Patents by Inventor Matthew W. Thomlinson

Matthew W. Thomlinson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190123913
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Philip J. Hallin, Thomas C. Jones, Matthew W. Thomlinson
  • Publication number: 20170012784
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Philip J. Hallin, Thomas C. Jones, Matthew W. Thomlinson
  • Patent number: 9477832
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Philip J. Hallin, Thomas C. Jones
  • Publication number: 20140366108
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Philip J. Hallin, Thomas C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8819797
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Philip J. Hallin, Thomas C. Jones
  • Publication number: 20140237607
    Abstract: A tool and method examine error report information from a computer to determine not only whether a virus or other malware may be present on the computer but also may determine what vulnerability a particular exploit was attempting to use to subvert security mechanism to install the virus. A system monitor may collect both error reports and information about the error report, such as geographic location, hardware configuration, and software/operating system version information to build a profile of the spread of an attack and to be able to issue notifications related to increased data collection for errors, including crashes related to suspected services under attack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Lambert, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Alexander R.G. Lucas, James P. Kelly, David S. Carter, Matthew I. Diver, Emma L. Crowe
  • Patent number: 8745703
    Abstract: A tool and method examine error report information from a computer to determine not only whether a virus or other malware may be present on the computer but also may determine what vulnerability a particular exploit was attempting to use to subvert security mechanism to install the virus. A system monitor may collect both error reports and information about the error report, such as geographic location, hardware configuration, and software/operating system version information to build a profile of the spread of an attack and to be able to issue notifications related to increased data collection for errors, including crashes related to suspected services under attack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Lambert, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Alexander R. G. Lucas, James P. Kelly, David S. Carter, Matthew I. Diver, Emma L. Crowe
  • Publication number: 20120174200
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Philip J. Hallin, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Thomas C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8151332
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Philip J. Hallin, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Thomas C. Jones
  • Patent number: 7996682
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein for securely prompting a user to confirm sensitive operations, input sensitive information or the like. The techniques include receiving or intercepting calls from applications to prompting routines. When a call to a prompting routine is received or intercepted a hint may be provided to the user to switch to a secure desktop. When the user switches from the user desktop to the secure desktop the particular prompt is displayed. The input to the prompt is received on the secure desktop and verified to have been provided by the user. The user input or a representation of the input is then returned to the application running on the user desktop. Using these techniques, interception of prompting messages by malware does not result in sensitive information being revealed. Furthermore, spoofing of new messages by malware does not lead to the dismissal of critical prompting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Klaus U. Schutz, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Scott A. Field
  • Patent number: 7890643
    Abstract: A system for providing a client's credentials to a computer program comprises a database remote from the client and a single signon server module. The single signon server module can receive a request for the client's credentials from the computer program, determine whether the client's credentials are stored in the database, and send the client's credentials from the database to the computer program in response to a determination that the client's credentials are stored in the database. The single signon server module can store the client's credentials in the database in response to a determination that the client's credentials are not stored in the database. The single signon server module can encrypt the client's credentials prior to storing the client's credentials in the database and can decrypt the client's credentials prior to sending the client's credentials to the computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dean Jason Justus, Josh D. Benaloh, Nathan James Fink, Michael Howard, Daniel R. Simon, Matthew W. Thomlinson
  • Patent number: 7876902
    Abstract: Software updates remedy vulnerabilities in a computer program that has been distributed and installed on a plurality of computers. The software updates are distributed in encrypted form, and then, after the encrypted update has been delivered to a sufficient number of machines, the decryption key for the update is delivered. Since the key is relatively small, it can be distributed to a large number of machines very quickly, thereby reducing the amount of time between when the update is first known to the public, and the time at which all or most machines have installed the update to protect against the vulnerability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew W. Thomlinson, Christian E. Walker
  • Patent number: 7703128
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Philip J. Hallin, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Thomas C. Jones
