Abstract: A method and a corresponding system for authenticating software products are proposed. A digital certificate and a corresponding private key required to sign each product are stored on a server computer. Whenever a user needs to sign a product, he/she logs on a client computer and transmits a corresponding request to the server computer. The server computer verifies whether the request has been received from an authorized subject; for example, an address of the client computer and an identifier of the user are compared with a predefined list. If the result of the verification is positive, the product is signed and returned to the client computer. For this purpose, a script called on the server computer includes either an instruction passing the access password to a signing tool as a parameter or an instruction causing the signing tool to import the access password from a registry of the server computer.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for facilitating accessing resources of a data processing system with distributed architecture by a data processing entity of the system (with each resource that is accessible via a corresponding address). A set of bookmarks are provided for corresponding resources. Each bookmark is associated with a stored address of the corresponding resource—for accessing the corresponding resource in response to a selection of the bookmark. In the solution according to an embodiment of the invention, a signature identifying the corresponding resource is associated with each bookmark. Each bookmark is updated by verifying accessibility of the resource at the stored address matches the signature. The resource matching the signature is then located via a search engine in response to the non-accessibility of the resource. It is then possible to replace the stored address with a new address of the located resource.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system for authenticating software products are proposed. A digital certificate and a corresponding private key required to sign each product are stored on a server computer. Whenever a user needs to sign a product, he/she logs on a client computer and transmits a corresponding request to the server computer. The server computer verifies whether the request has been received from an authorized subject; for example, an address of the client computer and an identifier of the user are compared with a predefined list. If the result of the verification is positive, the product is signed and returned to the client computer. For this purpose, a script called on the server computer includes either an instruction passing the access password to a signing tool as a parameter or an instruction causing the signing tool to import the access password from a registry of the server computer.

Abstract: A software distribution method (300) with security add-on is proposed. Particularly, any software package to be deployed to selected target endpoints is encrypted (312-315) with a symmetric key (generated dynamically). The symmetric key is in turn encrypted (318-321) with a public key of each target endpoint. A multi-segment software package (embedding the encrypted software package and the encrypted symmetric keys) is then deployed (324-336, 360) to all the target endpoints. In this way, each target endpoint can decrypt (343-348) the encrypted symmetric key with a corresponding private key; it is then possible to decrypt (363-366) the encrypted software package with the symmetric key so obtained. As a result, the endpoint is able to apply (369) the decrypted software package. Therefore, the application of the software package can be restricted to the desired target endpoints only.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system for authenticating software products are proposed. A digital certificate (260) and a corresponding private key (265) required to sign each product are stored on a server computer. Whenever a user needs to sign a product, he/she logs on a client computer and transmits a corresponding request to the server computer. The server computer verifies whether the request has been received from an authorized subject; for example, an address of the client computer and an identifier of the user are compared with a predefined list (245). If the result of the verification is positive, the product is signed and returned to the client computer. For this purpose, a script (250) called on the server computer includes either an instruction passing the access password to a signing tool (255) as a parameter or an instruction causing the signing tool (255) to import the access password from a registry of the server computer.

Abstract: A software distribution application supporting the installation of operating systems on pristine computers is proposed. A new configuration element is added for virtually defining an operating system; the configuration element points to a corresponding image of the operating system on different pristine servers. Moreover, the pristine computers can be defined in a target database before they actually exist; each pristine computer subscribes to a reference model specifying the installation of the operating system. A plan is then generated with actions for installing the operating system on the pristine computers. When the plan is submitted for execution, a plug-in module associates each pristine computer with the image of the operating system on the respective pristine server. In this way, as soon as a pristine computer is turned on and transmits a remote installation request to the pristine server the associated image is automatically installed.

Abstract: Browsing the World Wide Web may expose a user's system to malicious attacks that can lead to data loss and/or system failure. Sometimes a user desires to access information on a web page that may contain malicious content. For example, a college student researching computer hacking may need information provided on a hacking website even though the site is potentially dangerous. Although techniques are employed to install potentially harmful executable files into a sandbox (e.g., virtual machine), these techniques do not address navigation of harmful sites. Functionality can be implemented to instantiate a web browser within a controlled virtual environment (“sandbox”) that simulates the host system while restricting the virtual environment to designated space(s) and/or resources of the host system to prevent harmful effects. Instantiating the web browser in the sandbox allows web navigation of risky web sites without deleterious effects on the host system.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for facilitating accessing resources of a data processing system with distributed architecture by a data processing entity of the system (with each resource that is accessible via a corresponding address). A set of bookmarks are provided for corresponding resources. Each bookmark is associated with a stored address of the corresponding resource—for accessing the corresponding resource in response to a selection of the bookmark. In the solution according to an embodiment of the invention, a signature identifying the corresponding resource is associated with each bookmark. Each bookmark is updated by verifying accessibility of the resource at the stored address matches the signature. The resource matching the signature is then located via a search engine in response to the non-accessibility of the resource. It is then possible to replace the stored address with a new address of the located resource.

