Mobile programs

• US 20040037423A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Ghanea-Hercock, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/398,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4862 the task being a mobile agent, i.e. specifically designed to migrate

Abstract

A mobile agent computing system comprising at least one computer (10) having a communications port (12) running a host program (70) for facilitating execution of a mobile program (50) received via the port (12), the mobile program (50) including identification data indicative of its type, identity or origin, in which the host program (70) is arranged to test the mobile program for the possible presence of code which is inconsistent with the agent identification data, and to prevent execution of said inconsistent code.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising at least one computer (10) having a communications port (12), arranged to run a host program (70) for facilitating execution of a mobile program (50) received via said port (12), said mobile program (50) including identification data indicative of its type, identity or origin, characterised in that said host program (70) is arranged to test said mobile program for the possible presence of code which is inconsistent with said identification data, and to prevent execution of said inconsistent code.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which said mobile program comprises code arranged to execute at a first said computer (10);

to store data and to cause the transmission to said code and said data to a second said computer for execution thereon.

3. A system according to claim 2, in which said data is encrypted by an encryption algorithm which cannot be used to decrypt said data.

4. A system according to claim 3, in which said encryption algorithm is a public key algorithm and said data can be decrypted by a corresponding private key.

5. A system according to claim 3, in which said data comprises result data derived from the execution of said mobile program on said computer (10) and in which said computer (10) cannot decrypt said result data.

6. A system according to claim 3, in which said data comprises description data, descriptive of the mobile program (50), and in which said computer (10) decrypt said description data.

7. A system according to claim 1, in which said mobile program comprises itinerary data indicating a sequence of said computers (10) to be visited by said mobile program.

18. A computer (10) programmed to operate within a system according to any preceding claim.

19. A host program (70) suitable for execution on a computer according to claim 18 to facilitate operation of a mobile program (50) thereon.

20. A mobile program (50) for use in the system of any of claims 1-17.

21. A computer program product comprising a storage medium carrying code representing a program according to claim 19 or claim 20.

8. A computing system comprising at least one computer (10) arranged to run mobile agent programs, the computer being arranged to check for the presence of unauthorised code within said agent programs (50) and to deny access to its resources to programs (50) containing such unauthorised code.

9. A computing system comprising at least one computer (10) arranged to receive, and allow execution of, a mobile program (50), the mobile program (50) comprising data on actions which may be performed by said mobile program on said computer (10), in which the computer (10) is arranged to read said data and to allow or deny access to its resources in dependence thereon.

10. A system according to claim 9 in which the data comprises task list data, defining the sequence of tasks to be performed by said mobile program (50).

11. A system according to claim 10 in which said computer (10) is arranged to read said task list data prior to allowing said mobile program (50) to operate, and to allow said program (50) to operate only where said task list data is in accordance with predetermined conditions.

12. A system according to claim 10 or claim 11, in which the computer (10) is arranged to compare actions performed by said mobile program (50) with those of said task list, and to prevent performance of said tasks unless they correspond to said task list.

13. A system according to claim 9, in which said data comprises behaviour data indicating the behaviour of said mobile program (50) in response to predetermined external conditions.

14. A computer system comprising one or more computers (10) arranged to execute mobile programs (50), said mobile programs comprising at least first encrypted data which can be decrypted by said computers (10) and second encrypted data which cannot be decoded by said computers (10).

15. A system according to claim 14, in which the second encrypted data comprises data generated by said mobile program (50) at said computers (10).

16. A computer system comprising at least one computer (10) arranged to run a host program (70) for facilitating execution of a mobile program (50) received at said computer (10), in which said mobile program (50) is arranged to use resources on the computer (10) by passing a message to the host program (70).

17. A system according to claim 16 in which the host program (70) is arranged to supply authentication data to the mobile program (50) and the mobile program (50) is arranged to generate said messages using said authentication data, and the host program (50) is arranged to check said messages for conformity with said authentication data.