Security system for event based middleware

• US 6,158,007 A
• Filed: 09/17/1997
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Proofpoint Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jahanshah Moreh, Terry M. Olkin
• Inventors: Olkin, Terry M., Moreh, Jahanshah
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US08/932,322
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 380/25, 395/187.01, 713/150, 713/201, 713/166, 713/164, 713/200, 711/163
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A security system (10) for users (50) to employ applications (12) as either publishing applications (24) or subscribing applications (26), for communicating messages (16) on computer networks. Each application (12) includes a client (28) which obtains from the user (50) a user ID (52) and a password (54), for authentication to a broker (30). The messages (16) are each assigned a subject (18) having a security policy (20), which includes an access control list (70) and a quality of protection (72). The access control list (70) may specify who may publish, who may subscribe, and who may ask for guaranteed delivery of messages (16) on the associated subject (18). Similarly, the quality of protection (72) may specify whether such messages (16) are privacy, integrity, or nonrepudiation protected, and whether they are to be audited. The broker (30) then employs the security policy (20) to control publishing and subscribing of the messages (16) and to provide the requested security protections.

Claims

1. A system for providing security for messages between users on a computer network, the system comprising:

means for associating a security policy to any of a plurality of previously defined subjects, wherein said subjects are not the users;

means for assigning said messages to said subjects; and

a broker to identify and authorize said users and to enforce said security policies as said messages are communicated between said users in said network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

respective said security policies specify which said users may publish and which said users may receive said messages on associated respective said subjects.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

specification in said security policy of at least one member of an attribute set consisting of a privacy attribute, an integrity attribute, a nonrepudiation attribute, and an audit attribute;

said messages on said subjects having said privacy attribute set in their security policy are encrypted;

said messages on said subjects having said integrity attribute set in their security policy are checksum protected;

said messages on said subjects having said nonrepudiation attribute set in their security policy are digitally signed; and

said messages on said subjects having said audit attribute set in their security policy are copied into an archive.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said users employ an application program to publish and receive said messages;

said application program includes a client which solicits credentials from said user; and

said client obtains access to publish and receive said messages on said network from said broker based upon said credentials.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

said credentials include a user ID and a password.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

said broker is authenticated to said client using digital certificate authentication; and

said client is authenticated to said broker using a member of the authentication model set consisting of password authentication, digital certificate authentication, and third-party trusted host authentication.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a security repository for securely storing said subjects, said security policies, and associations between them.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

said plurality of previously defined subjects includes an administration subject; and

said broker updates said security repository by receiving instances of said messages published on said administration subject, thereby administering the system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said subjects are added to and deleted from said security repository by publication of specific said messages on said administration subject; and

said security policies are added, modified, and deleted by publication of specific said messages on said administration subject.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said security policies include access control lists to specify which said users may publish and receive said messages on particular said subjects; and

said users are added to and deleted from said access control lists by publication of messages on said administration subject.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said security policies include a plurality of settable security attributes for defining types of security to apply; and

said security attributes are set and unset by publication of specific messages on said administration subject.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein:

said subjects are ordered in a hierarchy; and

said security policies assigned to higher ordered said subjects in said hierarchy apply also to lower ordered said subjects in said hierarchy, thereby permitting inheritance of said security policies.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said security policies assigned to higher ordered said subjects in said hierarchy are overridden by any said security policies assigned to lower ordered said subjects in said hierarchy, thereby permitting more flexible administration of inheritance by said security policies.

14. A method of providing security for messages between users of a computer network, the steps comprising:

defining subjects for said messages, wherein said subjects are not the users;

associating a security policy with each said subject;

identifying and authenticating said users to a broker; and

enforcing said security policy with said broker automatically as said messages are communicated between said users in said network.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

specifying in each said security policy which of said users may publish said messages on the associated said subject and which of said users may receive said messages on the associated said subject.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

specifying in each said security policy at least one member of an attribute set consisting of a privacy attribute, an integrity attribute, a nonrepudiation attribute, and an audit attribute;

encrypting instances of said messages on said subjects in which said security policy specifies said privacy attribute;

checksumming instances of said messages on said subjects in which said security policy specifies said integrity attribute;

origin vouching instances of said messages on said subjects in which said security policy specifies said nonrepudiation attribute; and

auditing instances of said messages on said subjects in which said security policy specifies said audit attribute.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

said step of encrypting uses Data Encryption Standard;

said step of checksumming uses Message Digest 5; and

said step of origin vouching uses Digital Signature Algorithm.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

said users employ an application program to publish and receive said messages; and

said application program includes a client which performs said step of identifying and authenticating said users to said broker; and

the method further comprising;

soliciting credentials from said user with said client; and

controlling access of particular said users to publish and receive said messages on said network based upon said credentials.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

authenticating said client to said broker; and

authenticating said broker to said client, thereby controlling access by said users to said network.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing said subjects, said security policies, and associations between them in a security repository.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

publishing administration messages on a previously defined administration subject;

receiving said administration messages with said broker; and

updating said security repository based upon said administration messages, thereby administering security of said network.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

controlling access of particular said users to publish and receive said messages on said network based upon adding to and deleting from said security repository by publication of specific said administration messages.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

defining at least one said user as an administration user; and

publishing at least one specific said administration message requesting that only said administration users have access to publish on said administration subject, thereby controlling security over said administration subject.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

controlling types of security applied for specific said subjects by publication of specific said administration messages.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

ordering said subjects into a hierarchy; and

applying said security policies assigned to higher ordered said subjects in said hierarchy also to lower ordered said subjects in said hierarchy, thereby permitting inheritance of said security policies.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

overriding selectively any said security policies assigned to higher ordered said subjects in said hierarchy by specifically assigning different said security policies to lower ordered said subjects in said hierarchy, thereby permitting more flexible administration of inheritance by said security policies.