Method for executing a user-requested CGI program in a new authentication context while protecting operation of a default web server program

A method for accessing a secure database, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a temporary userid for a first process for use in accessing the secure database;
• executing the first process;
• starting a second process within an encapsulation process to isolate the second process from the first process so that operation of the second process does not harm the first process;
• passing the temporary userid to the encapsulation process so that the second process may access the secure database.

A method of accessing a secure database, comprising the steps of:

• creating a pool of userids for a first operating system;
• selecting a userid from the pool;
• adding the selected userid to a registry of userids for the first operating system;
• creating a credential file for a first process;
• associating the selected userid to the credential file;
• starting the first process;
• starting a second process within an encapsulation process to isolate the second process from the first process so that operation of the second process does not harm the first process;
• and
• passing the selected userid to the encapsulation process so that the second process may access the secure database.

In a computer network in which a client is connectable to a server to enable access to documents within a secure database, the server having a native operating system and including at least one server process that launches a child process, the improvement comprising:

• means for associating a temporary native operating system userid with a credential to facilitate access to the secure database;
• means for configuring the server to override a service method that normally launches the child process;
• and
• means for encapsulating the service method between a first program, executable in the child process, and a second program, executable in the server process;
• wherein, upon execution, the first program uses the temporary operating system userid and the credential to access a file in the secure database.

A computer connectable to a secure database, comprising:

• a processor;
• a native operating system;
• a Web server program for processing client requests;
• and
• means for associating a temporary native operating system userid with a credential to facilitate access to the secure database;
• means for configuring the Web server program to override a service method that normally launches a child process;
• and
• means for encapsulating the service method between a first program, executable in the child process, and a second program, executable in the server process;
• wherein, upon execution, the first program uses the temporary operating system userid and the credential to access a file in the secure database.