Authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to public, and storage medium

• US 6,266,772 B1
• Filed: 02/27/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/031,713
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 713/155, 713/156, 713/168, 713/169, 713/170, 713/175, 713/182
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links

Abstract

In case of giving an ID and a password to an applicant who has applied for authentication, an applicant management file constituting a WWW-contents-opening authentication system records information on the application, such as the name of the applicant and the ID as well as the password. Using the given ID as well as the password, the applicant who has accessed the WWW-contents-opening authentication system causes this system to display an application screen, on which he/she enters necessary items. After the necessary items have been entered, a contents collection robot constituting the WWW-contents-opening authentication system collects the WWW contents of the applicant at a predetermined time. Information on the collected WWW contents is stored in a contents-opening-authentication log file constituting the WWW-contents-opening authentication system, and the opening of the WWW contents to the public is authenticated on the basis of the stored information.

Claims

1. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public, comprising:

an applicant management unit entering and managing applicants for authentication of the electronic data objects to-be-opened;

a contents collection unit collecting contents of the electronic data object to-be-opened on a network, the contents being designated by the applicant entered in said applicant management unit and also collecting a publication date of the contents used for authenticating the electronic data object to be opened; and

a contents-opening-authentication log unit logging, at least, said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened as collected by said contents collection unit, and offering in case of authenticating the opening of said electronic data object, data necessary for the authentication of said opening of said electronic data object on the basis of the logged contents.

2. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 1, wherein said applicant management unit enters at least one of an ID and a password of which said applicant is notified.

3. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 2, wherein said applicant is authorized to use said authentication system, on the basis of an input of at least one of the ID and the password.

4. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 1, wherein when a predetermined time has come, said contents collection unit automatically collects through the network said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened as designated by said applicant.

5. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 4, wherein said contents collection unit includes:

a first storage unit storing therein a location of said electronic data object to-be-opened on said network;

a second storage unit storing therein the number of hierarchical levels of a hierarchical structure formed by each page of said electronic data object to-be-opened;

a communication unit establishing a communication connection of said authentication system through said network to the location of said electronic data object to-be-opened as stored in said first storage unit; and

a collection capability unit collecting said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened to the amount of pages thereof in said number of the hierarchical levels as stored in said second storage unit.

6. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 4, wherein said contents collection unit collects said contents of said electronic data object to-be opened as designated by said applicant, through the network, at least two different times.

7. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 6, wherein said contents collection unit includes:

a first storage unit storing therein a location of said electronic data object to-be-opened on said network;

a second storage unit storing therein the number of hierarchical levels of a hierarchical structure formed by each page of said electronic data object to-be-opened;

a third storage unit storing therein the first time for the collection;

a fourth storage unit storing therein the second time for the collection;

a communication unit establishing a communication connection of said authentication system through said network to the location of said electronic data object to-be-opened as stored in said first storage unit; and

a collection capability unit collecting said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened to the amount of pages thereof in said number of the hierarchical levels as stored in said second storage unit.

8. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 1, wherein said contents-opening-authentication log unit logs, at least a name of each of the applicants, said contents of said electronic data object to-be opened, a location of said electronic data object to-be-opened, accessible limits of said electronic data object to-be-opened, and a time for the collection of said electronic data object to-be-opened.

9. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 1, wherein said contents-opening-authentication log unit contains at least two sets of data which are necessary for said authentication of said opening of the same contents, and one of which is logged in an encrypted form.

10. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public, comprising:

an applicant management unit entering and managing applicants for authentication of the electronic data objects to-be-opened;

an opening unit opening onto a network, contents of the electronic data object forwarded from the applicant; and

a contents-opening-authentication log unit logging, at least the contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened and a publication date of the contents used for authenticating the electronic data object to be opened as forwarded from said applicant, and for offering in case of authenticating the opening of said electronic data object, data necessary for the authentication of said opening of said electronic data object on the basis of the logged contents.

11. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 10, wherein said applicant management unit enters at least one of an ID and a password of which said applicant is notified.

12. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 11, wherein said applicant is authorized to use said authentication system, on the basis of an input of at least one of the ID and the password.

13. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 10, wherein said contents-opening-authentication log unit logs, at least, a name of each of the applicants, said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened, and an opening onset time of said electronic data object to-be-opened.

14. An authentication system for electronic dataobjects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 10, wherein said contents-opening-authentication log unit contains at least two sets of data which are necessary for said authentication of said opening of the same contents, and one of which is logged in an encrypted form.

15. A computer-readable storage medium in which a program is stored, the program causing a computer to execute:

a procedure for collecting contents of an electronic data object to-be-opened on a network as designated by an application for authentication;

a procedure for logging collection time information together with the collected contents of the electronic data object to-be-opened; and

a procedure for outputting the logged contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened and the logged collection time information.

16. A computer-readable storage medium in which a program is stored, the program causing a computer to execute:

a procedure for collecting contents of an electronic data object to-be-opened on a network as designated by an application for authentication, on the basis of first temporal information;

a procedure for collecting the designated contents of the electronic data object to-be-opened on the network on the basis of second temporal information;

a procedure for logging open term information relevant to the first temporal information and the second temporal information, together with the collected contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened; and

a procedure for outputting the logged contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened and the logged opening term information.

17. A computer-readable storage medium in which a program is stored, the program causing a computer to execute:

a procedure for receiving contents of an electronic data object to-be-opened from an applicant with a publication date of the contents used for authenticating the electronic data object to be opened;

a procedure for opening the received contents of the electronic data object on a network; and

a procedure for outputting the opened contents of said electronic data object and information in an open term of said electronic data object.

18. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public, comprising:

an applicant management unit entering and managing applicants for authentication of the electronic data objects to-be-opened;

a contents collection unit collecting contents of the electronic data object to-be-opened on a network, the contents being designated by the applicant entered in said applicant management; and

a contents-opening-authentication log unit logging, at least, said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened as collected by said contents collection unit, and offering in case of authenticating the opening of said electronic data object, data necessary for the authentication of said opening of said electronic data object on the basis of the logged contents,

wherein when a predetermined time has come, said contents collection unit automatically collects through the network said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened as designated by said applicant.

19. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 18, wherein said contents collection unit includes:

a first storage unit storing therein a location of said electronic data object to-be-opened on said network;

a second storage unit storing therein the number of hierarchical levels of a hierarchical structure formed by each page of said electronic data object to-be-opened;

a communication unit establishing a communication connection of said authentication system through said network to the location of said electronic data object to-be-opened as stored in said first storage unit; and

a collection capability unit collecting said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened to the amount of pages thereof in said number of the hierarchical levels as stored in said second storage unit.

20. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 18, wherein said contents collection unit collects said contents of said electronic data object to-be opened as designated by said applicant, through the network, at least two different times.

21. An authentication system for electronic data objects to be opened to the public as defined in claim 20, wherein said contents collection unit includes:

a first storage unit storing therein a location of said electronic data object to-be-opened on said network;

a second storage unit storing therein the number of hierarchical levels of a hierarchical structure formed by each page of said electronic data object to-be-opened;

a third storage unit storing therein the first time for the collection;

a fourth storage unit storing therein the second time for the collection;

a communication unit establishing a communication connection of said authentication system through said network to the location of said electronic data object to-be-opened as stored in said first storage unit; and

a collection capability unit collecting said contents of said electronic data object to-be-opened to the amount of pages thereof in said number of the hierarchical levels as stored in said second storage unit.

22. A method comprising:

storing a document received via a computer communications network from an authorized user;

comparing the stored document with a second document publicly available on a computer communications network; and

logging a result of the comparing on a computer communications network.

23. A computer readable storage medium storing a program instructing a computer to perform:

storing a document received via a computer communications network from an authorized user;

comparing the stored document with a second document publicly available on a computer communications network; and

logging the results of the comparing on a computer communications network.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a management unit storing a document received via a computer communications network from an authorized user;

a comparing unit comparing the received document with a second document publicly available on a computer communications network; and

a logging unit logging a result from the comparing unit on a computer communications network.