EP0853279A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for controlling software access to system resources
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1997-12-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-12-30
Abstract
Abstract Methods, systems, and software for installing and operating selected software applications on a client computer that is in communication with a server computer on a computer network are described. In one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling the degree of access to operating system resources for a software program running on a computer that is running said operating system is provided. The degree of access to the operating system resources is defined for the software program, and at least one file including instructions for executing the software program is loaded on the computer from the server computer. The file is examined to determine the degree of system-level access available to the software program when the software program is being executed by the computer. The software program is executed, and a program instruction associated with the software program is intercepted when the software is being executed on the computer. A determination is then made to determine if the program instruction includes an operation that is outside of a degree of system-level access that is available to the software program, and if it is determined that the software program has permission to access system-level resources associated with the computer that are within the degree of system-level access available to the software, the program instruction is executed.
Inventors
- 👤 Nataraj Nagaratnam
- 👤 Steven B. Byrne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:42
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/52; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for controlling the degree of access to operating system resources for
a software program running on a computer which computer is running said
operating system, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining said degree of access to said operating system resources for
said software program; (b) examining at least one file associated with said software program to
determine the degree of system-level access available to said software program
when said software program is being executed by said computer; (c) executing said software program on said computer; (d) intercepting a program instruction associated with said software
program when said software program is being executed on said computer; (e) determining if said program instruction includes an operation that is
outside said degree of system-level access available to said software program;
and (f) executing said program instruction when it is determined that said
software program has permission to access system-level resources associated
with said computer that are within the degree of system-level access available to
said software program.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if said program
instruction includes an operation that is outside said degree of system-level
access available to said software program comprises validating an identifier
associated with said software program.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in any one of the preceding claims wherein said step of
executing said program instruction comprises determining if said system-level
resources being accessed by said program instruction are protected system-level
resources.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in any one of the preceding claims wherein said software
program comprises an applet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said applet is a Java applet.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
39 words
A method as recited in one of claims 4 and 5 wherein said applet is associated
with a header, said header being arranged to include an identifier, said identifier
being arranged to identify said an origin of said file.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 6 further including the step of validating said
identifier to determine if said computer has permission to access said system-level
resources.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in one of claims 4-7 wherein said computer is a client
computer and said applet is downloaded to said client computer from a server
computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
145 words
A method as recited in claim 8 wherein: (a) said step of examining includes determining the degree of system-level
access to said server that is available to said applet when said applet is being
executed by said client computer as defined by said defining a degree of access
to said system-level resources associated with said server computer for said
applet; (b) said step of determining includes determining if said program instruction
to access system-level resources associated with said server computer includes
an operation that is outside said degree of system-level access available to said
applet; and (c) said step of executing includes executing said program instruction to
access system-level resources associated with said server computer when it is
determined that said applet has permission to access system-level resources
associated with said server computer that are within the degree of system-level
access available to said applet.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
218 words
A method for controlling the degree of access to operating system resources for
a software program running on a client computer which client computer is
running said operating system, wherein at least some of said operating system
resources reside on a server computer that is coupled with said client computer
through a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining said degree of access to said operating system resources for
said software program; (b) loading at least one file including instructions for executing said
software program on said client computer; (c) examining said at least one file to determine the degree of system-level
access available to said software program when said software program is being
executed by said client computer as defined by said step of defining said degree
of access; (d) executing said software program on said client computer; (e) intercepting a program instruction associated with said software
program when said software program is being executed on said client computer; (f) determining if said program instruction includes an operation that is
outside said degree of system-level access available to said software program;
and (g) executing said program instruction when it is determined that said
software program has permission to access system-level resources that are
within the degree of system-level access available to said software program.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of determining if said
program instruction includes an operation that is outside said degree of system-level
access available to said software program comprises validating an
identifier associated with said software program.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in one of claims 10 and 11 wherein said step of executing
said program instruction comprises determining if said system-level resources
being accessed by said program instruction are protected system-level
resources.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in one of claim 10-12 further including the steps of: establishing a data transfer communication link between said client
computer and said server computer across said computer network; and transmitting said at least one file from said server computer to said client
computer across said computer network.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for processing a request from a client to access a system resource
associated with a first server, the method comprising the steps of: (a) calling a second server to initiate a download of files that are relevant to
said request; (b) loading said relevant files from said second server, said relevant files
including an archive file, said archive file including at least one class file and a
header, said header including an identifier arranged to indicate the origin of said
archive file; (c) validating said archive file; (d) converting said class file into an applet; and (e) executing said applet, said applet including at least one instruction,
wherein executing said applet enables said client to access said system resource
associated with said first server.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method for processing a request as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of
validating said archive file includes the sub-steps of: (a) authenticating said header; (b) determining whether said header is valid; and (c) performing a class verification on said class when it is determined that
said header is valid.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for processing a request as recited in one of claims 14 and 15 wherein
said step of executing said applet includes the sub-steps of: (a) determining whether said instruction is an instruction to execute a
protected operation; (b) executing said operation when it is determined that said instruction is not
an instruction to execute a protected operation; and (c) determining whether said operation is allowed when it is determined that
said instruction is an instruction to execute a protected operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
227 words
A computer system for controlling the degree of access to operating system
resources comprising: a first computer coupled with at least one memory device which holds
therein at least one file including instructions for executing a software program,
said software program running on said first computer, said first computer
running said operating system, said first computer being configured to: (a) define said degree of access to said operating system resources for said
software program and said first computer being configured determine if a
program instruction associated with said software; (b) load said at least one file including instructions for executing said
software program on said first computer; (c) examine said at least one file to determine the degree of system-level
access available to said software program when said software program is being
executed by said first computer; (d) execute said software program on said first computer; (e) intercept a program instruction associated with said software program
when said software program is being executed on said first computer; (f) determine if said program instruction includes an operation that is
outside said degree of system-level access available to said software program;
and (g) execute said program instruction when it is determined that said
software program has permission to access system-level resources associated
with said first computer that are within the degree of system-level access
available to said software program.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A computer system according to claim 17 wherein said first computer is
arranged to determine if said system-level resources being accessed by said
program instruction are protected system-level resources.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
153 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code
devices configured to cause a computer to perform the actions of: (a) defining said degree of access to said operating system resources for
said software program; (b) examining at least one file associated with said software program to
determine the degree of system-level access available to said software program
when said software program is being executed by said computer; (c) executing said software program on said computer; (d) intercepting a program instruction associated with said software
program when said software program is being executed on said computer; (e) determining if said program instruction includes an operation that is
outside said degree of system-level access available to said software program;
and (f) executing said program instruction when it is determined that said
software program has permission to access system-level resources associated
with said computer that are within the degree of system-level access available to
said software program.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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