  • Publication number: 20090320136
    Abstract: A tool and method examine error report information from a computer to determine not only whether a virus or other malware may be present on the computer but also may determine what vulnerability a particular exploit was attempting to use to subvert security mechanism to install the virus. A system monitor may collect both error reports and information about the error report, such as geographic location, hardware configuration, and software/operating system version information to build a profile of the spread of an attack and to be able to issue notifications related to increased data collection for errors, including crashes related to suspected services under attack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: John J. Lambert, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Alexander R. G. Lucas, James P. Kelly, David S. Carter, Matthew I. Diver, Emma L. Crowe
  • Publication number: 20090144828
    Abstract: Architecture for distributing rules-based, targeted vulnerability signatures to an application (e.g., a browser) in order to block exploitation of vulnerable objects (e.g., ActiveX controls) or protocols. The architecture provides a significant reduction in the window of vulnerability, thereby improving the user experience in the software products. The solution employs text in a configuration file (a realtime rule), which is fine-grained, works on both vendor-created and third-party controls, and is completely compatible except under attack conditions (and thus quick to deploy with minimal testing). Publication of the rule does not block legal uses of the vulnerable control and would not require a full testing procedure. Further, a vulnerable control with a proper vulnerability signature is as safe as running a fully-fixed control. The architecture can be extended to arbitrary binary behaviors, and shell protocols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Matthew W. Thomlinson
  • Patent number: 7478428
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for use in evaluating an application for security risks related to integer overflow conditions in conjunction with memory allocations. The evaluation includes finding a relationship between data input to the application and memory allocation requests made by the application. Having established the relationship, a memory allocation-requesting module within the application is tested, using input data selected using the relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew W. Thomlinson
  • Publication number: 20080072327
    Abstract: Software updates remedy vulnerabilities in a computer program that has been distributed and installed on a plurality of computers. The software updates are distributed in encrypted form, and then, after the encrypted update has been delivered to a sufficient number of machines, the decryption key for the update is delivered. Since the key is relatively small, it can be distributed to a large number of machines very quickly, thereby reducing the amount of time between when the update is first known to the public, and the time at which all or most machines have installed the update to protect against the vulnerability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew W. Thomlinson, Christian E. Walker
  • Publication number: 20040162786
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a process and associated device for managing digital ID lifecycles for application programs, and abstracting application programs for multiple types of credentials through a common Digital Identity Management System (DIMS) and Application Programming Interface (API) layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Philip J. Hallin, Matthew W. Thomlinson, Thomas C. Jones
  • Patent number: 6560581
    Abstract: An electronic commerce system facilitates secure electronic commerce transactions among multiple participants. Each electronic commerce transaction involves at least one commerce document defining the transaction and at least one commerce instrument defining a payment for the transaction. The electronic commerce system has a credential binding server at a trusted credential authority, multiple computing units at associated participants, and a communication system interconnecting the credential binding server and the multiple computing units. The electronic commerce system operates in two phases: a registration phase and a transaction phase. During the registration phase, each of the computing units generate and send a registration packet over the communication system to the credential binding server. Unique credentials are produced by the credential binding server based upon the registration packets sent back to the computing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Barbara L. Fox, Lester L. Waters, Jeffrey F. Spelman, Robert B. Seidensticker, Matthew W. Thomlinson
  • Patent number: 6532542
    Abstract: The invention provides central storage for core data secrets, referred to as data items. The architecture includes a storage server, a plurality of installable storage providers, and one or more authentication providers. Programming interfaces are exposed so that application programs can utilize the services provided by the invention without having to actually implement the features. When storing a data item using the protected storage services, an application program can specify rules that determine when to allow access to the data item. Access can be limited to specified application programs, to certain classes of application programs, or to application program having certain properties. Such properties for a particular application might include, for example, the publisher of the application and/or the name of the application. These properties might also include properties specified by an authentication certificate associated with the application program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew W. Thomlinson, Scott Field