a computer or the like, and includes state information relating to the objects, properties of objects, methods that can be performed with regard to the objects, relationships between the objects, and other pertinent information necessary to allow the object model to function to achieve an overall goal. Such object model may be created by or in combination with a particular computer application for execution thereon, or may be created by another computer application to be executed on the particular computer application. 
   Categories and varieties of such object model are many and varied. For example, the object model may represent the architectural specifications for a building as created by an architectural application. Similarly, the object model may represent the electrical and plumbing specifications for such building as created by a building services application. Likewise, the object model may represent design specifications for controlling a machine to produce a particular object as created by a machine-control application. 
   Significantly, at least with regard to the present disclosure, an object model in a memory of a computer or the like may be persisted as an object model document. That is, the present state of an object model may be saved in the form of a computer data file or the like and then re-loaded at a later time to re-create the object model in its former state. Methods and mechanisms for persisting an object model are known or should be apparent to the relevant public and therefore need not be described herein in any detail. 
   Note that an object model may be persisted as an object model document by a designer of the object model who wishes to suspend designing activity and then continue with such designing activity at a later time, for example. More notably, once the object model has been designed, it may be the case that the designer or a master of the designer may wish to persist the object model document and then sell, license, or otherwise convey (hereinafter ‘sell’) the persisted object model document as the object model to one or more interested purchasers. The purchaser might then apply the corresponding application to act upon information represented by the object model document. 
   One way to persist an object model as an object model document is to save the object model as an extensible markup language (XML) type document. However, it is to be appreciated that an XML-type object model document is in effect human-readable source code that describes the object model, where such source code can be viewed with ease by a purchaser and perhaps modified thereby. That is, such XML-type document containing the source code for the object model is not obfuscated. As may be appreciated, then, a seller of such an object model would not likely in fact sell the object model in such non-obfuscated form, because upon examination of the source code of the object model, the steps leading to ultimate achievement of whatever it is a particular object model document is designed to achieve would become evident. Thus, in many cases it is desirable to withhold such information while providing the ability to achieve the ultimate result. 
   Another way to persist an object model as an object model document is to save the object model as a programming-language type document, such as for example as a C-type programming language document. Of course, it is to be appreciated that a C-type programming language object model document is, like an XML-type object model document, in effect source code that describes the object model, where such source code is non-obfuscated and can be viewed with ease. Thus, and again, a seller of such an object model would not likely in fact sell the object model in such non-obfuscated form. 
   However, such C-type programming language object model document can be compiled by way of an appropriate compiler into an executable file. Moreover, and significantly, such executable file contains machine code which is in fact by its nature difficult to understand/obfuscated and if viewed or otherwise examined likely will not reveal the aforementioned source code for the object model embodied therein. 
   Such an executable file with the obfuscated object model embodied therein would seem to be amenable to the seller of such an object model. Critically, though, such executable file is designed to be executed upon the command of a corresponding computer application to instantiate the object model therein in a memory of a computer. More to the point, such computer application also very likely includes all functionality necessary to persist or save the instantiated object model in some non-obfuscated form, such as for example the aforementioned XML-type object model document or the aforementioned C-type programming language object model document. 
   Accordingly, a need exists for a method and mechanism that allows an object model to be persisted as an object model document, where the object model resides within the object model document in an obfuscated form and cannot be saved or otherwise improperly revealed in a non-obfuscated form. Moreover, a need exists for such a method and mechanism whereby the object model document with the obfuscated object model therein can be employed by any appropriate application without any special modification thereto. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The aforementioned needs are satisfied at least in part by the present invention in which a persisted object model is loaded from an object model document comprising a compiled executable file having an image source, a security source, and a loader. The loader is instantiated in a memory of a computer upon a command from a commander to execute the executable file to instantiate the persisted object model. The loader instantiates the object model in the memory from the image source, and instantiates a security agent in the memory from the security source. The security agent controls access to the object model as instantiated in the memory of the computer. The loader returns to the commander a first reference to the instantiated security agent, whereby the commander in employing the first reference accesses the security agent rather than the instantiated object model. 
