Abstract: A system and method for managing the use and access of digital data objects. According to the invention, control rights associated with a digital data object activate an external control object and an intercept application to intercept and monitor communications between a hosting application and a document server application associated with the creation of the digital data object. These intercepting and monitoring functions are performed without affecting or changing the hosting application or the document server application. The external control object activates an intercept application which mimics the functions of the document server application and performs user actions on the digital data object as authorized by the external control object according to the control rights associated with the digital object. By intercepting and monitoring user actions on a digital data object, the invention can control access and use of the digital data object.

Abstract: A method and a system for managing a data object so as to comply with predetermined conditions for usage of the data object. To control the usage of the data object, a set of control data, defining uses of the data object, which comply with the predetermined conditions, is created for the data object. The data object is concatenated with the user set of control data, encrypted and transferred to the user. When the user wants to use the data object, a special user program checks whether the usage complies with the control data. If so, the usage is enabled. Otherwise it is disabled.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the usage of data objects in component object systems. According to the invention, each data object includes a peer list that defines one or more peer data objects that are required by the data object. Upon receipt of a data object, the system verifies the integrity of the data object. Further, the system identifies the integrity of the peer data objects. If the system cannot find the peer data objects, or the system cannot authenticate the peer data objects, the system may optionally retrieve a peer data object that can be authenticated from a data object depository. In addition to validating the integrity of the data object, the system verifies that the data object is authorized to communicate with each of the peer data objects. Further, the system verifies that the peer data objects are authorized to communicate with the data object.

Abstract: A method and a system for managing a data object so as to comply with predetermined conditions for usage of the data object. To control the usage of the data object, a set of control data, defining uses of the data object, which comply with the predetermined conditions, is created for the data object. The data object is concatenated with the user set of control data, encrypted and transferred to the user. When the user wants to use the data object, a special user program checks whether the usage complies with the control data. If so, the usage is enabled. Otherwise it is disabled.