Authentication program for a computer operating system

• US 6,779,117 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1999
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cybersoft, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cybersoft, Inc.
• Inventors: Wells, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, JENISE E
• Application Number:
  US09/360,213
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/164, 713/165, 713/166, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/565 by checking file integrity

Abstract

A Computer Authentication System, CASA; a software application which performs file authentication functions in any Microsoft® Windows® registry based computer operating system. The CASA system modifies the manner in which Microsoft® Windows® executes application programs. This modification allows the CASA software to easily specify authentication functions to be performed on executed applications, including, but not limited to virus scanning, security access validation, license auditing, version checking, file change detection, and/or usage logging. CASA operates by altering the Windows® registry so that the CASA application starts before execution of the user specified application, applies authentication functions to the user specified application, and takes appropriate actions based on the results of said authentication. This method provides a significant improvement over existing authentication procedures because the CASA application executes only when needed, executes without user intervention, allows multiple authentication functions to be performed at once, and does not use up resources on the host computer when not in use.

Claims

1. A method for causing the authentication of computer application and data files after computer startup comprising the steps of:

receiving a user command to execute an application program in an operating system execution control system;

scanning a registry in said operating system execution control system in order to determine if an authentication program shall be executed prior to execution of said application program;

executing said authentication program;

specifying to said authentication program a path to said application program and related files;

allowing said authentication program to act on said application program and related files;

preventing an execution of said application program under predetermined conditions; and

,

terminating said authentication program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication program executes said application program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication program executes a virus scanning function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication program comprises a user selectable menu of functions including a virus scanning function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user selectable menu of functions further comprises a password authentication function, a change detection function, a license auditing function, an activity logging function, and a version checking function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said operating system execution control subsystem further comprises a registry database having data to correlate application programs with data files.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said registry database is modified to allow said authentication program to execute.

8. In a Microsoft®

Windows®

operating system having subsystems including an operating system application execution control subsystem, visual display control, input/output control, memory management, a task scheduler, and a registry database correlating all data file types with an associated application program;

the improvement comprising;

receiving a user command to execute an application program in the Microsoft®

Windows®

operating system execution control subsystem;

executing an authentication program specified by data contained in the Microsoft®

Windows®

registry database, wherein the Microsoft®

Windows®

registry database is modified by;

modifying the information in registry database key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Classes/.exe to contain the string “

“

CASA”

%1%*”

, if the data contained in said registry database key does not redirect the operating system execution control subsystem to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Classes/exefile;

modifying the information in registry database key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Classes/exefile/Default icon to contain the string “

“

CASA”

%1”

; and

modifying the information in registry database key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Classes/exefile/shell/open to contain the string “

“

CASA”

%1%*”

to cause the Microsoft®

Windows®

operating system execution control subsystem to execute said authentication program;

specifying to said authentication program a path to said application program and related files;

allowing said authentication program to act on said application program and related files; and

preventing an execution of said application program under predetermined conditions.