   To process a command from a commander to the instantiated object model issued by way of the first reference to the security agent, the security agent receives such command and reviews same according to pre-defined rules therein to determine whether the object model should in fact receive the command. If so, the security agent forwards the command to the object model and the object model receives the command and executes same. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. As should be understood, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram representing an exemplary non-limiting computing environment in which the present invention may be implemented; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram representing an exemplary network environment having a variety of computing devices in which the present invention may be implemented; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an architecture whereby an object model may be persisted as an object model document; 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the architecture of  FIG. 3  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram showing key steps performed in connection with the architecture of  FIG. 4  in instantiating an object model from an object model document along with a security agent that intercepts certain types of commands to the instantiated object model in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Computer Environment 
     FIG. 1  and the following discussion are intended to provide a brief general description of a suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented. It should be understood, however, that handheld, portable, and other computing devices of all kinds are contemplated for use in connection with the present invention. While a general purpose computer is described below, this is but one example, and the present invention requires only a thin client having network server interoperability and interaction. Thus, the present invention may be implemented in an environment of networked hosted services in which very little or minimal client resources are implicated, e.g., a networked environment in which the client device serves merely as a browser or interface to the World Wide Web. 
   Although not required, the invention can be implemented via an application programming interface (API), for use by a developer, and/or included within the network browsing software which will be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by one or more computers, such as client workstations, servers, or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures and the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations. Other well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers (PCs), automated teller machines, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network or other data transmission medium. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. 
     FIG. 1  thus illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment  100  in which the invention may be implemented, although as made clear above, the computing system environment  100  is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should the computing environment  100  be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment  100 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer  110 . Components of computer  110  may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit  120 , a system memory  130 , and a system bus  121  that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit  120 . The system bus  121  may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus (also known as Mezzanine bus). 
   Computer  110  typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer  110  and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CDROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computer  110 . Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media. 
   The system memory  130  includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM)  131  and random access memory (RAM)  132 . A basic input/output system  133  (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer  110 , such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM  131 . RAM  132  typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit  120 . By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 1  illustrates operating system  134 , application programs  135 , other program modules  136 , and program data  137 . 
   The computer  110  may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,  FIG. 1  illustrates a hard disk drive  141  that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive  151  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk  152 , and an optical disk drive  155  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk  156 , such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive  141  is typically connected to the system bus  121  through a non-removable memory interface such as interface  140 , and magnetic disk drive  151  and optical disk drive  155  are typically connected to the system bus  121  by a removable memory interface, such as interface  150 . 
   The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in  FIG. 1  provide storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer  110 . In  FIG. 1 , for example, hard disk drive  141  is illustrated as storing operating system  144 , application programs  145 , other program modules  146 , and program data  147 . Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system  134 , application programs  135 , other program modules  136 , and program data  137 . Operating system  144 , application programs  145 , other program modules  146 , and program data  147  are given different numbers here to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands and information into the computer  110  through input devices such as a keyboard  162  and pointing device  161 , commonly referred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  120  through a user input interface  160  that is coupled to the system bus  121 , but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). 
   A monitor  191  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  121  via an interface, such as a video interface  190 . A graphics interface  182 , such as Northbridge, may also be connected to the system bus  121 . Northbridge is a chipset that communicates with the CPU, or host processing unit  120 , and assumes responsibility for accelerated graphics port (AGP) communications. One or more graphics processing units (GPUs)  184  may communicate with graphics interface  182 . In this regard, GPUs  184  generally include on-chip memory storage, such as register storage and GPUs  184  communicate with a video memory  186 . GPUs  184 , however, are but one example of a coprocessor and thus a variety of co-processing devices may be included in computer  110 . A monitor  191  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  121  via an interface, such as a video interface  190 , which may in turn communicate with video memory  186 . In addition to monitor  191 , computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers  197  and printer  196 , which may be connected through an output peripheral interface  195 . 
   The computer  110  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  180 . The remote computer  180  may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer  110 , although only a memory storage device  181  has been illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 1  include a local area network (LAN)  171  and a wide area network (WAN)  173 , but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. 
   When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer  110  is connected to the LAN  171  through a network interface or adapter  170 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer  110  typically includes a modem  172  or other means for establishing communications over the WAN  173 , such as the Internet. The modem  172 , which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus  121  via the user input interface  160 , or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer  110 , or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 1  illustrates remote application programs  185  as residing on memory device  181 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used. 
