Method and system for establishing trust in a peer-to-peer network

• US 7,809,943 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Seidel, Craig Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanders, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/236,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20070074019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156
• US Class Current: 713/164
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1078 Resource delivery mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3265 using certificate chains, trees or paths; Hierarchical trust model

Abstract

A method and system for establishing trust in a peer-to-peer network is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises receiving a certificate associated with content from a peer in a peer-to-peer network. A file certificate associated with the content is received wherein the file certificate includes a hash. The validity of the content is determined with the file certificate. The authenticity of the content is determined with the file certificate.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling trusted content, the method comprising:

receiving a certificate associated with content from a peer of a plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer network;

receiving a pointer file associated with the content, wherein the pointer file includes a hash and an address of a tracker server, and wherein the tracker server mediates and logs communications between the plurality of peers, and wherein the tracker server does not store the content;

determine the validity of the content by comparing the hash within the pointer file to a block within the content; and

determine the authenticity of the content by using the certificate to identify the content source.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the authenticity of the content further comprises using a root certificate obtained from a certification authority.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising determining if the peer has been authenticated by the certification authority.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the peer did not originally create the content.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the peer belongs to a plurality of peers wherein the plurality of peers have signed the certificate and have been authenticated by the certification authority.

6. The computer implemented of claim 3, wherein the pointer file is a .torrent file.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the root certificate includes a public key of the certification authority.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the certificate includes a public key of the peer providing the certificate.

9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for enabling trusted content, said plurality of instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform:

receiving a certificate associated with content from a peer of a plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer network;

receiving a pointer file associated with the content, wherein the pointer file includes a hash and an address of a tracker server, and wherein the tracker server mediates and logs communications between the plurality of peers, and wherein the tracker server does not store the content;

determine the validity of the content by comparing the hash within the pointer file to a block within the content; and

determine the authenticity of the content by using the certificate to identify the content source.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein determining the authenticity of the content further comprises using a root certificate obtained from a certification authority.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform determining if the peer has been authenticated by the certification authority.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the peer did not originally create the content.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the peer belongs to a plurality of peers wherein the plurality of peers have signed the certificate and have been authenticated by the certification authority.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the pointer file is a .torrent file.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the root certificate includes a public key of the certification authority.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the certificate includes a public key of the peer providing the certificate.

17. A system for enabling trusted content, the system comprising:

a processor;

a bus connected to the processor; and

memory connected to the bus;

wherein the processor executes instructions to receive a certificate associated with content from a peer of a plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer network;

receive a pointer file associated with the content, wherein the pointer file includes a hash and an address of a tracker server, and wherein the tracker server mediates and logs communications between the plurality of peers, and wherein the tracker server does not store the content;

determine the validity of the content by comparing the hash within the pointer file to a block within the content; and

determine the authenticity of the content by using the certificate to identify the content source.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the authenticity of the content further comprises using a root certificate obtained from a certification authority.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising determining if the peer has been authenticated by the certification authority.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the peer did not originally create the content.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the peer belongs to a plurality of peers wherein the plurality of peers have signed the certificate and have been authenticated by the certification authority.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the pointer file is a .torrent file.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the root certificate includes a public key of the certification authority.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the certificate includes a public key of the peer providing the certificate.