Method of and apparatus for investigating transactions in a data processing environment

• US 20020120863A1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Proudler, Graeme John, Pearson, Siani Lynne
• Application Number:
  US10/080,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120863A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4093 Monitoring of device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A method of investigating misdemeanour within a data processing system is provided. An investigator is given an anonymous authenticated identity on a trusted computing device such that a trustworthy record of transactions can be created. The investigator can participate in the transaction.

Claims

1. A method of investigating transactions in a data processing environment comprising a trusted computing environment, the method comprising the steps of:

i. selecting a user within the trusted computing environment;

ii. creating an investigation identity which is owned by the user;

iii. using the investigation identity to take part in transactions; and

iv. creating a record of those transactions.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the investigation identity is an anonymous identity.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which transactions made using the investigation identity are kept in an authenticated record by a trusted party.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the record of transactions is made available to an investigator.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the investigation identity is used by an investigator who takes part in the transactions.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the user can monitor the transactions made using the investigation identity.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the user can inhibit the operation of the investigation identity.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the trusted computing environment includes a trusted party who maintains the identities of parties to a transaction such that the identity of each party can be authenticated by other parties whilst each party is anonymous to the other parties.

9. An apparatus for investigating transactions, said apparatus including a trusted computing device arranged such that an investigation identity is owned by a user, and a record of transactions made by the investigation identity is stored in an authenticated record by the trusted computing device.

10. A computer program product for causing a trusted computing device having a trusted computing environment to perform the following steps:

i. select a user within the trusted computing environment;

ii. create an investigation identity which is owned by the user;

iii. use the investigation identity to take part in transactions; and

iv. create a record of those transactions.