   One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that a computer  110  or other client device can be deployed as part of a computer network. In this regard, the present invention pertains to any computer system having any number of memory or storage units, and any number of applications and processes occurring across any number of storage units or volumes. The present invention may apply to an environment with server computers and client computers deployed in a network environment, having remote or local storage. The present invention may also apply to a standalone computing device, having programming language functionality, interpretation and execution capabilities. 
   Distributed computing facilitates sharing of computer resources and services by direct exchange between computing devices and systems. These resources and services include the exchange of information, cache storage, and disk storage for files. Distributed computing takes advantage of network connectivity, allowing clients to leverage their collective power to benefit the entire enterprise. In this regard, a variety of devices may have applications, objects or resources that may interact to implicate authentication techniques of the present invention for trusted graphics pipeline(s). 
     FIG. 2  provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary networked or distributed computing environment. The distributed computing environment comprises computing objects  10   a ,  10   b , etc. and computing objects or devices  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c , etc. These objects may comprise programs, methods, data stores, programmable logic, etc. The objects may comprise portions of the same or different devices such as PDAs, televisions, MP3 players, televisions, personal computers, etc. Each object can communicate with another object by way of the communications network  14 . This network may itself comprise other computing objects and computing devices that provide services to the system of  FIG. 2 . In accordance with an aspect of the invention, each object  10  or  110  may contain an application that might request the authentication techniques of the present invention for trusted graphics pipeline(s). 
   It can also be appreciated that an object, such as  110   c , may be hosted on another computing device  10  or  110 . Thus, although the physical environment depicted may show the connected devices as computers, such illustration is merely exemplary and the physical environment may alternatively be depicted or described comprising various digital devices such as PDAs, televisions, MP3 players, etc., software objects such as interfaces, COM objects and the like. 
   There are a variety of systems, components, and network configurations that support distributed computing environments. For example, computing systems may be connected together by wireline or wireless systems, by local networks or widely distributed networks. Currently, many of the networks are coupled to the Internet, which provides the infrastructure for widely distributed computing and encompasses many different networks. 
   In home networking environments, there are at least four disparate network transport media that may each support a unique protocol such as Power line, data (both wireless and wired), voice (e.g., telephone) and entertainment media. Most home control devices such as light switches and appliances may use power line for connectivity. Data Services may enter the home as broadband (e.g., either DSL or Cable modem) and are accessible within the home using either wireless (e.g., HomeRF or 802.11 b) or wired (e.g., Home PNA, Cat 5, even power line) connectivity. Voice traffic may enter the home either as wired (e.g., Cat 3) or wireless (e.g., cell phones) and may be distributed within the home using Cat 3 wiring. Entertainment media may enter the home either through satellite or cable and is typically distributed in the home using coaxial cable. IEEE 1394 and DVI are also emerging as digital interconnects for clusters of media devices. All of these network environments and others that may emerge as protocol standards may be interconnected to form an intranet that may be connected to the outside world by way of the Internet. In short, a variety of disparate sources exist for the storage and transmission of data, and consequently, moving forward, computing devices will require ways of protecting content at all portions of the data processing pipeline. 
   The ‘Internet’ commonly refers to the collection of networks and gateways that utilize the TCP/IP suite of protocols, which are well-known in the art of computer networking. TCP/IP is an acronym for “Transport Control Protocol/Interface Program.” The Internet can be described as a system of geographically distributed remote computer networks interconnected by computers executing networking protocols that allow users to interact and share information over the networks. Because of such wide-spread information sharing, remote networks such as the Internet have thus far generally evolved into an open system for which developers can design software applications for performing specialized operations or services, essentially without restriction. 
   Thus, the network infrastructure enables a host of network topologies such as client/server, peer-to-peer, or hybrid architectures. The “client” is a member of a class or group that uses the services of another class or group to which it is not related. Thus, in computing, a client is a process, i.e., roughly a set of instructions or tasks, that requests a service provided by another program. The client process utilizes the requested service without having to “know” any working details about the other program or the service itself. In a client/server architecture, particularly a networked system, a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer e.g., a server. In the example of  FIG. 2 , computers  110   a ,  110   b , etc. can be thought of as clients and computer  10   a ,  10   b , etc. can be thought of as the server where server  10   a ,  10   b , etc. maintains the data that is then replicated in the client computers  110   a ,  110   b , etc. 
