Automated process for a Web site to receive a secure socket layer certificate

• US 20060031492A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thayer, Wayne, Jilg, Justin, Reilly, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for enabling encrypted communication capabilities for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, thereby allowing Customers to access the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site in a secure manner. A Hosting Provider, that hosts the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, and a Certificate Authority (CA), that verifies the identity of the Subscriber, provide the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encrypted communications capability. The Hosting Provider and CA communicate directly with each other as needed, typically via the Internet, without using the Subscriber as an intermediary in their communications.

Claims

1. A system for providing secure communication capabilities for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, comprising:

a) a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site;

b) a Hosting Provider hosting the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site; and

c) a publicly trusted authority, wherein the Hosting Provider and the publicly trusted authority directly communicate with each other during the process of providing secure communication capabilities for the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the Hosting Provider and the publicly trusted authority communicate with each other via the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the Hosting Provider and the publicly trusted authority are jointly operated by a common Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the Hosting Provider retains in confidence a private key for the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site and the publicly trusted authority openly shares a Certification Revocation List to requesting third parties.

5. A method for a Subscriber to enhance the security of the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, comprising the steps of:

a) a Subscriber requesting secure communication capabilities for a Web site hosted by a Hosting Provider;

b) the Hosting Provider generating a public key and a private key;

c) the Hosting Provider communicating the public key to the trusted authority without the assistance of the Subscriber;

d) a trusted authority verifying the identity of the Subscriber;

e) if the trusted authority was able to verify the identity of the Subscriber then completing steps f) through h), otherwise terminating the method;

f) the trusted authority certifying the identity of the Subscriber to the Hosting Provider;

g) the trusted authority making a Certificate Revocation List available to requesting third parties; and

h) the Hosting Provider configuring the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site for encryption communication capabilities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the encryption communication capabilities implement an SSL protocol.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the Hosting Provider and the trusted authority are operated by a common Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the Hosting Provider and the trusted authority are operated on separate servers.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the trusted authority verifies the identity of the Subscriber by comparing responses from the Subscriber with information available from information services available over the Internet.

10. A method for a Subscriber to obtain an SSL certificate for a Web site, comprising the steps of:

a) a Subscriber requesting Web site hosting services for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site from a Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server having a Hosting Provider Function and a CA Function;

b) the Subscriber requesting a SSL certificate for the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site from the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server;

c) the Hosting Provider Function generating a public key and a private key;

d) the Hosting Provider Function communicating the public key to the CA Function without the assistance of the Subscriber;

e) the CA Function verifying the identity of the Subscriber;

f) if the CA Function was able to verify the identity of the Subscriber, the CA Function certifying the identity of the Subscriber to the Hosting Provider Function, otherwise stopping the method for a Subscriber to obtain an SSL certificate; and

g) the Hosting Provider Function configuring the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site for SSL capabilities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the Hosting Provider Function and the CA Function are integrated services on the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the Hosting Provider Function and the CA Function share computer resources.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the CA Function verifies the identity of the Subscriber by comparing Subscriber responses to questions with information available over the Internet.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the CA Function is a root Certificate Authority.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the CA Function is linked to a root Certificate Authority.

16. A method for a Subscriber to obtain encryption and owner verification services for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, comprising the steps of:

a) a Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server selling hosting services for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site;

b) the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server selling encryption and owner verification services for the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site;

c) the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server creating a public key and a private key for the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, wherein the private key is never transmitted by the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server to any other entity;

d) the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server verifying the identity of the Subscriber; and

e) if the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server verified the identity of the Subscriber, then the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server enabling encryption capabilities for the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site and making the public key and verified identity of the Subscriber accessible to requesting third parties.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein third parties access the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site and the Facilitator'"'"'s Web Server through the use of an Internet browser.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the encryption and owner verification services for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site follow the SSL protocol.

19. A method for providing secure communication capabilities for a Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site, comprising the steps of:

a) a Subscriber requesting hosting services from a Hosting Provider;

b) the Subscriber requesting secure communication capabilities from either the Hosting Provider or a CA;

c) the CA identifying the identity of the Subscriber;

d) if the CA identified the identity of the Subscriber, the CA sending a signed Certificate to the Hosting Provider, wherein the Subscriber never receives the Certificate; and

e) if the Hosting provider received a signed Certificate from the CA, the Hosting Provider installing and configuring the Certificate on the Subscriber'"'"'s Web Site.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the secure communication capabilities follow a SSL protocol.