Patents by Inventor Paul J. Leach

Paul J. Leach 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).

  • Patent number: 9819666
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains generally to client authentication. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a first server for presenting evidence to a Domain Controller (DC) of a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server to obtain a delegable credential, wherein the credential can be used to request a second authentication context from that client to a second server. Another aspect relates to the first server providing a pass-thru with evidence to a DC. The evidence relates to a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server that it obtained a delegable credential. The pass-thru is used in combination with the credential to request a second authentication context from the client to a second server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Mowers, John A. Banes, Daniel R. Simon, Paul J. Leach
  • Patent number: 9407617
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains generally to client authentication. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a first server for presenting evidence to a Domain Controller (DC) of a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server to obtain a delegable credential, wherein the credential can be used to request a second authentication context from that client to a second server. Another aspect relates to the first server providing a pass-thru with evidence to a DC. The evidence relates to a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server that it obtained a delegable credential. The pass-thru is used in combination with the credential to request a second authentication context from the client to a second server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Licensing Technology, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Mowers, John A. Banes, Daniel R. Simon, Paul J. Leach
  • Publication number: 20160182488
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains generally to client authentication. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a first server for presenting evidence to a Domain Controller (DC) of a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server to obtain a delegable credential, wherein the credential can be used to request a second authentication context from that client to a second server. Another aspect relates to the first server providing a pass-thru with evidence to a DC. The evidence relates to a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server that it obtained a delegable credential. The pass-thru is used in combination with the credential to request a second authentication context from the client to a second server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: David R. Mowers, John A. Banes, Daniel R. Simon, Paul J. Leach
  • Patent number: 9253195
    Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods that facilitate managing access control utilizing certificates. The systems and methods described herein are directed to mapping an access policy as expressed in an access control list to a set of certificates. The set of certificates can be used to grant access to resources in the manner described by the ACL. The certificates can be distributed to entities for use in obtaining access to resources. Entities can present certificates to resources as evidence of their right to access the resources. The access logic of the sequential ACL can be transformed or mapped to a set of order independent certificates. In particular, each entry, position of the entry in the list and any preceding entries can be analyzed. The analysis can be used to generate order independent certificates that provide access in accordance with the access policy communicated in the ACL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Carl M. Ellison, Paul J. Leach, Butler W. Lampson, Melissa W. Dunn, Ravindra Nath Pandya, Charles William Kaufman
  • Patent number: 9118672
    Abstract: A client can communicate with a middle tier, which can then, in turn, communicate with a back end tier to access information and resources on behalf of the client within the context of a system that can scale well. Each individual back end can establish a policy that defines which computing device can delegate to that back end. That policy can be enforced by a domain controller within the same administrative domain as the particular back end. When a middle tier requests to delegate to a back end, the domain controller to which that request was directed can either apply the policy, or, if the domain controller is in a different domain than the targeted back end, it can direct the middle tier to a domain controller in a different domain and can sign relevant information that the middle tier can utilize when communicating with that different domain controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Fishel Novak, Paul J. Leach, Liqiang Zhu, Paul J. Miller, Alexandru Hanganu, Yi Zeng, Jeremy Dominic Viegas, K. Michiko Short
  • Patent number: 9058467
    Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Novak, Paul J. Leach, Yi Zeng, Saurav Sinha, K Michiko Short, Gopinathan Kannan
  • Patent number: 9032492
    Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Novak, Paul J. Leach, Yi Zeng, Saurav Sinha, K Michiko Short, Gopinathan Kannan
  • Patent number: 8996866
    Abstract: Computer-executable instructions that are directed to the performance of consequential actions and automatically elevate to execute at a higher privilege level to do so can perform such consequential actions only after user notification. Doing so can enable monitoring processes to avoid presenting duplicative user notification upon detection of such auto-elevation. In addition, prior to presenting user notification, input from the execution environment can be ignored and access to DLLs for performing consequential actions can be avoided. A static analyzer can identify non-conforming computer-executable instructions. A wrapper can be utilized to provide compliance by otherwise unknown or non-conforming computer-executable instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Crispin Cowan, Matthew Z. Tamayo-Rios, Tanmoy Dutta, John Lambert, Paul J. Leach, Scott A. Field, Thomas C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8984624
    Abstract: A scope hierarchy corresponding to a resource to which a type of access is requested is identified, the scope hierarchy including multiple scope levels each of which has an associated access control list. An access control list associated with a lower scope level can further restrict access permitted to the resource by an access control list associated with a higher scope level. Based at least in part on one or more of the access control lists associated with the multiple scope levels, a determination is made as to whether the requested type of access to the resource is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Raja P. Perumal, Jeffrey B. Hamblin, Paul J. Leach
  • Publication number: 20140189823
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains generally to client authentication. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a first server for presenting evidence to a Domain Controller (DC) of a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server to obtain a delegable credential, wherein the credential can be used to request a second authentication context from that client to a second server. Another aspect relates to the first server providing a pass-thru with evidence to a DC. The evidence relates to a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server that it obtained a delegable credential. The pass-thru is used in combination with the credential to request a second authentication context from the client to a second server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Mowers, John A. Banes, Daniel R. Simon, Paul J. Leach
