Abstract: A method for carrying out multi-party transactions in which at least one party or user has information which he considers private, the method comprising: a first determining step, in which it is determined which parties will take part in the transaction; a second determining step, in which it is determined, for each party taking part in the transaction, what information about the user that party requires in order to complete the corresponding part of the transaction; a selecting step, which may occur before or after the determining steps, in which one or more nonces, GUIDs, or other tokens are selected, to represent the user in the course of the transaction; a providing step, in which each party determined in the first determining step is provided with information comprising the corresponding information about the user determined in the second determining step, and one or more of the nonces, GUIDs, or other tokens selected in the selecting step; an execution step, in which the parties to the transaction compl

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and data processing system for circumventing profiling and targeting of World Wide Web users is disclosed. A number of fictitious web “personae” are established. A user wishing to perform a particular web transaction assumes a persona that best fits the user's current needs. The user's actions are then attributed to the persona, rather than the user. When the user wishes to perform another transaction, a different persona may be assumed, depending upon the circumstances, so that any disadvantage attributable to performing the same web transaction multiple times may be eliminated. This has the dual advantage of both protecting the user's privacy and taking advantage of special offers and incentives that may be targeted to first-time customers.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for automatically making operation selling decisions are provided. The apparatus, system and method make use of selling policy rules established by human operators associated with a firm to guide the making of decisions to sell products and/or services. The actual decisions to sell are made automatically by the system without requiring human intervention. The decisions to sell are made by negotiating terms of sale with a customer using history information, exogenous preference information, information obtained from third parties, and the like. An initial offer of sale is provided to a customer who may then elect to modify the terms of sale of the product or service. If the customer elects to modify the terms of sale of the product or service, a negotiation engine of the present invention may automatically provide counteroffers to offers made by the customer until acceptable terms of sale are agreed upon.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for automatically making operation purchasing decisions are provided. The apparatus, system and method make use of purchasing policy rules established by human operators associated with a firm to guide the making of decisions to purchase products and/or services. The actual decisions to purchase are made automatically by the system without requiring human intervention. The decisions to purchase are made by evaluating the possible vendors to identify a set of vendors from which the product or service may be obtained. From this set of vendors, one or more vendors are selected from which to purchase the desired product or service. The selection of these one or more vendors may be based on the established rules, information obtained about each vendor, and the results of negotiation with the vendors. Because the actual decisions are performed automatically without human intervention, the decisions may be made much more quickly than would have been done by a human being.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for providing electronic business functions for a business client is provided. In one embodiment, a host provides, on a data processing system, first level and second level services for several business clients. The first level services may include such features as storage, network connectivity, web hosting, and processing power. The second level services may include software designed to meet the specific needs of the business clients and may include such functionality as accounting services, inventory management services, price determination services, product and service ordering services, and negotiating services. The host may facilitate transactions between one business client and another business client on behalf of the clients by identifying needs of one business client and identifying the capability of another business client to fulfill those needs.

Abstract: A method for operating a data communication system comprises the steps of (a) originating an electronic commerce transaction at a first party, (b) transmitting the electronic commerce transaction through the data communications network towards a second party, (c) during the step of transmitting, inputting the electronic commerce transaction to an electronic commerce transaction filter that is interposed between two network components, and (e) operating the electronic commerce transaction filter to take some action with respect to the electronic commerce transaction.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product for collaboratively processing a data object in a client-server hierarchy based on meta-information associated with the object. Processing results are indicated by the server that performed the processing as updates to the meta-information associated with the data object. The PICS protocol may be used to communicate the meta-information. Digital signing and authentication of the object and associated meta-information are also described. Further, servers can determine processing by considering various factors, e.g., their current load condition; if the object is to be multicast; if the object can be cached; and/or if the specified cost and time constraints can be met. The overall processing applied to data objects can be divided between servers based on object types, steps, functions, software packages or versions/releases. Other aspects of the invention are also described.

Abstract: A searching method determines, given a specified encryption method (or set of encryption methods) and a specified pattern (or set of patterns), whether a given text contains an encryption, with any key, of anything fitting the pattern or patterns. The procedure detects and locates patterns that are present within data that has been encrypted, provided that the encryption method is one of a variety of simple methods that are often employed by computer programs such as computer viruses. The method includes:1. applying an invariance transformation to the chosen pattern (or set of patterns) to be matched, to obtain a "reduced pattern";2. applying the same reduction to the encrypted data to obtain "reduced data";3. using standard string searching techniques to detect the existence of a match between the reduced pattern and the reduced data, thereby signalling the likely existence of the pattern in encrypted form within the encrypted data;4.

