Abstract: There is provided an automated negotiation agent 1 and method of evaluating risk and trust from different contractual viewpoints during electronic negotiation of contracts, preferably e-contracts, in a business to business environment. The negotiation agent 1 on receiving a contract proposal from another agent 15, analyses the contract proposal from different viewpoints to determine measures of the risk and trust involved. A response 20 is formulated from the measures of risk and trust, and is returned to the other agent 15. The negotiation agent 1 has an evaluation engine 9 which evaluates the risk and viewpoints for the contract proposal by accessing a risk and trust functions and viewpoints database 4, a contract template database 2, a contract context database 13 and contract history repository 10. The negotiation agent also has a negotiation engine 8 that evaluates the effect of the contract proposal from different levels using the risk and trust viewpoints received from the evaluation engine 9.

Abstract: A method of certifying by a certification authority that two or more first digitally signed certificates or identities are held by the same authorised signatory, the method comprising the steps of determining that said two or more identities or digitally signed certificates refer to the same authorised signatory, creating a digital verification certificate including data relating to said two or more identities or first digitally signed certificates and data representative of evidence or facts used to determine that said two or more identities or digitally signed certificates relate to the same authorised signatory, applying a digital signature of the certification authority to said verification certificate, and linking or otherwise associating said verification certificate to said two or more identities or first digitally signed certificates.

Abstract: A computer system comprising a trust engine for determining a trust level associated with a computer node and a policy engine for setting access requirements to a personal profile, from the computer node, based upon the determined trust level of the computer node and respective sensitivity levels associated with sub-components of the personal profile.

Abstract: A software system for installation on computing apparatus (and a method of installing such a software system on computing apparatus), wherein the software system is provided in the form of a software package (10) including a plurality of software components (12), one or more of the software components (12) being provided as a plurality of different implementations (14), the apparatus including an installation engine (20) for installing the software system only a selected one implementation of the or each of the software components having multiple implementations, and a random selector module (22) for selecting one of the plurality of implementations of a software component for installation.

Abstract: A method for encrypting data comprising deriving a public key using a first data set provided by a second party; encrypting a second data set with the public key; providing the encrypted third data set to the second party; providing the public key to a third party to allow validation of the first data set such that on validation of the first data set the third party provides an associated private key to the second party to allow decryption of the encrypted second data set.

Abstract: A method of printing a token by printer (5), in which the printer (5) includes a digital identification device (1) configured to generate a series of distinct print job counter numbers and to provide a public key of a cryptographic public key/private key pair. The method includes the steps of sending a printer generated print job counter number and an encryption key to a token issuer (4) the token issuer (4) sending to the printer (5) a message encrypted by the encryption key, the message including the print job counter number and information representative of the token (9) to be printed and the printer (5) decrypting the encrypted message and printing the token using the information representative of the token (9) if the print job counter number is valid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows renewal of encoded data in a long-term storage. Original user data 200 is encrypted to form encrypted data 211 which can be accessed using one or more encryption secrets 213 stored separately, and optionally validated using context data 212. At renewal, the encrypted data 211, the context data 212, and the or each encryption secret 213 are combined to form a first encryption layer 210 and the first encryption layer 210 is itself encrypted to form the encrypted data 221 of an immediately succeeding second encryption layer 220. The encrypted data 221 of this second encryption layer 220 is accessible with a renewed encryption secret 223, and optionally is validated by context data 222 such as a time stamp and trusted signature. The method may be repeated recursively, forming third and subsequent encryption layers 230 at each renewal.

Abstract: A method for determining admittance to a negotiation comprises the steps of: defining admittance criteria from a superset of parameters; at least one potential negotiation participant making an admittance request to an admittance controller, which admittance request includes a set of information relating to the superset of parameters and forming a subset thereof; and the admittance controller determining whether the admittance request satisfies the admittance criteria.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital certificate (2, 32) comprising a plurality of credential attribute properties (6, 36), and a trust function (8, 42) embedded within the certificate as an executable file, which trust function can determine as a function of data (12, 44) available to it a trust value (14, 46) attributable to at least a part of the certificate at least partly by execution of the executable file. A corresponding method of communication is also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer system comprising a first computer node coupled to a second computer node via a communication network, the first node and second node being arranged to allow a secure connection to be established between the first and second nodes, the first node having a processor responsive to the interaction of a user for initiating the transfer of a digital credential over a secure connection established between the first node and second node.

Abstract: Improvements In and Relating to Digital Certificates The present invention provides a digital certificate (2, 32), the certificate comprising a credential attribute function (6, 38) associated with a credential attribute property (5, 36), which credential attribute function is embedded in the certificate as an executable file, in which the credential attribute function can determine the value (12, 44) of the credential attribute property at least partly by execution of the executable file. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer system comprising a first computer node coupled to a network, the first node being arranged to provide a service to a second computer node via a connection over the network; a controller for determining access to the service based upon a digital credential associated with the connection, the controller being arranged to vary access to the service over the connection in response to a change in status of the digital credential.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of communication, the method comprising the steps of a first party (30) communicating to a second party (32) a composite credential (54) across a distributed electronic network (44) which composite credential (54) comprises a plurality of credentials (46-52). A corresponding composite credential is also disclosed.

Abstract: A distributed storage system for storing at least one credential (46), provided by an issuing authority and relating to an identity (42, 44), is described. The system comprises: a plurality of unique identities (42, 44) each having a local store (40). Each local store (40) securely stores credentials (46) relating to the owner of the identity (42, 44). The system also comprises one or more security certificates (66) provided at each identity (42, 44) for ensuring the authenticity of the credentials (46). The security certificates (66) provide secure references to the issuers of the credentials (46) and this can be used in verifying the origin of each credential (46). The identity can be provided a website or a mobile phone for example.