   A server is typically a remote computer system accessible over a remote network such as the Internet. The client process may be active in a first computer system, and the server process may be active in a second computer system, communicating with one another over a communications medium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of the server. 
   Client and server communicate with one another utilizing the functionality provided by a protocol layer. For example, Hypertext-Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a common protocol that is used in conjunction with the World Wide Web (WWW). Typically, a computer network address such as a Universal Resource Locator (URL) or an Internet Protocol (IP) address is used to identify the server or client computers to each other. The network address can be referred to as a Universal Resource Locator address. For example, communication can be provided over a communications medium. In particular, the client and server may be coupled to one another via TCP/IP connections for high-capacity communication. 
   Thus,  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary networked or distributed environment, with a server in communication with client computers via a network/bus, in which the present invention may be employed. In more detail, a number of servers  10   a ,  10   b , etc., are interconnected via a communications network/bus  14 , which may be a LAN, WAN, intranet, the Internet, etc., with a number of client or remote computing devices  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c ,  110   d ,  110   e , etc., such as a portable computer, handheld computer, thin client, networked appliance, or other device, such as a VCR, TV, oven, light, heater and the like in accordance with the present invention. It is thus contemplated that the present invention may apply to any computing device in connection with which it is desirable to process, store or render secure content from a trusted source. 
   In a network environment in which the communications network/bus  14  is the Internet, for example, the servers  10  can be Web servers with which the clients  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c ,  110   d ,  110   e , etc. communicate via any of a number of known protocols such as HTTP. Servers  10  may also serve as clients  110 , as may be characteristic of a distributed computing environment. Communications may be wired or wireless, where appropriate. Client devices  110  may or may not communicate via communications network/bus  14 , and may have independent communications associated therewith. For example, in the case of a TV or VCR, there may or may not be a networked aspect to the control thereof. Each client computer  110  and server computer  10  may be equipped with various application program modules or objects  135  and with connections or access to various types of storage elements or objects, across which files may be stored or to which portion(s) of files may be downloaded or migrated. Thus, the present invention can be utilized in a computer network environment having client computers  110   a ,  110   b , etc. that can access and interact with a computer network/bus  14  and server computers  10   a ,  10   b , etc. that may interact with client computers  110   a ,  110   b , etc. and other devices  111  and databases  20 . 
   Obfuscating an Object Model Within an Object Model Document 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it is seen that within the context of a computer or computer system  30  (hereinafter ‘computer  30 ’), a developer, user, or the like has developed and/or instantiated an object model  32  in a memory  34  with the aid of an appropriate application  36 . As was set forth above, the object model  32  is a collection of computer-type objects in the memory  34  of the computer  30 , and includes state information relating to the objects, properties of objects, methods that can be performed with regard to the objects, relationships between the objects, and other pertinent information necessary to allow the object model to function to achieve an overall goal. Such object model  32  may be any appropriate object model without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the object model  32  may represent an architectural system, an electrical system, an engineering system, a computing system, a plumbing system, etc. 
   As was also set forth above, the object model  32  in the memory  34  of the computer  30  may be persisted as an object model document  38  by way of the application  36  or by way of another application. In particular, and in one embodiment of the present invention, the object model  32  may be saved as a programming-language type document  38   a , such as for example as a C-type programming language document. Note, though, that the object model  32  may alternately be saved as any other type of programming language document or other type of document without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   Again, the C-type programming language object model document  38   a  is in effect source code that describes the object model  32 , where such source code is non-obfuscated and can be viewed with ease. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, such document  38   a  is compiled by way of an appropriate compiler  40  into an executable file  38   b  of machine code. As a result of such compiling, such executable file  38   b  is in fact obfuscated and if viewed or otherwise examined likely will not reveal the aforementioned source code for the object model  32  embodied therein. 
