Patent ID: 8584118

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory including computer program code, the memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least: verify an authenticity of a software application, and in an instance in which the authenticity of the software application is verified: (a) install the software application for operation on the apparatus above an operating system platform of the apparatus, (b) create a permission record for the software application, and (c) cause the permission record to be stored, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to create the permission record by inserting at least one permission into the permission record for the software application in an instance in which the at least one permission is received from the software application and confirmation of the at least one permission received from the software application is provided by a user of the apparatus, the permission record including a signature and at least one permission that identifies at least one service that the user of the apparatus has authorized the software application to receive from the operating system platform after the software application is executed for operation and while operating on the apparatus; receive, from the software application, a request for a service of the operating system platform, the request being received after the software application is executed for operation and while operating on the apparatus; determine if the software application is authorized to receive the requested service based upon the associated permission record; and cause the requested service to be provided to the software application in an instance in which the software application is authorized.