Method and system for disguising a computer system's identity on a network

• US 20020161994A1
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Springfield, Randall Scott, Freeman, Joseph Wayne, Kern, Eric Richard, Dayan, Richard Alan, Ellison, Brandon Jon, Johnson, Robert Duane
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/39 Globally routable user-agent uniform resource identifier [GRUU] for the session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for substituting an anonymous Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) for a computer system'"'"'s real UUID in order to disguise an identity of the computer system to an application which is requesting a UUID for the client computer system. A storage device is established in the computer system. The storage device includes a primary and a second location. A UUID stored in the primary location is used as a UUID for the computer system. An anonymous UUID is generated. The anonymous UUID does not identify any particular computer system. The anonymous UUID is stored in the primary location within the storage device, and the real UUID is backed up by moving it into the secondary location. Thereafter, the anonymous UUID is provided in response to requests for the computer system'"'"'s UUID.

Claims

1. A method for substituting an anonymous Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) for a computer system'"'"'s real UUID in order to disguise an identity of said computer system to an application requesting a UUID for said client computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a storage device in said computer system including a primary location, wherein a UUID stored in said primary location is used as a UUID for said computer system;

generating said anonymous UUID, wherein said anonymous UUID does not identify any particular computer system;

storing said anonymous UUID in said primary location within said storage device; and

providing said anonymous UUID in response to a request for said computer system'"'"'s UUID.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

said storage device including a secondary location for saving said real UUID while said anonymous UUID is being utilized as said computer system'"'"'s UUID; and

in response to said storage of said anonymous UUID in said primary location, moving said real UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein said real UUID is not located in said primary location after said move.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system'"'"'s identity;

said computer system starting execution of said boot process;

determining whether said cloak bit is set during said execution of said boot process; and

in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, moving said real UUID stored in said primary location to a secondary location in said storage device and storing said anonymous UUID in said primary location, wherein said identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said client computer system'"'"'s UUID.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, moving said real UUID from said storage location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system'"'"'s UUID.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

an application program requesting said computer system'"'"'s UUID; and

said computer system providing a UUID stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system'"'"'s identity;

said computer system providing said real UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is cleared; and

said computer system providing said anonymous UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is set.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said cloak bit is set or cleared;

in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, moving said real UUID from said primary location to a secondary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said secondary location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said computer system'"'"'s UUID; and

in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, moving said real UUID from said secondary location to said primary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system'"'"'s UUID.

8. A system for substituting an anonymous Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) for a computer system'"'"'s real UUID in order to disguise an identity of said computer system to an application requesting a UUID for said client computer system, said computer system including a CPU, comprising:

a storage device in said computer system including a primary location, wherein a UUID stored in said primary location is used as a UUID for said computer system;

said system for generating said anonymous UUID, wherein said anonymous UUID does not identify any particular computer system;

said anonymous UUID being stored in said primary location within said storage device; and

said system for providing said anonymous UUID in response to a request for said computer system'"'"'s UUID.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

said storage device for including a secondary location for saving said real UUID while said anonymous UUID is being utilized as said computer system'"'"'s UUID; and

in response to said storage of said anonymous UUID in said primary location, said system for moving said real UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein said real UUID is not located in said primary location after said move.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system'"'"'s identity;

said computer system for starting execution of said boot process;

means for determining whether said cloak bit is set during said execution of said boot process; and

in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, said system for moving said real UUID stored in said primary location to a secondary location in said storage device and storing said anonymous UUID in said primary location, wherein said identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said client computer system'"'"'s UUID.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, said system for moving said real UUID from said storage location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system'"'"'s UUID.

12. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

an application program for requesting said computer system'"'"'s UUID; and

said computer system for providing a UUID stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system'"'"'s identity;

said computer system for providing said real UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is cleared; and

said computer system for providing said anonymous UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is set.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining whether said cloak bit is set or cleared;

in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, said system for moving said real UUID from said primary location to a secondary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said secondary location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said computer system'"'"'s UUID; and

in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, said system for moving said real UUID from said secondary location to said primary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system'"'"'s UUID.