Environment integrity assured transactions

• US 20040123133A1
• Filed: 12/24/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tripwire Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ORIX Growth Capital, LLC (ORIX Corporation)
• Inventors: DiFalco, Robert A., Good, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

In a networked computing environment, a server is equipped to assure the integrity of the service components of a service, including the direct service providing component and one or more supporting components as requested, and a client is equipped to request on behalf of an application in need of the service the integrity assurance. The client is further equipped to either request or accept the service, only upon receiving the integrity assurance. In one embodiment, the request for integrity assurance, and the subsequent conditional request or acceptance of the service is performed in real time.

Claims

1. In a networked computing environment, a method of operation comprising:

a client, having a need for a service of a server with the service to be provided by a first component and assisted by at least a second component, requesting the server to assure the integrity of the service providing components including the first and at least one of the supporting components; and

the client either requesting the service to be provided or accepting the requested service only upon receiving the requested integrity assurance from the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said client requesting of the server to assure integrity of the service providing components comprises the client requesting the server to assure the integrity of the first component and supporting components up to n level(s) removed from the first component, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein n is greater than one.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said client requesting of the server to assure integrity of the service providing components comprises an application environment integrity assurance manager of the client requesting on behalf of an application in need of the service, an application environment integrity assurance manager of the server to assure on behalf of the service providing components, the integrity of the service providing components, including the first and at least one of the supporting components as requested.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises the application environment integrity assurance manager of the server assuring, on behalf of the service providing components, the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, the integrity of the service providing components, including at least the first and the supporting components requested by the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, on behalf of the application in need of the service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the application environment integrity assurance managers of the client and the server request and assure the other through a secure transport layer of the client and a secure transport layer of the server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the server assuring the client the integrity of the service providing components including at least the first and the supporting components requested by the client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the server verifying the integrity of the first and the supporting components requested by the client real time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the server verifying the integrity of the service providing components including the first and a plurality of supporting components periodically.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said server verifying the integrity of the service providing components including the first and a plurality of supporting components periodically comprises the server verifying the integrity of the first and a first subset of the supporting components with one periodicity, and a second subset of the supporting components with another periodicity.

11. A networked computing environment comprising:

a server equipped with a plurality of components to provide a service, including an ability, when requested, to assure the integrity of the service providing components of the service, including the direct service providing component and one or more supporting components as requested; and

a client coupled to the server, and equipped to request the integrity assurance and either request the service or accept the requested service only upon receiving the requested integrity assurance.

12. The networked computing environment of claim 11, wherein the server is equipped to assure the integrity of the direct service providing component and supporting components up to n level(s) removed from the direct service providing component, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one, and the client is equipped to so request for integrity assurance.

13. The networked computing environment of claim 12, wherein n is greater than one.

14. The networked computing environment of claim 11, wherein said server is equipped with an application environment integrity assurance manager to assure on behalf of the service providing components, the integrity of the service providing components, including the direct service providing component and at least one of the supporting components, as requested, and the client is also equipped with an application environment integrity assurance manager to so request, on behalf of an application in need of the service, the application environment integrity assurance manager of the server for integrity assurance.

15. The networked computing environment of claim 14, wherein each of the server and the client further comprises a secure transport layer, and the application environment integrity assurance managers of the server and the client are further equipped to assure and request the other through the secure transport layers of the server and the client.

16. The networked computing environment of claim 11, wherein the server is further equipped to verifying the integrity of the direct service providing component and the supporting components requested by the client real time.

17. The networked computing environment of claim 11, wherein the server is further equipped to verifying the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and a plurality of supporting components periodically.

18. The networked computing environment of claim 17, wherein the server is equipped to verifying the integrity of the direct service providing component and a first subset of the supporting components with one periodicity, and a second subset of the supporting components with another periodicity.

