US 6,615,347 B1 · Digital certificate cross-referencing

Abstract

As part of a security infrastructure based on public-key cryptography, a first digital certificate (200) is issued by a first certification authority (104) to a first subscriber (102) and binds the first subscriber (102) to a first public key (210). The first public key (210) corresponds to a first private key held by the first subscriber (102), and the first public key and the first private key form a key pair for use in public-key cryptography. The first digital certificate (200) is digitally signed by the first certification authority (104) and includes subscriber information (206) pertaining to the first subscriber (102) and related certificate information (216) at least partially identifying a second digital certificate (200). The second digital certificate (200) is issued by a second certification authority (104) to a second subscriber (102) and is digitally signed by the second certification authority (104). It binds the second subscriber (102) to a second public key (210) corresponding to a second private key held by the second subscriber (102). The second public key and the second private key form a key pair for use in public-key cryptography. The first subscriber (102)is matched to the second subscriber (102).

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method for creating a first digital certificate for a first subscriber, wherein the first digital certificate binds the first subscriber to a first public key corresponding to a first private key held by the first subscriber, and the first public key and the first private key form a key pair for use in public-key cryptography, the method comprising:

determining, based on a predefined criteria, that the first subscriber is the same as a second subscriber of a second digital certificate, wherein the second digital certificate binds the second subscriber to a second public key corresponding to a second private key held by the second subscriber, and the second public key and the second private key form a key pair for use in public-key cryptography;
including in the first digital certificate related certificate information at least partially identifying the second digital certificate, wherein inclusion of the related certificate information in the first digital certificate indicates that it has been determined that the first subscriber is the same as the second subscriber according to the predefined criteria;
and
digitally signing the first digital certificate.

1 more element

A method for processing a first digital certificate including related certificate information, wherein the first digital certificate binds a first subscriber to a first public key corresponding to a first private key held by the first subscriber, and the first public key and the first private key form a key pair for use in public-key cryptography, the method comprising:

authenticating the first digital certificate;
reading the related certificate information from the first digital certificate, wherein the related certificate information at least partially identifies a second digital certificate the second digital certificate binds a second subscriber to a second public key corresponding to a second private key held by the second subscriber, the second public key and the second private key form a key pair for use in public-key cryptography, and inclusion of the related certificate information in the first digital certificate indicates that it has been determined that the first subscriber is the same as the second subscriber according to a predefined criteria;
identifying the second digital certificate based on the related certificate information;
determining a status of the second digital certificate;
and
responsive to the status of the second digital certificate, processing the first digital certificate.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Digital certificate cross-referencing

Life of this patent

Digital certificate cross-referencing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27