Abstract: A software distribution application (205,250,255) supporting the installation of operating systems on pristine computers (110) is proposed. A new configuration element (210) is added for virtually defining an operating system; the configuration element points to a corresponding image of the operating system on different pristine servers (120). Moreover, the pristine computers can be defined in a target database (220) before they actually exist; each pristine computer subscribes to a reference model (215) specifying the installation of the operating system. A plan (235) is then generated with actions for installing the operating system on the pristine computers. When the plan is submitted for execution, a plug-in module (250,255) associates each pristine computer with the image of the operating system on the respective pristine server.

Abstract: A software distribution application supporting the installation of operating systems on pristine computers is proposed. A new configuration element is added for virtually defining an operating system; the configuration element points to a corresponding image of the operating system on different pristine servers. Moreover, the pristine computers can be defined in a target database before they actually exist; each pristine computer subscribes to a reference model specifying the installation of the operating system. A plan is then generated with actions for installing the operating system on the pristine computers. When the plan is submitted for execution, a plug-in module associates each pristine computer with the image of the operating system on the respective pristine server. In this way, as soon as a pristine computer is turned on and transmits a remote installation request to the pristine server the associated image is automatically installed.

Abstract: A software distribution method (300) with security add-on is proposed. Particularly, any software package to be deployed to selected target endpoints is encrypted (312-315) with a symmetric key (generated dynamically). The symmetric key is in turn encrypted (318-321) with a public key of each target endpoint. A multi-segment software package (embedding the encrypted software package and the encrypted symmetric keys) is then deployed (324-336, 360) to all the target endpoints. In this way, each target endpoint can decrypt (343-348) the encrypted symmetric key with a corresponding private key; it is then possible to decrypt (363-366) the encrypted software package with the symmetric key so obtained. As a result, the endpoint is able to apply (369) the decrypted software package. Therefore, the application of the software package can be restricted to the desired target endpoints only.

Abstract: A method and system for tracing the failing or successful execution of nested functions coded with return codes in a thread during its execution. The method comprises an ENTRY and EXIT trace macro to mark the beginning and the end of execution of the function, a TRACE macro to record messages and program variable values, and a QUIT macro marking the failing execution of the corresponding function. Using a Graphical User Interface, an interactive trace analyzer reads the trace file and displays the tree structure of the nested functions and marks, by using different colors, the success or failure of each of them. The trace analyzer utilities help the user to quickly identify the error in the source code corresponding to a function with a failing execution.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a tabbed pane (305) in a graphical user interface of a data processing system. The tabbed pane consists of several overlying panels (230) resembling a stack of pieces of paper lying on top of one another, with only the topmost panel that is visible to a user; a selection tab (235) is attached to each panel. When the number of the tabs is high, they are organised into two or more alignments. In the tabbed pane of the invention, the alignments are arranged along different edges of the visible panel. Therefore, the tabs are distributed along the border of the visible panel, so that each time a tab is selected by the user the corresponding panel is popped up and made visible without affecting the position of the other tabs.

Abstract: A software distribution application (205,250,255) supporting the installation of operating systems on pristine computers (110) is proposed. A new configuration element (210) is added for virtually defining an operating system; the configuration element points to a corresponding image of the operating system on different pristine servers (120). Moreover, the pristine computers can be defined in a target database (220) before they actually exist; each pristine computer subscribes to a reference model (215) specifying the installation of the operating system. A plan (235) is then generated with actions for installing the operating system on the pristine computers. When the plan is submitted for execution, a plug-in module (250,255) associates each pristine computer with the image of the operating system on the respective pristine server.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system for authenticating software products are proposed. A digital certificate (260) and a corresponding private key (265) required to sign each product are stored on a server computer. Whenever a user needs to sign a product, he/she logs on a client computer and transmits a corresponding request to the server computer. The server computer verifies whether the request has been received from an authorized subject; for example, an address of the client computer and an identifier of the user are compared with a predefined list (245). If the result of the verification is positive, the product is signed and returned to the client computer. For this purpose, a script (250) called on the server computer includes either an instruction passing the access password to a signing tool (255) as a parameter or an instruction causing the signing tool (255) to import the access password from a registry of the server computer.

Abstract: A method and system for tracing the failing or successful execution of nested functions coded with return codes in a thread during its execution. The method and system further allow accessing the thread execution information in the trace file and visualizing the tree structure of the nested functions and the result of the execution for each of them.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a tabbed pane (305) in a graphical user interface of a data processing system. The tabbed pane consists of several overlying panels (230) resembling a stack of pieces of paper lying on top of one another, with only the topmost panel that is visible to a user; a selection tab (235) is attached to each panel. When the number of the tabs is high, they are organised into two or more alignments. In the tabbed pane of the invention, the alignments are arranged along different edges of the visible panel. Therefore, the tabs are distributed along the border of the visible panel, so that each time a tab is selected by the user the corresponding panel is popped up and made visible without affecting the position of the other tabs.