CRL last changed extension or attribute
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorMichelle Zhao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating a CRL with a last_changed extension. When sequential CRLs are generated there is the potential that there will be no changes in the data associated with the CRL. In this case a recipient of the new CRL may needlessly perform processing on the new CRL. A CRL consistent with embodiments of the present invention provides an extension to specify the CRL number of the last_changed CRL. This provides the recipient with information to determine whether the new CRL should be processed or the existing data is up to date.
Claims16
A method of creating a digital certificate revocation list (CRL), comprising:
- creating a list of digital certificates satisfying at least one inactive criterion;
- identifying a latest CRL in which changes have been made to the list;
- and
- storing an attribute indicating the CRL as being the latest as a part of the latest CRL.
A method of using a digital certificate revocation list (CRL), comprising:
- storing a first CRL, the first CRL comprising a list of digital certificates satisfying at least one inactive criterion, a first CRL identifier, and a first attribute for indicating if the first CRL is the latest CRL;
- carrying out a processing operation on the first CRL;
- receiving a second CRL, the second CRL comprising a list of digital certificates satisfying the at least one inactive criterion, a second CRL identifier, and a second attribute for indicating whether the second CRL is the latest CRL wherein the second CRL is the latest CRL if changes have been made to the list of the second CRL compared to the list of first CRL;
- and
- carrying out the processing operation on the second CRL only if the second attribute of the second CRL indicates that the second CRL is the latest CRL.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.