Trust grant and revocation from a master key to secondary keys

• US 7,328,337 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roskind, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, THANHNGA B
• Application Number:
  US10/478,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 713156-157, 713/158, 713/193, 726/5, 705/50, 705/53
• US Class Current: 713/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• 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 63/064 Hierarchical key distribution, e.g. by multi-tier trusted parties

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided that allows code signed by a master key to grant trust to an arbitrary second key, and also allows code, referred to as an antidote and also signed by the master key to revoke permanently the trust given to the second key.

Claims

1. A method for granting trust to and revoking said granted trust from a partner of a system using a master key, comprising the steps of:

providing a minor key associated with said partner;

providing a general purpose empowerment entity associated with said minor key, said empowerment entity comprising general purpose empowerment code, and said empowerment entity signed by said master key for said granting trust to said partner;

providing a general purpose antidote entity associated with said minor key, said antidote entity comprising general purpose antidote code, and said antidote entity signed by said master key for said revoking said granted trust from said partner; and

providing an interface to said system for, granting trust to and revoking trust from said partner, said interface signed by said master key, and wherein said interface is an application program interface (API);

wherein said system comprises system code and said partner comprises partner code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said revocation of said granted trust by said antidote code is permanent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein amount of said empowerment code is significantly small, and wherein amount of said antidote code is significantly small.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said antidote code is run as upgrade software to combat a security breach.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said antidote code is downloadable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of secondary keys each associated with each of a plurality of partner entities.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said empowerment and antidote code are general purpose code and written in any of, but not limited to:

the Java language; and

JavaScript.

8. An apparatus for granting trust to and revoking said granted trust from a partner of a system using a master key, comprising:

a minor key associated with said partner;

a general purpose empowerment entity associated with said minor key, said empowerment entity comprising general purpose empowerment code, and said empowerment entity signed by said master key for said granting trust to said partner;

a general purpose antidote entity associated with said minor key, said antidote entity comprising general purpose antidote code, and said antidote entity signed by said master key for said revoking said granted trust from said partner; and

an interface to said system for granting trust to and revoking trust from said partner, said interface signed by said master key, and wherein said interface is an application program interface (API);

wherein said system comprises system code and said partner comprises partner code.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein application of said antidote entity overrides application of said empowerment entity permanently.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, adaptable for adding at a later point in time an additional partner, corresponding additional minor key signed by said master key, a corresponding additional empowerment entity signed by said master key, and a corresponding additional antidote entity signed by said master key.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said empowerment and antidote code are written in any of, but not limited to:

the Java language; and

JavaScript.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said empowerment entity is significantly simple and said antidote, entity is significantly simple, thereby eliminating opportunities for error.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said empowerment entity uses said system interface to effect said grant of said trust, and said antidote entity uses said system interface to effect said revocation of said granted trust.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said minor key is created by said partner.