Patent ID: 7831824

Claim:
A hallmark verification process for verifying a hallmark of a web site in which the web-site comprises a digital certificate that comprises data for displaying the verification indicator, the process comprising the steps of: displaying to a computer user a website with a hallmark through a browser, running verification software on the computer where such verification software is separate from the website, in which the hallmark verification is initiated by the user clicking on the verification software in said task bar of the computer, the verification software verifying multiple hallmarks on the website through the verification software and displaying a verification indicator for each verified hallmark using information from a verification source that is outside of the control of the website operator, in which verifying the hallmark occurs automatically when the verification software detects a mouse being moved by the user over the hallmark, determining the location on the website of the verified hallmark and displaying part of the verification indicator at the location of the verified hallmark in a manner that is different from how the verified hallmark is displayed, displaying a hallmark from the digital certificate at a location specified in the digital certificate, displaying a verification indicator to the user at the location specified in the digital certificate; and displaying to the computer user a verification indicator through operation of the verification software where at least part of the verification indicator is in a separate window that is external to user's browser.