Computer program product and method for exchanging XML signature

• US 20020040431A1
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Takehisa, Nishizawa, Hidekazu
• Application Number:
  US09/953,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040431A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/68 Special signature format, e.g. XML format
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

According to some of the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided software for carrying out a function for assigning/verifying an XML signature relevant to an XML document, and this software is connected to a Web browser. That is, the function for assigning/verifying the XML signature is used in common, and a portion specialized for each of applications is obtained as only a process for creating an XML document. In this manner, an XML signature can be assigned and/or verified over a Web browser relevant to an XML document created by an arbitrary application, and convenience can be improved.

Claims

1. A computer program product used for a computer capable of executing a Web browser, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable from the computer; and

a signature program code stored in the storage medium, the signature program code achieving an XML signature function over the Web browser.

2. A computer program product according to claim 1, the signature program code comprises:

a first program code for displaying a screen for prompting the assigning signature;

a second program code for displaying a screen for specifying key information used for generating the XML signature;

a third program code for displaying a screen for adding a index of signature targets to the XML signature;

a fourth program code for, when the XML signature is instructed, using the specified key information, thereby obtaining a summary value targeted for the specified signature, and generating the XML signature that includes the summary value; and

a fifth program code for embedding the XML signature to the XML document and generating a signed XML document.

3. A computer program product according to claim 2, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a sixth program code for syntax-analyzing an XML document received over the Web program; and

a seventh program code for, when the XML document includes an XML signature template as a result of the syntax analysis, displaying a screen for displaying and verifying the contents of the template.

4. A computer program product according to claim 3, wherein the template includes signature target information for specifying a signature target and signer'"'"'s public key information.

5. A computer program product according to claim 3, wherein the signature program code comprises:

an eighth program code for, when the XML signature template includes signer'"'"'s public key information, checking whether or not the public key information and key information inputted on a screen for specifying the key information are coincident with each other; and

a ninth program code fort, when they are not coincident as a result of the check, carrying out indicating for a warning and/or cancellation of processing.

6. A computer program product according to claim 5, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a tenth program code for displaying a screen for inquiring whether or not the signed XML document is stored as a local file; and

a eleventh program code for storing the signed XML document in the computer by the specified file name.

7. A computer program product according to claim 6, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a twelfth program code for displaying a screen for inquiring whether or not the signed XML document is transmitted to a predetermined URL; and

a thirteenth program code for transmitting the signed XML document to the predetermined URL in accordance with the inquiry result.

8. A computer program product according to claim 2, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a tenth program code for displaying a screen for inquiring whether or not the signed XML document is stored as a local file; and

a eleventh program code for storing the signed XML document in the computer by the specified file name.

9. A computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a twelfth program code for displaying a screen for inquiring whether or not the signed XML document is transmitted to a predetermined URL; and

a thirteenth program code for transmitting the signed XML document to the predetermined URL in accordance with the inquiry result.

10. A computer program product according to claim 2, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a tenth program code for displaying a screen for inquiring whether or not the signed XML document is stored as a local file; and

a eleventh program code for storing the signed XML document in the computer by the specified file name.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the signature program code comprises:

a twelfth program code for displaying a screen for inquiring whether or not the signed XML document is transmitted to a predetermined URL; and

a thirteenth program code for transmitting the signed XML document to the predetermined URL in accordance with the inquiry result.

13. A computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the verification program code comprises:

a first program code for, when an XML document received over the Web browser includes an XML document, displaying the contents of the XML document, verifying the XML signature, and displaying the verification result;

a second program code for, when the verification is carried out, displaying the fact that signature verification is invalid if a verification process of target is incomplete;

a third program code for displaying a screen for specifying an address of a signature target to a target of the signature verification incomplete; and

a fourth program code for, when the address is specified, read the specified signature target, verifying the XML signature, and displaying the verification result.

12. A computer program product used for a computer capable of executing a Web browser, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable from the computer; and

a verification program code stored in the storage medium, the signature program code achieving an XML signature verification function over the Web browser.

14. A computer program product used for a computer capable of executing an application having an XML document creating function, comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored therein a program for applying an XML document to the created XML document, the computer program product comprising:

a first program code for specifying key information used for generating the XML signature;

a second program code for adding a index of signature targets to the XML signature;

a third program code for, when the XML signature is instructed, using the specified key information, thereby obtaining a summary value of the specified signature target, and generating the XML signature including the summary value; and

a fourth program code for embedding the generated XML signature in an original XL document, and outputting a signed XML document.

15. A computer program product used for a computer capable of executing an application having an XML document processing function, comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored therein a program for applying an XML document to the created XML document, the computer program product comprising;

a first program code for syntax-analyzing a received XML document;

a second program code for, when the XML document includes an XML signature as a result of the syntax analysis, verifying the XML signature, and outputting the verification result;

a third program code for, when the verification is carried out, outputting the fact that signature verification is invalid if a verification process of target is incomplete; and

a fourth program code for, when an address of a signature target is specified for a signature target of the signature verification incomplete, reading the specified signature target, verifying the XML signature, and outputting the verification result.

16. A method for exchanging an XML signature, over Internet carried out between a Web server for providing a home page and a Web browser capable of inputting information by browsing the home page, the Web server comprising:

when a signed XML document is transmitted in which a signed XML document in standard specification is assigned to an XML document generated based on input document over the Web browser, receiving the signed XML document;

verifying an XML signature of the received, signed XML document;

if the XML signature is valid as a result of the verification, generating an XML document that notified acceptance of the signed XML document;

assigning an XML document to this XML document, thereby generating the signed XML document; and

transmitting the signed XML document to the Web browser.

17. A method for exchanging an XML signature, of an XML document managed by a Web server communicable with a client, the method comprising:

receiving a request for signifying the managed XML document from a client;

transmitting the managed XML document to the client; and

displaying a screen for prompting selection of the XML document targeted for signature.

18. A method for exchanging an XML signature, in an ASP service that is established between an ASP'"'"'s Web server for providing an ASP service that includes creation/management of an XML document and a client'"'"'s Web browser utilizing the ASP service, the method comprising:

transmitting an XML document created/managed by the ASP'"'"'s Web sever to the client'"'"'s Web browser;

assigning a signature over the client'"'"'s Web browser to the received XML document from the ASP'"'"'s Web server, thereby generating a signed XML document; and

returning the signed XML document to the ASP'"'"'s Web server.

19. A method for exchanging an XML signature, established between an application for creating an XML document with an XML signature template and a signature assigning server to the XML document, the signature assigning server comprising:

storing an XML document with a template received from the application;

when a signature assignment permission is received with respect to the stored XML document, assigning the signature to the XML document, thereby generating the signed XML document; and

returning the signed XML document to the application.

20. A computer program product used for a second computer communicable with a first computer on which an application for carrying out document processing operates, comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored therein a program for receiving an XML document with a template of an XML signature from the first computer, and assigning a signature to the XML document, the computer program product comprising:

a first program code for storing the XML document with the template received from the first computer;

a second program code for, when permission of signature assignment is received with respect to the stored XML document, assigning the signature to the XML document, thereby generating a signed XML document; and

a third program code for returning the signed XML document to the first computer.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the template includes signature target information for specifying a signature target and signer'"'"'s public key information.