Patent ID: 8375458

Claim:
A code authentication method, comprising: performing code authentication between first and second code as needed when executing on a computer system, the code authentication including: obtaining identity information for the first code while the first code is executing on the computer system by accessing the identity information in secured information contained in the first code as it is stored on disk in the computer system, the identity information comprising a plurality of pieces of encrypted information wherein a first piece of the plurality of pieces of encrypted information identifies an authority of a software provider who signed the first code and a second piece of the plurality of pieces of encrypted information identifies an authorized action of the first code; obtaining at least one requirement to be satisfied by the first code for the second code; and determining whether the identity information satisfies the at least one requirement, wherein the determination at least validates that the authority of the software provider is appropriate per the at least one requirement; and constraining trust between the first and second code based on the determination, comprising: allowing the first code to execute full functionality after the determination is satisfied, and allowing the first code to execute limited functionality after the determination is not satisfied.