19. In a server, a method of operation comprising:

receiving a request to assure the integrity of service providing components of a service, including at least a direct service providing component and at least one other supporting component; and

in response, assuring the requestor the integrity of the service providing components of the service, including at least the direct service providing component and at least the supporting component(s) requested.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said request requesting integrity assurance of the direct service providing component and supporting components up to n level(s) removed from the direct service providing component, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein n is greater than one.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiving comprises receiving by an application environment integrity assurance manager of the server, on behalf of the service providing components, from an application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, the request, requesting on behalf of an application in need of the service, assurance of the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and at least one of the supporting components.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said assuring comprises the application environment integrity assurance manager of the server assuring on behalf of the service providing components, the application in need of the service, via the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, the integrity of the service providing components including at least the direct service providing component and the supporting components requested by the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the application environment integrity assurance managers of the client and the server request and assure the other through a secure transport layer of the client and a secure transport layer of the server.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises verifying the integrity of the direct service providing and the supporting components requested real time.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises verifying the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and a plurality of supporting components periodically.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said verifying of the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and a plurality of supporting components periodically comprises verifying the integrity of the direct service providing component and a first subset of the supporting components with one periodicity, and a second subset of the supporting components with another periodicity.

28. A computing apparatus comprising:

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to enable the computing apparatus to

receive a request to assure the integrity of service providing components of a service, including at least a direct service providing component and at least one other supporting component; and

in response, assure the requestor the integrity of the service providing components of the service, including at least the direct service providing component and at least the supporting component(s) requested; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said request requesting integrity assurance of the direct service providing component and supporting components up to n level(s) removed from the direct service providing component, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein n is greater than one.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the programming instructions implement an application environment integrity assurance manager to receive, on behalf of the service providing components, the request, from an application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, requesting on behalf of an application in need of the service, assurance of the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and at least one of the supporting components.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to implement the application environment integrity assurance manager to assure, on behalf of the service providing components, the application in need of the service, via the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, the integrity of the service providing components including at least the direct service providing component and the supporting components requested by the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to implement the application environment integrity assurance manager to accept the request from, and provide the assurance to the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, through a secure transport layer of the client and a secure transport layer of the apparatus.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to verify the integrity of the direct service providing and the supporting components requested real time.

35. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to verify the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and a plurality of supporting components periodically.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to perform said verifying of the integrity of the service providing components including the direct service providing component and a plurality of supporting components periodically by verifying the integrity of the direct service providing component and a first subset of the supporting components with one periodicity, and a second subset of the supporting components with another periodicity.

37. In a client, a method of operation comprising:

requesting from a server assurance of the integrity of service providing components of the server providing a service of the server, including at least a direct service providing component and at least one other supporting component; and

either requesting or accepting said service only upon receiving assurance from the server the integrity of the service providing components of the service, including at least the direct service providing component and at least the supporting component(s) requested.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said request of the server'"'"'s assurance requesting integrity assurance of the direct service providing component and supporting components up to n level(s) removed from the direct service providing component, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein n is greater than one.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein said requesting of the server'"'"'s assurance comprises requesting by an application environment integrity assurance manager of the client, on behalf of an application of the client in need of the service, of an application environment integrity assurance manager of the server, to assure, on behalf of the service providing components, integrity of the service providing components, including the direct service providing component and at least one of the supporting components.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the method further comprises the application environment integrity assurance manager of the client receiving from the application environment integrity assurance manager of the server assuring on behalf of the service providing components, the integrity of the service providing components including at least the direct service providing component and the supporting components requested.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the application environment integrity assurance managers of the client and the server request and assure the other through a secure transport layer of the client and a secure transport layer of the server.

43. An apparatus comprising:

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to enable the apparatus to

request from a server assurance of the integrity of service providing components of the server providing a service of the server, including at least a direct service providing component and at least one other supporting component; and

either request or accept said service only upon receiving assurance from the server the integrity of the service providing components of the service, including at least the direct service providing component and at least the supporting component(s) requested; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said request of the server'"'"'s assurance requesting integrity assurance of the direct service providing component and supporting components up to n level(s) removed from the direct service providing component, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein n is greater than one.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said programming instructions are designed to implement an application environment integrity assurance manager, requesting on behalf of an application in need of the service, of an application environment integrity assurance manager of the server, to assure, on behalf of the service providing components, integrity of the service providing components, including the direct service providing component and at least one of the supporting components.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to enable the application environment integrity assurance manager to receive from the application environment integrity assurance manager of the server, assuring on behalf of the service providing components, the integrity of the service providing components, including at least the direct service providing component and the supporting components requested.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the application environment integrity assurance managers of the client and the server request and assure the other through a secure transport layer of the client and a secure transport layer of the server.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the apparatus is a selected one of a wireless mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a palm-sized computing device, a laptop computer, a desktop computer and a set-top box.