  • Patent number: 8640256
    Abstract: A file system is configured for use with files protected by digital rights management (DRM) content controls and to interact both with applications that are, and are not, DRM aware. The file system may be configured for use by two applications, in a manner that may provide the second application with protected files if the first application was previously allowed access. In one example, a user context cache of DRM-protected files is created. The files in the cache may have been decrypted in response to a request(s) from the first application. Subsequent requests from the second application may be received for files within the user context cache of DRM-protected files. At least one of the files within the user context cache of DRM-protected files may be provided to the second application if the second application has a joint user context with the first application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Paul J. Leach
  • Patent number: 8640210
    Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Novak, Paul J. Leach, Yi Zeng, Saurav Sinha, K Michiko Short, Gopinathan Kannan
  • Patent number: 8627440
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains generally to client authentication. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a first server for presenting evidence to a Domain Controller (DC) of a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server to obtain a delegable credential, wherein the credential can be used to request a second authentication context from that client to a second server. Another aspect relates to the first server providing a pass-thru with evidence to a DC. The evidence relates to a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server that it obtained a delegable credential. The pass-thru is used in combination with the credential to request a second authentication context from the client to a second server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Mowers, Daniel R. Simon, Paul J. Leach, John A. Banes
  • Patent number: 8621561
    Abstract: Embodiments for providing differentiated access based on authentication input attributes are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a method includes receiving an authentication input at an authentication authority using an authentication protocol. The authentication input being associated with a client. The method also includes providing one or more representations for the authentication input, wherein each of the representations represents an attribute of the authentication input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Cross, Mark F. Novak, Oded Ye Shekel, Paul J. Leach, Andreas Luther, Thomas C. Jones
  • Publication number: 20130283342
    Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods that facilitate managing access control utilizing certificates. The systems and methods described herein are directed to mapping an access policy as expressed in an access control list to a set of certificates. The set of certificates can be used to grant access to resources in the manner described by the ACL. The certificates can be distributed to entities for use in obtaining access to resources. Entities can present certificates to resources as evidence of their right to access the resources. The access logic of the sequential ACL can be transformed or mapped to a set of order independent certificates. In particular, each entry, position of the entry in the list and any preceding entries can be analyzed. The analysis can be used to generate order independent certificates that provide access in accordance with the access policy communicated in the ACL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Carl M. Ellison, Paul J. Leach, Butler W. Lampson, Melissa W. Dunn, Ravindra M. Pandya, Charles William Kaufman
  • Publication number: 20130269025
    Abstract: A scope hierarchy corresponding to a resource to which a type of access is requested is identified, the scope hierarchy including multiple scope levels each of which has an associated access control list. An access control list associated with a lower scope level can further restrict access permitted to the resource by an access control list associated with a higher scope level. Based at least in part on one or more of the access control lists associated with the multiple scope levels, a determination is made as to whether the requested type of access to the resource is permitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Raja P. Perumal, Jeffrey B. Hamblin, Paul J. Leach
  • Patent number: 8555069
    Abstract: Modern network communications often require a client application requesting data to authenticate itself to an application providing the data. Such authentication requests can be redundant, especially in the case of stateless network protocols. When a full authentication is performed, a conversation identifier and one or more encryption keys can be agreed upon. Subsequent authentication requests can be answered with a fast reconnect token comprising the conversation identifier and a cryptographically signed version of it using the one or more encryption keys. Should additional security be desirable, a sequence number can be established and incremented in a pre-determined or a random manner to enable detection of replayed fast reconnect tokens. If the recipient can verify the fast reconnect token, the provider can be considered to have been authenticated based on the prior authentication. If an aspect of the fast re-authentication should fail, recourse can be had to the original full authentication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Liqiang Zhu, Paul J. Leach, Kevin Thomas Damour, David McPherson, Tanmoy Dutta
  • Patent number: 8468579
    Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods that facilitate managing access control utilizing certificates. The systems and methods described herein are directed to mapping an access policy as expressed in an access control list to a set of certificates. The set of certificates can be used to grant access to resources in the manner described by the ACL. The certificates can be distributed to entities for use in obtaining access to resources. Entities can present certificates to resources as evidence of their right to access the resources. The access logic of the sequential ACL can be transformed or mapped to a set of order independent certificates. In particular, each entry, position of the entry in the list and any preceding entries can be analyzed. The analysis can be used to generate order independent certificates that provide access in accordance with the access policy communicated in the ACL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Carl Melvin Ellison, Paul J. Leach, Butler Wright Lampson, Melissa W. Dunn, Ravindra Nath Pandya, Charles William Kaufman
  • Patent number: 8464319
    Abstract: A scope hierarchy corresponding to a resource to which a type of access is requested is identified, the scope hierarchy including multiple scope levels each of which has an associated access control list. An access control list associated with a lower scope level can further restrict access permitted to the resource by an access control list associated with a higher scope level. Based at least in part on one or more of the access control lists associated with the multiple scope levels, a determination is made as to whether the requested type of access to the resource is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Raja P. Perumal, Jeffrey B. Hamblin, Paul J. Leach
  • Publication number: 20130061300
    Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Novak, Paul J. Leach, Yi Zeng, Saurav Sinha, K. Michiko Short, Gopinathan Kannan