   However, such executable file  38   b  can be executed upon the command of the application  36  or by way of another application to instantiate the object model  32  therein in the memory  34  of the computer  30 . Moreover, such application  36  likely includes all functionality necessary to persist or save the instantiated object model  32  in a non-obfuscated form. Accordingly, and in one embodiment of the present invention, the compiler  40  compiles the C-type programming language object model document  38   a  into the executable file  38   b  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   In particular, and turning now to  FIG. 4 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the executable file  38   b  is produced by the compiler  40  from the document  38   b  to have components including a loader  42 , an image source  44  from which the object model  32  is to be instantiated in the memory  34  of the computer  30 , and a security source  46  from which a security agent  48  is to be instantiated in the memory  34  of the computer  30 . 
   As may be appreciated, the loader  42  of the executable file  38   b  of the present invention instantiates the object model  32  upon a command from the application  36  or another application (hereinafter ‘the commander  36 ’) to execute the executable file  38   b . Essentially, and as is known, upon a command from the commander  36  to execute the executable file  38   b , the loader  42  is instantiated in the memory  34  of the computer  30  for the purpose of loading all necessary components including the image source  44  to instantiate the object model  32  and the security source  46  to instantiate the security agent  48 . The loader  42  includes all necessary instructions for loading the components as set forth by the compiler  40 , including information such as which components are to be instantiated, when such components are to be instantiated, where such components are to be instantiated, etc. Significantly, upon loading all necessary components, the loader  42  returns to the commander  36  a reference  50  to a location in the memory  34  of the computer  30  where the commander  36  may access the object model  32  as instantiated therein. As may be appreciated, such reference  50  may be a pointer or the like. The loader  42  may be any appropriate loader without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and is known or should be apparent to the relevant public and therefore need not be described herein in any detail. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, the reference  50  returned by the loader  42  to the commander  36  is to the location in the memory  34  of the computer  30  where the loader  42  has instantiated the security agent  48  based on the security source  46  of the executable file  38   b , and not the location in the memory  34  of the computer  30  where the loader  42  has instantiated the object model  32  based on the image source  44  of such executable file  38   b . Accordingly, and as should be appreciated, the commander  36  in attempting to access the object model  32  in actuality accesses the security agent  48 . As may now be appreciated, and as will be disclosed in more detail below, the security agent  48  in effect acts as a wrapper or guard that controls access to the object model  32  in a manner defined by the compiler  40  upon producing the executable file  38   b . Thus, the commander  36  indirectly accesses the object model  32  by way of the reference  50  to the security agent  48  as received from the loader  42 . 
   The object model  32  as instantiated by the loader  42  in the memory  34  of the computer  30  is thus not specially protected in any particular manner but for the fact that all access to the object model  32  as instantiated is by way of the instantiated security agent  48 . Notably, inasmuch as the commander  36  does not have any reference directly to the object model  32 , such commander  36  has no way of directly accessing the object model  32  and therefore cannot command the object model  32  to act, especially in any manner that the security agent  48  would not approve of. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, the security agent  48  as instantiated by the loader  42  in the memory  34  of the computer  30  and as pointed to by the reference  50  is constructed by the compiler  40  to pass on each command from the commander  36  to the object model  32  as instantiated by the loader  42  in the memory  34  of the computer  30 , unless such command is deemed to be of a type that should not be so passed on. As may be appreciated, one type of command that the security agent  48  should pass on to the object model  32  is any command that would normally be expected to be given to the object model  32  during the normal operation thereof and that does not act to expose the object model  32  in a non-obfuscated form. For example, the security agent  48  should allow any type of command that runs the object model  32  in the manner in which the object model  32  is expected to be run. 
   As may also be appreciated, and significantly, one type of command that the security agent  48  should not pass on to the object model  32  is any command that would allow the object model  32  to be saved in a non-obfuscated form. For example, the security agent  48  should ‘intercept’ or not pass on any type of command that saves the object model  32  as an XML-type object model document, as a C-type programming language object model document  38   a , or as any other like non-obfuscated form. 
   Note that other types of commands exist that the security agent  48  should intercept from being passed on to the object model  32 , and the security agent  48  may be constructed to intercept any type of command without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the security agent  48  may be constructed to intercept print commands if so desired. Also, if desired, the security agent  48  may be constructed to intercept certain types of commands if deemed to expose the object model  32  with too fine a granularity, such as for example, a print command that prints every detail of the object model  32 . Alternatively, the security agent  48  may be constructed to intercept such a fine granularity command and substitute a lesser granularity command, such as for example, a print command that prints a less detailed version of the object model  32 . 