Abstract: A tamper-resistant package for protecting information stored in electronic circuitry is described. An energy source provides energy (electrical current, optical energy, microwave energy or RF energy, for example) within a region occupied by the circuitry to be protected. The energy is applied to an energy distribution system comprising a path or paths for energy distribution. Sensing means are provided which respond to the distribution system for sensing an intrusion. The distribution system includes an arrangement for changing or altering the path or paths over which the energy travels or altering the topology of the path or paths. The sensing means is informed of the appearance of the distribution system and senses an intrusion by comparing the appearance of the path(s) with the predicted appearance. In one embodiment, electrical current is selectively applied to a subset of electrical conductors.

Abstract: A software asset protection mechanism segregates the right to execute software from the software itself. The rights to execute, when installed on a composite computing system, are stored in a coprocessor element of the composite computing system. The software asset protection mechanism is enhanced as described herein by providing for the manipulation of those rights to execute. More particularly, the rights to execute can be conditioned at least in terms of a valid period of execution at least in terms of a valid period of execution or a valid number of executions. The rights to execute can be safely transferred from one coprocessor to another, or can be returned to the software vendor. Finally, a method of backing up the rights to execute to provide the user with the rights to execute in case the coprocessor element of the composite computing system fails.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in a data processing system which executes a program which outputs cryptographic service requests for operations with cryptographic keys which are associated with control vectors defining the functions which each key is allowed by its originator to perform. The improved method and apparatus enable the use of control vectors having an arbitrary length. It includes a control vector register having an arbitrary length, for storing a control vector of arbitrary length associated with an N-bit cryptographic key. It further includes a control vector checking means having an input coupled to the control vector register, for checking that the control vector authorizes the cryptographic function which is requested by the cryptographic service request. It further includes a hash function generator having an input coupled to the control vector register and an N-bit output, for mapping the control vector output from the control vector register, into an N-bit hash value.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of securing remote terminal access to a central computer. The method uses the services of a physically secure coprocessor which is, or will be, coupled to the remote terminal for the purposes of effecting remote access to the central computer. The method comprises transferring an encrypted decryption key from the central computer to the physically secure coprocessor. The coupling between the coprocessor and remote terminal allows a file to be encrypted which can confirm that the remote terminal (which is the source of the encrypted file) has or had access to the specific coprocessor to which the encrypted decryption key had previously been transferred. Thereafter the encrypted file is transferred to the central computer and is examined there to confirm that the source of the file has access to the specific coprocessor which received the encrypted decryption key.

Abstract: Method and apparatus which restricts software, distributed on magnetic media, to use on a single computing machine. The original medium is functionally uncopyable, until it is modified by the execution of a program stored in a tamper proof co-processor which forms a part of the computing machine. The modified software on the original medium may then be copied, but the copy is operable only on the computing machine containing the co-processor that performed the modification.

Abstract: The invention provides a software asset protection mechanism which is based on the separation of the software to be protected from the right to execute that software. Protected software can only be executed on composite computing systems in which a physically and logically secure coprocessor is associated with a host computer. The software to be protected is broken down into a protected (encrypted) portion and an (optional) unprotected or plain text portion. The software is distributed by any conventional software distribution mechanism (for example a floppy disk) including the files already identified along with an encrypted software decryption key. The coprocessor is capable of decrypting the software decryption key so it can thereafter decrypt the software, for execution purposes. However, the coprocessor will not perform these functions unless and until the user's right to execute is evidenced by presentation of a physically secure token.

Abstract: Method and apparatus which restricts software, distributed on magnetic media, to use on a single computing machine. The original medium is functionally uncopyable, until it is modified by the execution of a program stored in a tamper proof co-processor which forms a part of the computing machine. The modified software on the original medium may then be copied, but the copy is operable only on the computing machine containing the co-processor that performed the modification.

Abstract: A copy-protection scheme is implemented for software which may be stored on a magnetic storage medium such as a disk. The medium is comprised of sections which are divided into subsections, with an original having indicia on at least one subsection of at least one section that is not modifiable by the medium write process, with a copy having no such indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern. A product program may be stored on the medium, and is executable only if the particular medium is an original. A medium test program may also be stored on the particular medium, and is used to test if the medium is an original or a copy. The test program writes the sections with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains of the medium, a subsection at a time, with a subsection responding to the test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon, to form a stored pattern on the given section.