Updating Applications Using Migration Signatures

• US 20140040873A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldman, Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/64 Self-signed certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/68 Special signature format, e.g. XML format
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, an installation file digitally signed with a first package signature is received. It is determined whether the received installation file includes a migration signature that covers the first package signature and that matches a second signature associated with an installed software application, to confirm that the received installation file includes a valid update related to the installed software application. The installed software application is updated from the received installation file when the migration signature is included.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving an installation file digitally signed with a first package signature;

determining whether the received installation file includes a migration signature to confirm that the received installation file includes a valid update related to an installed software application, wherein the migration signature is applied to the installation file and the first package signature after being signed with the first package signature, and wherein the migration signature matches a second signature associated with the installed software application; and

updating the installed software application based on the received installation file when the migration signature is included.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signature is associated with a self-signed security certificate, and wherein the first package signature is associated with a certificate issued by a certificate authority.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first package signature is associated with a first public signing key, the second signature is associated with a second public signing key different from the first public signing key, and

the migration signature is associated with the second public signing key when the migration signature is included.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

comparing an identifier generated from the second signature with an identifier generated from the migration signature to determine whether or not the identifiers match; and

when the identifiers match, determining that the migration signature matches the second signature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second signature and the migration signature are associated with different public signing keys, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the first package signature of the installation file matches the second signature associated with the installed software application;

updating the installed software application from the received installation file when the first package signature matches the second signature; and

not updating the installed software application otherwise.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether the first package signature matches the second signature comprises:

determining whether an identifier generated from the first package signature matches an identifier generated from the second signature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application is installed and updated in a cross-platform runtime environment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving an installation file, digitally signed with the first package signature, that includes an update to an association between the installed software application and an application publisher.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the installed software application based on the received installation file changes an association of the second digital signature with the installed software application without otherwise affecting the installed software application, such that future updates to the installed software application are signed by only the first package signature.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory storage medium coupled with the processor, the non-transitory storage medium including instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving an installation file digitally signed with a first package signature;

determining whether the received installation file includes a migration signature to confirm that the received installation file includes a valid update related to an installed software application, wherein the migration signature is applied to the installation file and the first package signature after being signed with the first package signature, and wherein the migration signature matches a second signature associated with the installed software application; and

updating the installed software application based on the received installation file when the migration signature is included.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second signature is associated with a self-signed security certificate, and wherein the first package signature is associated with a certificate issued by a certificate authority.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first package signature is associated with a first public signing key, the second signature is associated with a second public signing key different from the first public signing key, and

the migration signature is associated with the second public signing key when the migration signature is included.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises:

comparing an identifier generated from the second signature with an identifier generated from the migration signature to determine whether or not the identifiers match; and

when the identifiers match, determining that the migration signature matches the second signature.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second signature and the migration signature are associated with different public signing keys, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the first package signature of the installation file matches the second signature associated with the installed software application;

updating the installed software application from the received installation file when the first package signature matches the second signature; and

not updating the installed software application otherwise.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining whether the first package signature matches the second signature comprises:

determining whether an identifier generated from the first package signature matches an identifier generated from the second signature.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the software application is installed and updated in a cross-platform runtime environment.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving an installation file, digitally signed with the first package signature, that includes an update to an association between the installed software application and an application publisher.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein updating the installed software application based on the received installation file changes an association of the second digital signature with the installed software application without otherwise affecting the installed software application, such that future updates to the installed software application are signed by only the first package signature.

19. A computer program product, encoded on a non-transitory storage medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving an installation file digitally signed with a first package signature;

determining whether the received installation file includes a migration signature to confirm that the received installation file includes a valid update related to an installed software application, wherein the migration signature is applied to the installation file and the first package signature after being signed with the first package signature, and wherein the migration signature matches a second signature associated with the installed software application; and

updating the installed software application based on the received installation file when the migration signature is included.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the second signature is associated with a self-signed security certificate, and wherein the first package signature is associated with a certificate issued by a certificate authority.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first package signature is associated with a first public signing key, the second signature is associated with a second public signing key different from the first public signing key, and

the migration signature is associated with the second public signing key when the migration signature is included.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the determining comprises:

comparing an identifier generated from the second signature with an identifier generated from the migration signature to determine whether or not the identifiers match; and

when the identifiers match, determining that the migration signature matches the second signature.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the second signature and the migration signature are associated with different public signing keys, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the first package signature of the installation file matches the second signature associated with the installed software application;

updating the installed software application from the received installation file when the first package signature matches the second signature; and

not updating the installed software application otherwise.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein determining whether the first package signature matches the second signature comprises:

determining whether an identifier generated from the first package signature matches an identifier generated from the second signature.

25. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the software application is installed and updated in a cross-platform runtime environment.

26. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving an installation file, digitally signed with the first package signature, that includes an update to an association between the installed software application and an application publisher.

27. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein updating the installed software application based on the received installation file changes an association of the second digital signature with the installed software application without otherwise affecting the installed software application, such that future updates to the installed software application are signed by only the first package signature.

28. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

obtaining an installation file digitally signed with a first signature, the installation file corresponding to a software application previously installed on a computing platform, and the software application having a second signature associated with the installed software application on the computing platform;

applying a migration signature to the installation file to generate a dual-signature installation file, the migration signature covering the first signature and matching the second signature associated with the installed software application to validate the first signature for association with the software application on the computing platform; and

distributing the dual-signature installation package for use on the computing platform.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the second signature is associated with a self-signed security certificate, and wherein the first signature is associated with a certificate issued by a certificate authority.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the obtained installation file includes an update to functionality of the installed software application.

31. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled with the processor, the computer readable medium including instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining an installation file digitally signed with a first signature, the installation file corresponding to a software application previously installed on a computing platform, and the software application having a second signature associated with the installed software application on the computing platform;

applying a migration signature to the installation file to generate a dual-signature installation file, the migration signature covering the first signature and matching the second signature associated with the installed software application to validate the first signature for association with the software application on the computing platform; and

distributing the dual-signature installation package for use on the computing platform.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the second signature is associated with a self-signed security certificate, and wherein the first signature is associated with a certificate issued by a certificate authority.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the obtained installation file includes an update to functionality of the installed software application.

34. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

obtaining an installation file digitally signed with a first signature, the installation file corresponding to a software application previously installed on a computing platform, and the software application having a second signature associated with the installed software application on the computing platform;

applying a migration signature to the installation file to generate a dual-signature installation file, the migration signature covering the first signature and matching the second signature associated with the installed software application to validate the first signature for association with the software application on the computing platform; and

distributing the dual-signature installation package for use on the computing platform.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the second signature is associated with a self-signed security certificate, and wherein the first signature is associated with a certificate issued by a certificate authority.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the obtained installation file includes an update to functionality of the installed software application.