Secure network protocol system and method

• US 5,850,449 A
• Filed: 05/19/1997
• Issued: 12/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: McManis, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/858,785
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/21, 380/25, 380/30, 395/683
• US Class Current: 713/161
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A computer network having first and second network entities. The first network entity includes a packet object generator that generates a packet object including an executable source method, an executable destination method, and data associated with each of the methods. The first network entity also includes a communications interface to transmit the packet object. The second network entity includes a communications interface to receive the packet object and an incoming packet object handler to handle the received packet object. The incoming packet object handler includes a source and destination verifier to execute the source and destination methods with their associated data so as to verify the source and destination of the received object packet.

Claims

1. In a computer network having a plurality of network entities, a first one of the network entities comprising:

an object generator to generate an object that has a source and a destination and includes an executable source method, an executable destination method, and data associated with the source and destination methods;

a communications interface to transmit the generated object and to receive objects transmitted by other ones of the network entities, wherein at least a subset of the received objects each include source and destination methods and data associated with the source and destination methods; and

an incoming object handler to handle the subset of the received objects, the incoming object handler including a source and destination verifier to execute the source and destination methods of one of the received objects with their associated data so as to verify the source and destination of the received object.

2. The one network entity of claim 1 wherein:

the object generator includes a signature generator to (A) generate one or more digital signatures that each include a message digest generated by performing a predetermined function on corresponding contents of the generated object, (B) encrypt each message digest with a private encryption key, and (C) embed each digital signature in the generated object;

the incoming object handler further includes a signature verifier to (A) decrypt each encrypted message digest in the one received object with a public encryption key, (B) for each encrypted message digest, generate a corresponding verifying message digest by performing the predetermined function on the corresponding contents of the one received object, and (C) compare each decrypted message digest with the corresponding verifying message digest to verify the one received object'"'"'s contents.

3. The one network entity of claim 2, wherein:

the one or more digital signatures of the generated object include a methods signature for methods and a data signature for data;

the contents of the generated object corresponding to the message digest of the methods signature including the source and destination methods; and

the contents of the generated object corresponding to the message digest of the data signature include the data associated with the source and destination methods.

4. The one network entity of claim 1, wherein:

the generated object is an instance of an associated object class and includes an object header that identifies the object'"'"'s class as a predefined "security" class;

the incoming object handler further includes an object class screener to determine the one received object'"'"'s class and reject the one received object when its class is not the "security" class.

5. The one network entity of claim 1, further including a virtual machine module to execute programs written in a predefined virtual machine language regardless of the first network entity'"'"'s computer platform and operating system;

wherein the source and destination methods are written in the predefined virtual machine language and executed by the source and destination verifier with the virtual machine module.

6. The one network entity of claim 1, wherein:

the generated object further includes an executable main method and data associated with the main method;

the incoming object handler further includes a main method executer to execute the main method of the one received object with its associated data to implement a desired function after the source and destination verifier verifies the source and destination of the one received object.

7. The one network entity of claim 6, further including a virtual machine module to execute programs written in a predefined virtual machine language regardless of the first network entity'"'"'s computer platform and operating system;

wherein the source and destination methods are written in the predefined virtual machine language and executed by the source and destination verifier with the virtual machine module; and

the main method is written in the predefined virtual machine language and executed by the main method executer with the virtual machine module.

8. The one network entity of claim 1, wherein

the communications interface includes means for re-transmitting the one received object to an identified one of the other network entities when the source and destination verifier verifies that the destination of the one received object is the identified other network entity.

9. A method of managing communicating between network entities, comprising the steps of:

at a first one of the network entities;

generating an object that has a source and a destination and includes an executable source method, an executable destination method, and data associated with the source and destination methods;

transmitting the generated object;

receiving an object transmitted by another one of the network entities, the received data packet including source and destination methods and data associated with the source and destination methods; and

handling the received object, including executing the source and destination methods of the received object with their associated data so as to verify the source and destination of the received object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the step of generating the object includes (A) generating one or more digital signatures that each include a message digest generated by performing a corresponding predetermined function on corresponding contents of the generated object, (B) encrypting each message digest with a private encryption key, and (C) embedding each digital signature in the generated object;

the step of handling the received object further includes (A) decrypting an encrypted message digest in the received object with a public encryption key, (B) for each decrypted message digest, generating a corresponding verifying message digest by performing the predetermined function on the corresponding contents of the received object, and (C) comparing each decrypted message digest with the corresponding verifying message digest to verify the received object'"'"'s contents.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more digital signatures of the generated object include a methods signature for methods and a data signature for data;

the contents of the generated object corresponding to the message digest of the methods signature include the source and destination methods; and

the contents of the generated object corresponding to the message digest of the data signature include the data associated with the source and destination methods.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the generated object is an instance of an associated object class and includes an object header that identifies the object'"'"'s class as a predefined "security" class; and

the step of handling the received object further includes determining the received object'"'"'s class and rejecting the received object when its class is not the "security" class.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the generated object further includes an executable main method and data associated with the main method; and

the step of handling the received object further includes executing the main method of the received object with its associated data to implement a desired function after the source and destination of the received packet have been verified.

