Tiered Signing Certificates for Executable Privilege Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional signing techniques fail to account for varying privilege needs of executable files, as conventional signing certificates grant all available privileges regardless of the file's requirements, leading to potential misuse of high-level privileges by files that only need low-level access.
Innovation Solution
Implementing tiered signing certificates that assign specific privilege levels to executable files based on their needs, allowing only authorized operations and preventing excessive privilege usage, while also validating digital signatures to ensure authenticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional signing certificates are used to authenticate executable files, then the files can be verified as originating from a trusted publisher, but all available privileges are granted to the publisher regardless of the specific privilege needs of individual files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monolithic signing certificate into multiple privilege levels (e.g., high, medium, low). Each executable file is assigned a specific privilege level in its certificate, allowing the system to grant only the necessary privileges for that file's operation. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining authentication reliability through signed certificates while preventing excessive privilege risk through granular privilege assignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different privilege levels to different executable files based on their specific needs. Instead of uniformly granting all publishers the same high-level privileges, each file receives a customized privilege level (high, medium, or low) matched to its functional requirements. This ensures that each file operates with the minimum necessary privileges, reducing security risk while maintaining authentication integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional signing techniques grant all available privileges to publishers, then publishers can perform any operation, but files that only require low-level privileges can misuse high-level privileges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic privilege management by assigning different privilege levels (high, medium, low) to different executable files based on their specific operational needs. The system dynamically adjusts the privileges granted to each file rather than statically granting all publishers universal high-level access. This dynamic approach maintains the adaptability and versatility needed for different file types while preventing privilege misuse by ensuring each file receives only the privileges it requires.
3Ease of manufacture
If the vetting process for obtaining signing certificates is the same for all publishers, then the process is simple and consistent, but it does not account for the varying purpose or needs of executable files to be signed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter structure of signing certificates from a single uniform privilege level to multiple discrete privilege levels (high, medium, low). The vetting process remains relatively simple and consistent, but it now includes an additional parameter assessment step where the system evaluates the specific needs of each executable file and assigns the appropriate privilege level. This parameter change enables file-specific privilege matching while maintaining ease of certificate issuance through a standardized multi-level framework.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer-implemented methods and systems for using tiered signing certificates to manage the behavior of executables are disclosed. In one example, a method for performing such a task may include: 1) identifying an executable file, 2) identifying a signing certificate associated with the executable file, 3) identifying, within the signing certificate, a privilege level associated with the executable file, and then 4) managing behavior of the executable file in accordance with the privilege level associated with the executable file. Corresponding methods and systems for generating tiered signing certificates for executable files are also disclosed.