Software application protection by way of a digital rights management (DRM) system

• US 20030217011A1
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: England, Paul, Peinado, Marcus, Manferdelli, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

A digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application are all on a computing device. The application is for being executed to perform a function and includes code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license. The application further includes code for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system.

Claims

1. A method in combination with a digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application, all on a computing device, the application for being executed to perform a function and including code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license, the method comprising:

triggering the code;

requesting, by the code, that the DRM system prove validity thereof by proffering a document;

receiving, by the code, the proffered document and reviewing same;

judging, by the code, based on the proffered document, whether the DRM system is to be trusted as valid and able to enforce the license;

requesting, by the code, that the DRM system determine whether the license allows the application to execute to perform the function, the DRM system thereafter reviewing any terms in the license to determine whether such terms permit such execution of the application;

executing the application only if the DRM system is judged to be trusted and only if the DRM system determines that the license in fact allows the application to execute to perform the function.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising triggering the code at a time selected from a group consisting of during loading of the application, at a pre-determined point during execution of the application, and periodically.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising requesting, by the code, that the DRM system prove validity thereof by way of proffering a digital certificate, and judging, by the code, whether the certificate is valid.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising requesting, by the code, that the DRM system prove validity thereof by way of proffering a digital signature, and judging, by the code, whether the signature verifies.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the application has an ID and the license contains identifying information including an application ID, the method further comprising:

determining whether the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application; and

executing the application only if the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising obtaining, by the DRM system, the application ID in the identifying information and the ID of the application, and determining, by the DRM system, whether the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application.

7. The method of claim 5 comprising obtaining, by the DRM system, the application ID in the identifying information and delivering same to the code, and determining, by the code, whether the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the code is a first code, wherein the application further includes second code for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system, wherein the application has an ID and one of the DRM system and the computing device has an ID, and wherein the license includes a certificate having an application ID and one of a DRM system ID and a computing device ID, the method further comprising:

triggering the second code;

retrieving from the license the certificate;

retrieving from the certificate the application ID therein and one of the DRM system ID and the computing device ID therein;

retrieving from one of the DRM system and the computing device, by the second code, the ID thereof;

retrieving from the application, by the second code, the ID thereof;

determining, by the second code, whether the ID retrieved from the application matches the application ID from the certificate;

determining, by the second code, whether the ID retrieved from one of the DRM system and the computing device matches the DRM system computing device ID from the certificate; and

executing the application only if the second code determines that the ID retrieved from the application matches the application ID from the certificate and that the ID retrieved from one of the DRM system and the computing device matches the DRM system/computing device ID from the certificate.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising triggering the second code at a time selected from a group consisting of during loading of the application, at a pre-determined point during execution of the application, and periodically.

10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon an application including computer-executable instructions for performing a method in combination with a digital rights management (DRM) system on a computing device, and a DRM digital license for the application, the application for being executed to perform a function and the computer-executable instructions thereof requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license, the method comprising:

requesting that the DRM system prove validity thereof by proffering a document;

receiving the proffered document and reviewing same;

judging based on the proffered document whether the DRM system is to be trusted as valid and able to enforce the license; and

requesting that the DRM system determine whether the license allows the application to execute to perform the function, the DRM system thereafter reviewing any terms in the license to determine whether such terms permit such execution of the application,

wherein the application is executed only if the DRM system is judged to be trusted and only if the DRM system determines that the license in fact allows the application to execute to perform the function.

11. The medium of claim 10 wherein the method comprises requesting that the DRM system prove validity thereof by way of proffering a digital certificate, and judging whether the certificate is valid.

12. The medium of claim 10 wherein the method comprises requesting that the DRM system prove validity thereof by way of proffering a digital signature, and judging whether the signature verifies.

13. The medium of claim 10 wherein the application has an ID and the license contains identifying information including an application ID, the method further comprising:

determining whether the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application; and

executing the application only if the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the method comprises determining whether the application ID in the identifying information matches the ID of the application.

15. The medium of claim 10 wherein the application further includes computer-executable instructions for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system, wherein the application has an ID and one of the DRM system and the computing device has an ID, and wherein the license includes a certificate having an application ID and one of a DRM system ID and a computing device ID, the method further comprising:

obtaining from the certificate the application ID therein and one of the DRM system ID and the computing device ID therein;

retrieving from one of the DRM system and the computing device the ID thereof;

retrieving from the application the ID thereof;

determining whether the ID retrieved from the application matches the application ID from the certificate; and

determining whether the ID retrieved from one of the DRM system and the computing device matches the DRM system/computing device ID from the certificate,

wherein the application is executed only if it is determined that the ID retrieved from the application matches the application ID from the certificate and that the ID retrieved from one of the DRM system and the computing device matches the DRM system/computing device ID from the certificate.

16. A computing device having thereon a digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application, the application for being executed to perform a function and including first code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license, the application further including second code for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system.

17. The computing device of claim 16 wherein the application has been converted by an integrity protector from a first, unprotected form to a second, protected form, whereby the application in the second form functions as the application in the first form but changing the application in the second form results in the application being non-operative.

18. An application for being executed on a computing device to perform a function, the computing device having thereon a digital rights management (DRM) system, and a DRM digital license for the application, the application including first code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license, the application further including second code for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system.

19. The application of claim 18 having been converted by an integrity protector from a first, unprotected form to a second, protected form, whereby the application in the second form functions as the application in the first form but changing the application in the second form results in the application being non-operative.

20. A method in combination with a digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application, all on a computing device, the application for being executed to perform a function and including code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license, the method comprising:

triggering the code;

performing, by the code, a review of the DRM system to establish validity thereof;

judging, by the code, based on the review, whether the DRM system is to be trusted as valid and able to enforce the license;

requesting, by the code, that the DRM system determine whether the license allows the application to execute to perform the function, the DRM system thereafter reviewing any terms in the license to determine whether such terms permit such execution of the application;

executing the application only if the DRM system is judged to be trusted and only if the DRM system determines that the license in fact allows the application to execute to perform the function.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising performing a hash on the DRM system, comparing the hash with a trusted hash of the DRM system, and judging by the comparison whether the DRM system is to be trusted.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising comparing the hash with a trusted hash of the DRM system included with the application.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method in combination with a digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application, all on a computing device, the application for being executed to perform a function and including code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license, the method comprising:

triggering the code;

performing, by the code, a review of the DRM system to establish validity thereof;

judging, by the code, based on the review, whether the DRM system is to be trusted as valid and able to enforce the license;

requesting, by the code, that the DRM system determine whether the license allows the application to execute to perform the function, the DRM system thereafter reviewing any terms in the license to determine whether such terms permit such execution of the application;

executing the application only if the DRM system is judged to be trusted and only if the DRM system determines that the license in fact allows the application to execute to perform the function.

24. The medium of claim 23 wherein the method comprises performing a hash on the DRM system, comparing the hash with a trusted hash of the DRM system, and judging by the comparison whether the DRM system is to be trusted.

25. The medium of claim 24 wherein the method comprises comparing the hash with a trusted hash of the DRM system included with the application.