Program Code Version Enforcement

• US 20070234403A1
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pipal, Brent, Hyland, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US11/746,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234403A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Implementations described and claimed herein enforce versions of program code on a client based on an operating policy during execution of the software. The version of program code on the client is checked for compliance with the operating policy when the client attempts to execute the program code or access a resource. If the program code on the client does not comply with the operating policy, the client is unable to execute the noncompliant program code or access the resource.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a version of program code satisfying an operating policy; and

denying a client access to a resource if a version of the program code on the client attempting to access the resource is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising granting the client access to the resource when the version of program code on the client corresponds to the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the version of program code on the client in response to requesting access to the resource on a network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the version of program code on the client during launch of the program code.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising writing the version of program code on the client to a cache and then reading the cache while the program code is loading.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the program code on the client when the version of the program code on the client is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a user at the client if the version of program code on the client is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a network administrator if the version of program code on the client is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording in a log if the version of program code on the client is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

10. A system comprising:

an operating policy; and

a compliance module accessing the operating policy and denying a client access to a resource if a version of program code on the client attempting to access the resource is different from a version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the resource is available via a host on a network.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a notification module, said notification module notifying at least one of a user, an administrator, and a log when the version of program code on the client is different from a version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the operating policy includes at least one access control list (ACL).

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the operating policy includes at least one access control entry (ACE).

15. A computer program product encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system a computer process, the computer process comprising:

determining a version of program code satisfying an operating policy; and

denying a client access to a resource if a version of the program code on the client attempting to access the resource is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the computer process further comprises determining the version of program code on the client in response to requesting access to the resource on a network.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the computer process further comprises determining the version of program code on the client while the program code is loading.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the computer process further comprises updating the program code on the client when the version of the program code on the client is different from the version of program code satisfying the operating policy.