Abstract: Audit records generated from applications running on multiple machines in a computer network are managed on an audit management system. Audit records are sent by the applications over a network to the audit management system. One or more operations are performed on the audit records within the audit management system. After the one or more operations are performed, data representing the audit records from the different applications is written by the audit management system to a repository.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates protecting an item of private information in a database, wherein the item of private information is used as a key for retrieving data from the database. During operation, the system receives the item of private information and creates a hash of the item. The system then stores the hash in the database along with any associated information in a database record containing the hash.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for sharing a secure communication session with a client between a plurality of servers. The system operates by receiving a message from the client at a first server. This message includes a session identifier, which identifies a secure communication session with the client. If the session identifier does not correspond to an active secure communication session on the first server, the first server establishes an active secure communication session with the client by attempting to retrieve security state information from a second server, which had an active secure communication session with the client. If the first server is able to retrieve this security state information, the first server uses this state information to establish the active secure communication session with the client without having to communicate with the client.

Abstract: A system is provided for managing a database that stores sensitive information. Upon receiving a command to perform a function involving a database object, the system determines if the object is a sensitive object. If the object is not a sensitive object, the system allows the function to proceed. If the object is a sensitive object and the command is received from a normal system administrator, the system disallows the function. Upon receiving a request to perform an operation on sensitive data in the database system received from a user with access rights to the data item and empowered to access sensitive data, the system allows the operation to proceed. If the request is received from a normal user for a sensitive data item, the system disallows the operation. If the operation involves retrieval of a sensitive data item, the system decrypts the data item using an encryption key.

Abstract: A method and system for implementing an extensible audit trail for electronic and computerized systems is disclosed. A defined audit ID is assigned to a given activity, and that audit ID is distributed along with each jump between systems when performing the activity. In addition, a set of mandatory attribute information is recorded at each system involved in the activity. Each system may also record a set of system specific attribute information. During the audit process, records are searched and collected for the appropriate audit ID value.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates delegating operations involved in providing digital signatures to a signature server. The system operates by receiving a request for a digital signature from a user at the signature server, wherein the request includes an item to be signed on behalf of the user by the signature server. In response to the request, the system looks up a private key for the user at the signature server, and signs the item with the private key. Next, the system returns the signed item to the user, so that the user can send the signed item to the recipient. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system authenticates the user prior to signing the item. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system determines whether the user is authorized to sign the item prior to signing the item.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates accessing to a plurality of applications that require passwords. When the system receives a request for a password from an application running on a remote computer system, the system first authenticates the request to ensure that it originated from a trusted source. Next, the system uses an identifier for the application to look up the password for the application in a password store, which contains passwords associated with the plurality of applications. If the password exists in the password store, the system sends the password or a function of the password to the application on the remote computer system. Hence, the system creates the illusion that there is a single sign on to a large number of applications, whereas in reality the system automatically provides different passwords to the applications as they are requested.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates protecting an item of private information in a database, wherein the item of private information is used as a key for retrieving data from the database. During operation, the system receives the item of private information and creates a hash of the item. The system then stores the hash in the database along with any associated information in a database record containing the hash.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for authenticating and individual's identity. The system operates by receiving an identification credential from the individual, such as an ID card, that contains information about the individual including biometric data. This ID card is signed with a private key. The system also receives a biometric sample from the individual, such as a finger print. The system validates the identification credential with the corresponding public key and compares the biometric data with the biometric sample. If the difference between the data and the sample is below a predetermined threshold, the system reports a positive identification. Otherwise, the system reports a negative identification. Note that the system operates solely on information contained within the identification credential and without requiring a connection to a network or a database.

Abstract: In accordance with a set of previously defined options relating to such things as information retrieval, applications, items of interest, payment options, etc., a software program configures the computer system on which it executes to access information on an item over which a pointer has hovered for a preset time without the user having to provide any additional inputs. The information may be retrieved from a local or remote location. The information may be free, paid for by the user, a sponsor, or a third party. The information desired by the user is presented visual, audibly, or both.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates compartmentalized user management in a database system. This database system is compartmentalized into a plurality of domains that are insulated from each other, so that a given user who has access to data within an associated domain does not have access to data in other domains. Upon receiving a request from a database administrator to perform an operation on a user within the database system, the system identifies a domain that the user is associated with in the database system. Next, the system determines whether the database administrator is authorized to modify users associated with the domain. If so, the system performs the operation by modifying an entry for the user within a user table in the database system that contains an entry for each user of the database system.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for managing a database that stores sensitive information. Upon receiving a command to perform an administrative function involving an object defined within the database system, the system determines if the object is a sensitive object that is associated with security functions in the database system. If the object is not a sensitive object, and if the command is received from a normal database administrator, the system allows the administrative function to proceed. On the other hand, if the object is a sensitive object, and if the command is received from a normal system administrator, the system disallows the administrative function. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system additionally receives a request to perform an operation on a data item in the database system.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates delegating operations involved in providing digital signatures to a signature server. The system operates by receiving a request for a digital signature from a user at the signature server, wherein the request includes an item to be signed on behalf of the user by the signature server. In response to the request, the system looks up a private key for the user at the signature server, and signs the item with the private key. Next, the system returns the signed item to the user, so that the user can send the signed item to the recipient. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system authenticates the user prior to signing the item. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system determines whether the user is authorized to sign the item prior to signing the item.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for managing trusted certificates for authenticating communications for clients belonging to an enterprise. The system assembles a list of trusted certificates containing public keys for authenticating communications signed by associated private keys. This assembly process may include verifying the authenticity of trusted certificates in the list. The system then constructs a fingerprint for the list. The list is then communicated to a client through a first communication mechanism, and the fingerprint is communicated to the client through a second communication mechanism. Next, the client verifies that the fingerprint received through the second communication mechanism was constructed from the list of trusted certificates received through the first communication mechanism. This establishes a high degree of confidence that the list of trusted certificates is authentic.

Abstract: A system and method provide transparent integration of a smart card private key operations with an existing set of encryption services and system applications. A key store manager manages user key data, and handles requests for key operations from the system applications. A user information file stores user data, including user private keys for users that do not have smart cards, and an indication of those users that have smart cards. A set of system applications interfaces with the key store manager through encryption protocol specific application programming interfaces. Users connect to the system through terminals or remote computers that may be equipped with smart card readers. For users having smart cards, the key store manager forwards to the smart cards requests for private key operations, such as encryption or decryption with the user's private key, from the system applications. In this manner the user's private key cannot be compromised by exposure to the computer system.

Abstract: A system and method provide transparent access from any system entry service to multiple account management services, and particularly to multiple authentication services on a computer system, supporting unified login and logout. Transparency between system entry services and account management services, including authentication, password, account, and session services, is provided by an application programming interface and a configuration file. The configuration file stores associations between system entry services, and selected account management services, and allows an individual system entry service to be associated with multiple different ones of a given type of account management service, such as authentication services.