Abstract: For a data transfer, security is negotiated via a control channel operating in accordance with a first protocol. The data is transmitted responsive to the security negotiation on a data channel operating in accordance with a second protocol.

Abstract: In an example implementation, a data structure comports with a secure application instruction protocol. The data structure includes a first application-level request and a second application-level request. The first application-level request has application-specific instructions from a requestor and a requestor signature over the application-specific instructions from the requestor. The second application-level request has application-specific instructions from an intermediary and an intermediary signature over at least the application-specific instructions from the intermediary.

Abstract: A security language expresses assertions and authorization queries in a manner that facilitates logic resolution. In an example implementation, assertion syntax and authorization query syntax are described. In another example implementation, checks on the safety of assertions and authorization queries are described. In yet another example implementation, semantics rules are described.

Abstract: Authorization descisions may be made based on principal attributes. In an example implementation, a security scheme has a principal-to-attribute binding mechanism that is unified across both token assertions and policy assertions. In another example implementation, conditional access to a resource is based on a principal simultaneously possessing multiple attributes. In yet another example implementation, a principal may be granted access to a resource if the principal possesses at least one value that is included in a defined subset of values for a given attribute.

Abstract: The delegation of rights may be controlled in a number of manners. In an example implementation, a delegation authority assertion is formulated with a delegator principle, a delegatee principal, a verb phrase, a resource, and a delagation-directive verb. In another example implementation, a delegation mechanism involving an assertor, a first principal, and a second principal enables a delegation to be specifically controlled. In yet another example implementation, a chained delegation mechanism enables explicit control of a permitted transitive chaining depth.

Abstract: One or more fact qualifiers may be associated with an assertion in security scenarios. In an example implementation, each respective assertion may be associated with a respective fact qualifier in a security token having multiple assertions. In another example implementation, a fact qualifier of a first assertion may be checked or disregarded based on whether a corresponding second assertion includes a fact qualifier check constraint. In yet another example implementation, an assertion made by an assertor may be associated with multiple fact qualifiers.

Abstract: A security scheme enables control over variables that are expressed in security assertions. In an example implementation, a security type is implicitly assigned to variables based on their syntactic position within a given assertion. In another example implementation, a security scheme enforces strong variable typing such that each variable in an assertion binds to only a single security type. In yet another example implementation, a security scheme constrains the binding behavior of two variables with respect to each other.

Abstract: The auditing of authorization decisions is facilitated by integrating or coupling an audit policy to access control decisions. In an example implementation, an audit policy of an auditing scheme is coupled to a semantic framework of an access control scheme such that the audit policy is specified using at least a portion of the semantic framework. In another example implementation, audit policy rules include audit content rules that specify what audit information from any of the inputs, the outputs, or the internal data of authorization decisions is to be included in an audit record. In yet another example implementation, a semantic of an audit trigger rule comports with a semantic framework of an access request and of a logical evaluation for an authorization decision.

Abstract: Security language constructs may be translated into logic language constructs and vise versa. Logic resolution may be effected using, for example, the logic language constructs. In an example implementation, translation of a security language assertion into at least one logic language rule is described. In another example implementation, translation of a proof graph reflecting a logic language into a proof graph reflecting a security language is described. In yet another example implementation, evaluation of a logic language program using a deterministic algorithm is described.

Abstract: In an example implementation, a bifurcated security scheme has a first level that does not allow usage of negations and a second level that does permit usage of negations. In another example implementation, an authorization query table maps respective resource-specific operations to respective associated authorization queries. In yet another example implementation, authorization queries are permitted to have negations, but individual assertions are not.

Abstract: Composable security policies enable multiple authorization policies to be combined into a composed effective authorization policy such that policy authoring rights may be arbitrarily and flexibly delegated. In an example implementation, making an authorization decision based on a composed effective policy is described. In another example implementation, the delegation of policy authoring rights using an assertion in accordance with a security language is described. In yet another example implementation, a security authorization system is described that includes a mechanism enabling an administrator to explicitly grant all or a part of policy authoring rights to another administrator.

Abstract: Security assertion revocation enables a revocation granularity in a security scheme down to the level of individual assertions. In an example implemenation, a security token includes multiple respective assertions that are associated with multiple respective assertion identifiers. More specifically, each individual assertion is associated with at least one individual assertion identifier.

Abstract: A method and system for securely storing, managing, and sending critical application data (application secrets) are disclosed. The invention provides an application program interface (API) through which applications (code components) can request a secure store component (SSC) store an application secret, retrieve an application secret, and send an application secret from one code component to another. The SSC encrypts and stores the application secrets using a symmetric cipher algorithm with a key derived by combining machine-specific entropy and evidence associated with the application (or code component), using a mechanism such as a hashing function. When an application requests the SSC to return a stored application secret, the SSC decrypts the secret using a key derived from machine-specific entropy and evidence associated with the application requesting the secret.

Abstract: The specification describes a user security system for use in conjunction with an operator terminal such as a personal computer. The user security system utilizes an intelligent security token, commonly referred to as a Smart Card, for security-critical operations. A peripheral reader device provides communications between the Smart Card and the operator terminal. The Smart Card is programmed to signal the reader device prior to performing a security-critical operation and to wait for a counter-signal before performing any such security-critical operation. The reader device has a security key that is physically operable by a person. The reader device is configured to supply the counter-signal to the Smart Card only in response to operation of the security key, and to prevent the operator terminal from supplying the counter-signal.