Secure software installation
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsDallas De Atley, Simon Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and systems for securely installing software on a computing device, such as a mobile device. In one embodiment, the device executes an installer that securely installs the software. In order to perform installations securely, the installer configures one or more secure containers for the software and installs the software exclusively in these containers. In some embodiments, the installer randomly determines the identifiers for the containers. These identifiers remain unknown to the software to be installed. Instead, an installation framework maintains the correspondence between an application and its container. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
Claims20
A machine-implemented method for securely installing program code on a device, the method comprising:
- in response to a request to install the program code on the device, randomly determining, by an installer running on the device, an identifier for a container in a storage area on the device for the program code to be installed, wherein the identifier is unknown to the program code;
- and
- installing, by the installer, the program code exclusively in the container, wherein the program code is executable within the container using resources restricted within the container.
A mobile device configured to securely install applications, the device comprising:
- at least one storage;
- a processor configured to receive a request to install the program code on the device, randomly determine an identifier for a container in the storage area for the program code to be installed, wherein the randomly determined identifier is unknown to the program code, and install the program code exclusively in the container, wherein the program code is executable within the container using resources restricted within the container.
A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed, cause a machine to perform a method for securely installing program code on a device, the method comprising:
- in response to a request to install the program code on the device, randomly determining, by an installer running on the device, an identifier for a container in a storage area on the device for the program code to be installed, wherein the identifier is unknown to the program code;
- and
- installing, by the installer, the program code exclusively in the container, wherein the program code is executable within the container using resources restricted within the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.