Method, system, network and computer program product for securing administrative transactions over a network
First Claim
1. A method of arranging communication between an administrator device and an administered device in a network, comprising:
- arranging said communication in the form of a chain of digitally signed communication items including messages sent from an originator device to a recipient device, each said message having associated a respective digitally signed receipt;
configuring said originator device not to send a new item toward said recipient device in the absence of a respective digitally signed receipt for a previously sent item;
detecting, at said originator device, that a respective digitally signed receipt item from said recipient device failed to reach the originator device within a given time period after a message item was issued by said originator device; and
asking said recipient device for a signed statement indicating at least one of a last message item received and a last message item sent by said recipient device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Communication between an administrator device and an administered device in a network is arranged in the form of a chain of digitally signed communication items including messages sent from an originator device to a recipient device. Each message has an associated respective digitally signed receipt, and the originator device is configured not to send a new item toward the recipient device in the absence of a respective digitally signed receipt for a previously sent item. With at least one, and preferably by both of the administrator device and the administered device, there is stored a history record of communication items exchanged therebetween. The history record is agreed upon and signed by both the administrator device and the administered device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of arranging communication between an administrator device and an administered device in a network, comprising:
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arranging said communication in the form of a chain of digitally signed communication items including messages sent from an originator device to a recipient device, each said message having associated a respective digitally signed receipt; configuring said originator device not to send a new item toward said recipient device in the absence of a respective digitally signed receipt for a previously sent item; detecting, at said originator device, that a respective digitally signed receipt item from said recipient device failed to reach the originator device within a given time period after a message item was issued by said originator device; and asking said recipient device for a signed statement indicating at least one of a last message item received and a last message item sent by said recipient device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising an administrator device and an administered device in a network, said administrator device and administered device being configured for communication in the form of a chain of digitally signed communication items including messages sent from an originator device to a recipient device, each said message having associated a respective digitally signed receipt, and wherein said originator device is configured to:
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not send a new item toward said recipient device in the absence of a respective digitally signed receipt for a previously sent item; detect that a respective digitally signed receipt item from said recipient device failed to reach the originator device within a given time period after a message item was issued by said originator device; and ask said recipient device for a signed statement indicating at least one of a last message item received and a last message item sent by said recipient device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A communication network comprising an administrator device and an administered device in a network, said administrator device and administered device being configured for communication in the form of a chain of digitally signed communication items including messages sent from an originator device to a recipient device, each said message having associated a respective digitally signed receipt, and wherein said originator device is configured to:
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not send a new item toward said recipient device in the absence of a respective digitally signed receipt for a previously sent item; detect that a respective digitally signed receipt item from said recipient device failed to reach the originator device within a given time period after a message item was issued by said originator device; and ask said recipient device for a signed statement indicating at least one of a last message item received and a last message item sent by said recipient device.
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26. A computer program product, loadable in the memory of at least one computer, and comprising software code portions capable of performing the steps of a method of arranging communication between an administrator device and an administered device in a network, the method comprising:
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arranging said communication in the form of a chain of digitally signed communication items including messages sent from an originator device to a recipient device, each said message having associated a respective digitally signed receipt; configuring said originator device not to send a new item toward said recipient device in the absence of a respective digitally signed receipt for a previously sent item; detecting, at said originator device, that a respective digitally signed receipt item from said recipient device failed to reach the originator device within a given time period after a message item was issued by said originator device; and asking said recipient device for a signed statement indicating at least one of a last message item received and a last message item sent by said recipient device.
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Specification