Method for authenticating and securing integrated bookstore entries

• US 20020002540A1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DeMello, Marco A., Narin, Attila, Yaacovi, Yoram
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and system for providing an electronic shopping service integrated into a software application, and for controlling the set of web sites that are reachable from within the shopping service. Each web site is represented by data which is signed by a private key, and the data together with this signature is delivered to a plurality of computing devices that provide the shopping service. Each of the computing devices has access to the public key that corresponds to the private key, and uses the public key to verify the signature. The computing device displays links to those web sites whose representative data validates against the signature.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating commerce over a communications network comprising:

generating data indicative of a web site;

generating a signature of said data using a private key;

providing said data and said signature to a plurality of computing devices;

providing to said plurality of computing devices a public key corresponding to said private key; and

providing to said plurality of computing devices a set of computer-executable instructions which performs acts comprising;

determining the authenticity of said data against said signature; and

displaying a link to said web site upon a determination that said data is authentic.

2. The method of facilitating commerce of claim 1, wherein said web site vends a content item, and wherein said computer-executable instructions perform acts further comprising rendering said content item.

3. The method of facilitating commerce of claim 1, wherein the act of providing said public key comprises including said public key in-line in said computer-executable instructions.

4. The method of facilitating commerce of claim 1, further comprising the act of restricting access to said private key.

5. The method of facilitating commerce of claim 1, wherein the act of providing said computer-executable instructions comprises downloading said computer-executable instructions to said plurality of computing devices using a computer network.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to perform the method of claim 1.

7. A system for using a computer network comprising:

a memory location which stores data and a signature received from a directory server, said data being indicative of a web site on a computer network, said signature being based on said data;

an authentication module which verifies the authenticity of data against said signature and provides an indication of whether said data is authentic;

and a shopping module which receives said indication and which conditionally displays a link to said web site according to said indication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said web site distributes a content item, and wherein said system further comprises a module which renders said content item.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a module that navigates to the web site.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the signature comprises a hash of said data.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said memory location comprises one or more registry keys.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said authentication module uses a public key to verify the authenticity of said signature, said signature being based on a private key corresponding to said public key.

13. A method of providing access to web sites comprising:

creating a list of web sites;

providing, to a plurality of computing devices, computer-executable instructions which access said web sites; and

limiting access to said web sites by performing acts which include;

generating signatures for one or more of the web sites on said list using a key; and

restricting access to said key;

wherein said computer-executable instructions include instructions which authenticate said signatures and which deny access to a web site on said list whose signature fails to authenticate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said web site distributes digital content items renderable by said computing devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said digital content items comprises text.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said digital content items comprises audio.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said digital content items comprises video.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said digital content items comprises software.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising establishing a contract with owners of said web sites.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said key comprises a private key and wherein said computer-executable instructions use a public key corresponding to said private key to authenticate said signatures.

21. A computer memory which stores a data structure produced by acts comprising:

accessing a list which includes a plurality of web sites, each of said web sites having a corresponding signature;

determining the authenticity of each web site on said list against its corresponding signature;

including in said data structure a first set of said web sites which are determined to be authentic against their respective signatures; and

excluding from said data structure a second set of said web sites which fail to authenticate against their respective signatures.

22. The data structure of claim 21, wherein said data structure includes a universal record locator for each web site in said first set.

23. The data structure of claim 21, wherein said accessing act comprises accessing a set of registry keys.