14. In a computer network having a plurality of network entities, a first one of the network entities comprising:

a communications interface to receive objects transmitted by other ones of the network entities, wherein at least a subset of the received objects each include source and destination methods and data associated with the source and destination methods; and

an incoming object handler to handle the subset of the received objects, the incoming object handler including a source and destination verifier to execute the source and destination methods of each received object with their associated data so as to verify the source and destination of the received object.

15. The one network entity of claim 14 wherein:

the subset of received objects each include an embedded digital signature, the digital signature for a received object including a message digest encrypted with a private encryption key, the message digest corresponding to a result produced by performing a predetermined function on corresponding contents of the received object; and

the incoming object handler includes a signature verifier to (A) decrypt the encrypted message digest in the received object with a public encryption key, (B) generate a corresponding verifying message digest by performing the predetermined function on the corresponding contents of the received object, and (C) compare the decrypted message digest with the corresponding verifying message digest to verify the received object'"'"'s contents.

16. The one network entity of claim 14, wherein:

the generated object further includes an executable main method and data associated with the main method; and

the incoming object handler further includes a main method executer to execute the main method of the received object with its associated data to implement a desired function after the source and destination verifier verifies the source and destination of the received object.

17. In a computer network having a plurality of network entities, a first one of the network entities comprising:

an object generator to generate an object that has a source and a destination and includes an executable source method, an executable destination method, and data associated with the source and destination methods;

wherein the source and destination methods, when executed by a receiving network entity, verify the source and destination of the object; and

a communications interface to transmit the generated object to the receiving network entity.

18. The one network entity of claim 17, wherein:

the generated object includes an embedded digital signature, the digital signature including a message digest encrypted with a private encryption key, the message digest corresponding to a result produced by performing a predetermined function on corresponding contents of the object; and

the digital signature enables the receiving network entity to verify the received object'"'"'s contents.

19. The one network entity of claim 17, wherein:

the generated object further includes an executable main method and data associated with the main method;

wherein the main method, when executed by the receiving network entity, implements a desired function after the source and destination of the received object have been verified.

20. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising:

instructions for receiving objects transmitted by network entities, wherein at least a subset of the received objects each include source and destination methods and data associated with the source and destination methods; and

an incoming object handler to handle the subset of the received objects, the incoming object handler including a source and destination verifier to execute the source and destination methods of each received object with their associated data so as to verify the source and destination of the received object.

21. The computer data signal of claim 20, wherein

the subset of received objects each include an embedded digital signature, the digital signature for a received object including a message digest encrypted with a private encryption key, the message digest corresponding to a result produced by performing a predetermined function on corresponding contents of the received object;

and

the incoming object handler includes a signature verifier to (A) decrypt the encrypted message digest in the received object with a public encryption key, (B) generate a corresponding verifying message digest by performing the predetermined function on the corresponding contents of the received object, and (C) compare the decrypted message digest with the corresponding verifying message digest to verify the received object'"'"'s contents.

22. The computer data signal of claim 20, wherein:

the generated object further includes an executable main method and data associated with the main method; and

the incoming object handler further includes a main method executer to execute the main method of the received object with its associated data to implement a desired function after the source and destination verifier verifies the source and destination of the received object.

23. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising:

an object generator to generate an object that has a source and a destination and includes an executable source method, an executable destination method, and data associated with the source and destination methods;

wherein the source and destination methods, when executed by a receiving network entity, verify the source and destination of the object; and

instructions for transmitting the generated object to the receiving network entity.

24. The computer data signal of claim 23, wherein:

the generated object includes an embedded digital signature, the digital signature including a message digest encrypted with a private encryption key, the message digest corresponding to a result produced by performing a predetermined function on corresponding contents of the object; and

the digital signature enables the receiving network entity to verify the received object'"'"'s contents.

25. The computer data signal of claim 23, wherein:

the generated object further includes an executable main method and data associated with the main method;

wherein the main method, when executed by the receiving network entity, implements a desired function after the source and destination of the received object have been verified.