   Significantly, in the present invention, although the commander  36  indirectly accesses the object model  32  by way of the reference  50  to the security agent  48  as received from the loader  42 , such commander  36  need not be aware of such indirect access, and is not aware of such indirect access unless a command therefrom is intercepted by the security agent  48  and thus fails. Thus the present invention may be employed without any special modification to the commander  36 . 
   The security agent  48  as heretofore set forth is instantiated separately from the object model  32  by the loader  42  in the memory  34  of the computer  30 . However, the security agent  48  may also be instantiated as part of the object model  32  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Note, though, that to do so may require the compiler  40  to alter the image source  44  of the object model  32  during the process of compiling same to include therein the substance of the security source  46  of such security agent  48 . 
   Notably, in the present invention, the instantiated security agent  48  behaves in all regards the same as an object model  32 , and a commander  36  cannot and does not need to make a distinction regarding whether a security agent  48  or an object model  32  is being accessed at any point. However, by only allowing the commander  36  to access the security agent  48 , the security agent  48  is in a position to exercise control over access to all of or portions of the object model  32 . For any requested access from a commander  36  which is not deemed allowable by the security agent  48 , such security agent  48  returns an error to the commander  36  without having allowed access to the object model  32 . 
   Turning now to  FIG. 5 , then, it is seen that in one embodiment of the present invention, the compiled executable file  38   b  of  FIG. 4  as employed by a commander  36  executing same operates in the following manner. Preliminarily, the commander  36  in fact executes the executable file  38   b  (step  501 ) and in response thereto the operating system of the computer  30  finds the loader  42  in the executable file  38   b  and instantiates same in the memory  34  of the computer  30  or elsewhere (step  503 ). Thereafter, the loader  42  finds the image source  44  in the executable file  38   b  and instantiates same in the memory  34  as the object model  32  (step  505 ), and also finds the security source  46  in the executable file  38   b  and instantiates same in the memory  34  as the security agent  48  (step  507 ). 
   Notably, the loader  42  in instantiating the security agent  48  provides same with a reference  52  to the location of the object model  32  in the memory  34  of the computer  30  (step  509 ), and after instantiating the security agent  48  provides the reference  50  to the location of such security agent  48  in the memory  34  of the computer  30  to the commander  36  (step  511 ). As with the reference  50 , reference  52  may be a pointer or the like. 
   Thus, the commander  36  upon receiving the reference  50  understands that a command may be issued to the object model  32  by way of such reference  50 . Note, though, that as was set forth above, upon the commander  36  issuing such a command by way of such reference  50  (step  513 ), such command is in fact received by the security agent  48  (step  515 ). 
   Thus, the security agent  48  reviews the command according to pre-defined rules therein to determine whether the object model  32  should in fact receive the command (step  517 ), and if so the security agent  48  forwards the command to the object model  32  by way of the reference  52  (step  519 ). Otherwise, the security agent does not forward the command to the object model  32 , but instead takes an alternate action, such as for example responding to the commander  36  with a message or the like to the effect that the command cannot be issued to the object model  32 . At any rate, upon receiving a command from the security agent  48 , the object model  32  performs whatever action is required based on such command and if necessary reports back to the commander  36 , perhaps by way of the security agent  48  (step  521 ). 
   CONCLUSION 
   The programming necessary to effectuate the processes performed in connection with the present invention is relatively straight-forward and should be apparent to the relevant programming public. Accordingly, such programming is not attached hereto. Any particular programming, then, may be employed to effectuate the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. 
   In the present invention, a method and mechanism are provided that allow an object model  32  to be persisted as an object model document  38   b , where the object model  32  resides within the object model document  38   b  in an obfuscated form and cannot be saved or otherwise improperly revealed in a non-obfuscated form. The object model document  38   d  with the obfuscated object model  32  therein can be employed by any appropriate application  36  without any special modification thereto. 
   It should be appreciated that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the inventive concepts thereof. It should be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.