Patent ID: 8156488

Claim:
A method comprising: verifying an authenticity of a software application, and in an instance in which the authenticity of the software application is verified, (a) installing the software application for operation above an operating system platform of an apparatus, and (b) creating a permission record for the software application, and causing the permission record to be stored in a policy database, the permission record including at least one permission that is locally confirmable or modifiable by a user of the apparatus, and that identifies at least one service that the user has authorized the software application to receive from the operating system platform after the software application is executed for operation and while operating; receiving, 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; determining if the software application is authorized to receive the requested service based upon the associated permission record; and causing the requested service to be provided to the software application in an instance in which the software application is authorized, wherein one or more of verifying the authenticity of a software application, determining if the software application is authorized, or causing the requested service to be provided are performed by a processor of the apparatus, the processor being configured to operate the operating system platform and perform one or more of verifying the authenticity of a software application, determining if the software application is authorized, or causing the requested service to be provided.