Programming interface for configuring a television settop terminal

A system comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored computer program code for providing an interface to core system software in a user terminal;

• the terminal having a processor for executing said computer program code, and having operating system software;
• wherein the computer program code provides at least one application program interface (API) to enable middleware that mediates between an application program and the core system software to access a function of the terminal, and to enable the operating system software to access the function of the terminal;
• wherein said function of the terminal comprises at least one of:
• providing a Cable Modem's public key to a DOCSIS Driver;
• performing decryption operations on an encrypted Authorization Key provided by a DOCSIS Driver;
• generating a Key Encryption Key (KEK) based on a decrypted Authorization Key;
• generating an upstream hashed-based message authentication code (HMAC) Key;
• authenticating a Key Request message, and return an upstream hashed-based message authentication code (HMAC) keyed message digest to a DOCSIS Driver;
• generating a downstream hashed-based message authentication code (HMAC) Key;
• validating a downstream hashed-based message authentication code (HMAC) using a downstream HMAC key;
• and
• decrypting an encrypted Traffic Encryption Key (TEK) using a Key Encryption Key (KEK), and returning the TEK to a DOCSIS Driver.