METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATED AUTHENTICATION, PROCESSING AND ISSUANCE OF DIGITAL CERTIFICATES

• US 20050166262A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DigiCert Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Christopher T.M. Bailey, David L. Remy, Douglas D. Beattie, Hani Hamandi, Neal Lewis Jr. Creighton
• Inventors: BAILEY, Christopher T.M., REMY, David L., CREIGHTON, Neal Lewis Jr., HAMANDI, Hani, BEATTIE, Douglas D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• 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 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 to approve the digital credential.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

the digital credential includes a digital certificate,

the certificate is for a domain name, and

the request includes a certificate signing request (CSR).

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

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

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the email address matches one of a predetermined set of aliases that include the domain name.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the server causes the domain name to be vetted and provides a response to the request in a time of about 10 minutes.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the set of aliases for a 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.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the set of aliases for a 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.

9. 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.

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

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

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the request is received from a domain name registrant for using a secure socket layer (SSL) server certificate on the domain name site.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the request is received from a hosting company acting on behalf of a domain name registrant.

14. A computer system comprising:

means for an authority to receive a request from a requestor for a digital credential for an entity that includes a domain name;

means for the authority to obtain identifying information for the domain name;

means for generating contact information generated from the domain name for at least one approver;

means for the authority to contact a requestor-selected approver from approver contact information to request that the approver approve the issuance of the digital credential;

means for receiving from the approver a denial or approval of the request for issuance of the digital credential;

means for the authority to create and sign the credential; and

means for sending the signed credential to the requestor.

15. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the entity is an internet domain name.

16. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the entity is an IP address.

17. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the contact information includes an e-mail address.

18. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the digital credential is requested for a server.

19. The computer system according to claim 18, wherein the server is a web server.

20. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the means are all implemented at least in part in software.

21. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the digital credential includes a digital certificate.

22. A computer system comprising:

processor;

a receiver coupled to the processor, wherein a first set of data from a requestor of a digital certificate is received for processing by the processor, and a confirmation signal and a denial signal may be received from an approver with respect to the issuance of a digital certificate by the computer system.

a transmitter coupled to the processor, wherein the processor automatically identifies the approver based on domain name information as a contact with control over the domain name and transmits a second set of data to the approver for the approver to confirm or deny the approval for issuance of a digital certificate to the requestor.

23. The computer system according to claim 22, the processor transmitting a third set of data, relating to the requestor, to a data registrar and receives a fourth set of data from the data registrar relating to the requestor.

24. The computer system according to claim 23, whereby the transmission of the third set of data to the data registrar and the reception of the fourth set of data from the data registrar is automated.

25. The computer system according to claim 22, wherein the fourth set of data is utilized by the processor to identify the approver.

26. The computer system according to claim 22, wherein the fourth set of data is utilized by the processor to generate an approver list, the processor transmitting the approver list to the requestor for selection of an approver and upon selection of an approver by the requestor from the approver list the microprocessor transmitting the second set of data to the approver.

27. The computer system according to claim 26, wherein the approver list includes contact information for each approver, including an e-mail address.

28. 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 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 over the Internet for the approver to approve the receipt of the digital credential.

29. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the computer program receives a certificate signing request (CSR) for a domain name and provides information for the approver to obtain a digital certificate.

30. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein the computer program causes the domain name to be vetted automatically.

31. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the computer program causes the domain name to be vetted without accessing information from a secretary of state or from credit report providers.

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

33. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the computer program causes the information to be sent to an approver for a 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.