Electronic notary system and method for long-term digital signature authentication

• US 20050125656A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rizwan Mallal, Walid Negm
• Original Assignee: Rizwan Mallal, Walid Negm
• Inventors: Negm, Walid, Mallal, Rizwan
• Application Number:
  US10/869,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125656A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A system for verification of a digital signature when 1) a digital certificate has expired and not been renewed, 2) a signatory has left or has a different position within an organization, or 3) the signing entity is no longer in existence, wherein the system eliminates the need to renew digital certificates, while still providing long-term authentication of digital signatures.

Claims

1. A method for verifying a digital signature on a document after expiration of a digital certificate, said method comprising the steps of:

1) applying end-user signatures on a document by a client-side tool or by a server on behalf of the client

2) signing the document in the presence of an e-notary;

3) verifying the end-user'"'"'s digital certificate;

4) verifying the end-user'"'"'s digital signature on the document;

5) validating the end-user'"'"'s digital certificate; and

6) signing the end-user'"'"'s digital signature and digital certificate by the e-notary