Methods and systems for automated authentication, processing and issuance of digital certificates

• US 7,120,929 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DigiCert Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GeoTrust, Inc. (VeriSign, Inc.)
• Inventors: Remy, David, Beattie, Douglas, Creighton, Neal Jr., Hamandi, Hani, Bailey, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Louis-Jacques, Jacques H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lipman, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US10/907,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156, 726/5, 726/6
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer

Abstract

A computer system and process for automated identification, processing and issuance of digital certificates uses web server domain-control vetting to issue web server certificates. A requestor requests a web server certificate from a certificate authority and uses approver email address or addresses to request that the approver approve issuance of the certificate. If approved, the certificate authority accepts the request, creates and signs the certificate, and the signed certificate is sent to the requestor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one interface for receiving and providing information over the Internet; and

responsive to a request through the at least one interface for a digital credential, wherein the digital credential is for a domain name, and responsive to receiving contact information for an approver including an email address that indicates an association with the domain name, a server for providing, through the at least one interface, information to the approver using the contact information to contact the approver to allow the approver to approve the digital credential.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server causes the domain name to be vetted without accessing information from a secretary of state or from credit report providers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the server causes information to be accessed from a domain registrar database.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server provides a set of email addresses and receives a selection by the requestor of one of the email addresses.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a requestor, wherein the server can provide the information to the approver if the requester and the approver are different parties.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital credential includes a digital certificate for the domain name, and the request includes a certificate signing request (CSR).

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the request is received from a requestor, wherein the server can provide the information to the approver if the requester and the approver are different parties.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the server causes the domain name to be vetted without accessing information from a secretary of state or from credit report providers.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server causes information to be accessed from a domain registrar database.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the email address matches one of a predetermined set of aliases that include the domain name.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of aliases for the domain name includes all of the following:

webmaster@domain_name;

administrator@domain_name;

admin@domain_name;

info@domain_name;

sysadmin@domain_name; and

hostmaster@domain_name.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the request is received from a requestor, wherein the server can provide the information to the approver if the requester and the approver are different parties.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of aliases for the domain name includes one or more of the following:

webmaster@domain_name;

administrator@domain_name;

admin@domain_name;

info@domain_name;

sysadmin@domain_name; and

hostmaster@domain_name.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the request is received from a requestor, wherein the server can provide the information to the approver if the requester and the approver are different parties.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital credential is a digital certificate associated with the domain name.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the request is received from a hosting company acting on behalf of a domain name registrant.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the information provided by the server to the approver includes a link to an approval site associated with the server.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the request is received from a domain name registrant for using a secure socket layer (SSL) server certificate on the domain name site.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the request is received from a requestor, wherein the server can provide the information to the approver if the requester and the approver are different parties.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is responsive to an approval from the approver for creating and signing the certificate and for providing the signed certificate to the requestor.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the email address matches one of a predetermined set of aliases that include the domain name.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the set of aliases for the domain name includes one or more of the following:

webmaster@domain_name;

administrator@domain_name;

admin@domain_name;

info@domain_name;

sysadmin@domain_name; and

hostmaster@domain_name.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the set of aliases for the domain name includes all of the following:

webmaster@domain_name;

administrator@domain_name;

admin@domain_name;

info@domain_name;

sysadmin@domain_name and hostmaster@domain_name.

24. A storage medium for storing a computer program that is executable by a processor for performing the following:

receiving a request provided over the Internet for a digital credential, wherein the digital credential is for a domain name;

receiving contact information for an approver with an email address that indicates an association with the domain name; and

causing information to be provided to the approver at the email address over the Internet to allow the approver to approve the receipt of the digital credential.

25. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein the information provided by the server to the approver includes a link to an approval site associated with the server.

26. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein the request is received from a requestor, wherein the processor can provide the information to the approver if the requester and the approver are different parties.

27. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein the computer program receives a certificate signing request (CSR) for the domain name and provides information for the approver to obtain a digital certificate.

28. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein the computer program causes the domain name to be vetted automatically.

29. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the computer program causes the domain name to be vetted without accessing information from a secretary of state or from credit report providers.

30. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the computer program causes the domain name to be vetted automatically, including accessing information from a database for a domain name registrar in an automated manner.

31. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the computer program causes the information to be sent to the approver for the domain name at one of the following addresses:

webmaster@domain_name;

administrator@domain_name;

admin@domain_name;

info@domain_name;

sysadmin@domain_name; and

hostmaster@domain_name.

32. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein the program causes a certificate to be created and signed, and the signed certificate to be provided to the approver in response to approval by the approver.

33. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein the computer program generates a list of email addresses and is responsive to a selection of one of the email addresses for sending the information to the approver at the selected email address.