Application level security

• US 20040034767A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Haller, Jochen, Robinson, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/152
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

Techniques for providing application layer security may be facilitated by an arbitrator. In general, in one implementation, an arbitrator may receive a security tender including security requirements for an application, search for security services to fulfill the security requirements, determine whether discovered security services can satisfy the security requirements, and, if security services that can satisfy the security requirements exist, generate a security contract for the application, the security contract specifying how the application is to communicate with the security services that can satisfy the security requirements.

Claims

1. A method performed at a security service arbitrator, the method comprising:

receiving a security tender comprising security requirements for an application;

searching for security services to fulfill the security requirements;

determining that the security services satisfy the security requirements; and

generating a security contract for the application, the security contract specifying how the application is to communicate with the security services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the security requirements in the tender vary depending on application communication functions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a security contract for the application comprises selecting between a set of security services that satisfy a security requirement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the security contract allows the application to communicate directly with the security services that satisfy the security requirements.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising binding the contract with the application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving remote security requirements from a remote arbitrator;

determining whether the security services satisfy the remote security requirements; and

generating a message regarding the security services.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating the security contract for the application based on the security services.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the contract to determine whether it is still valid; and

if the contract is not still valid, revoking the contract.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein revoking the contract comprises determining that a predetermined period of time has expired.

10. A system comprising:

an arbitrator comprising;

a registrar operable to generate a security contract for an application in response to a security tender, the security tender comprising application security requirements, the security contract specifying how the application is to communicate with security services that can satisfy the security requirements; and

an administrator operable to determine whether the security contract is invalid.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the registrar is operable to:

receive the security tender;

search for the security services to fulfill the security requirements;

determine whether the security services satisfy the security requirements; and

generate the security contract.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the register is further operable to select between a set of security services that satisfy a security requirement.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the security contract allows the application to communicate directly with the security services.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the arbitrator comprises a linker operable to bind the contract with the application.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the arbitrator further comprises a negotiator operable to:

receive remote security requirements from a remote arbitrator;

determine that security services that satisfy the remote security requirements exist; and

generate a message regarding the security services.

16. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a security tender has been received at an arbitrator, the security tender comprising security requirements for an application;

searching for security services to fulfill the security requirements;

determining that the security services satisfy the security requirements; and

generating a security contract for the application, the security contract specifying how the application is to communicate with the security services.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein generating a security contract for the application comprises selecting between a set of security services that satisfy a security requirement.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein the security contract allows the application to communicate directly with the security services that.

19. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising binding the contract with the application.

20. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

receiving remote security requirements from a remote arbitrator;

determining that security services that satisfy the remote security requirements exist; and

generating a message regarding the security services.

21. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

monitoring the contract to determine whether it is still valid; and

if the contract is not still valid, revoking the contract.

22. A method performed by an application, the method comprising:

generating a security tender, the security tender containing security requirements for the application; and

determining whether a security contract has been received, the contract specifying how the application is to communicate with security services that satisfy the security requirements.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining that communication is desired with a second application;

contacting a security service based on a type of communication; and

communicating with the second application in accordance with the security service.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining whether the contract is still valid; and

if the contract is not still valid, terminating communication with a second application.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining whether the security contract is acceptable; and

if the security contract is not acceptable, refusing to communicate using the security contract.

26. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

generating a security tender at an application, the security tender containing security requirements for the application; and

determining whether a security contract has been received, the contract specifying how the application is to communicate with security services that satisfy the security requirements.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

determining that communication is desired with a second application;

contacting a security service based on a type of communication; and

communicating with the second application in accordance with the security service.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the contract is still valid; and

if the contract is not still valid, terminating communication with a second application.

29. The article of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the security contract is acceptable; and

if the security contract is not acceptable, refusing to communicate using the security contract.

30. A system comprising:

an article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising;

generating a security tender, the security tender containing security requirements for the application,

determining whether a security contract has been received, the contract specifying how the application is to communicate with security services that satisfy the security requirements,

determining that communication is desired with a second application,

contacting a security service based on a type of communication,

communicating with the second application in accordance with the security service,

determining whether the contract is still valid, and

if the contract is not still valid, terminating communication with the second application; and

an arbitrator operable to;

receive the security tender,

search for security services to fulfill the security requirements, the security requirements varying depending on application communication functions,

determine that the security services satisfy the security requirements,

generate the security contract,

bind the contract with the application,

receive remote security requirements from a remote arbitrator,

determine that security services that can satisfy the remote security requirements exist,

generate a message regarding the security services,

generate a security contract for an application based on the security services that can satisfy the security requirements,

monitor the security contract to determine whether it is still valid, and

if the contract is not still valid, revoke the contract.