Method and system for establishing trust in a peer-to-peer network
View Patent ↗A method and system for establishing trust in a peer-to-peer network is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises receiving a certificate associated with content from a peer in a peer-to-peer network. A file certificate associated with the content is received wherein the file certificate includes a hash. The validity of the content is determined with the file certificate. The authenticity of the content is determined with the file certificate.
1. A computer-implemented method for enabling trusted content, the method comprising:
receiving a certificate associated with content from a peer of a plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer network;
receiving a pointer file associated with the content, wherein the pointer file includes a hash and an address of a tracker server, and wherein the tracker server mediates and logs communications between the plurality of peers, and wherein the tracker server does not store the content;
determine the validity of the content by comparing the hash within the pointer file to a block within the content; and
determine the authenticity of the content by using the certificate to identify the content source.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the authenticity of the content further comprises using a root certificate obtained from a certification authority.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising determining if the peer has been authenticated by the certification authority.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the peer did not originally create the content.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the peer belongs to a plurality of peers wherein the plurality of peers have signed the certificate and have been authenticated by the certification authority.
6. The computer implemented of claim 3 , wherein the pointer file is a .torrent file.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the root certificate includes a public key of the certification authority.
8. The computer implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the certificate includes a public key of the peer providing the certificate.
9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for enabling trusted content, said plurality of instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform:
receiving a certificate associated with content from a peer of a plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer network;
receiving a pointer file associated with the content, wherein the pointer file includes a hash and an address of a tracker server, and wherein the tracker server mediates and logs communications between the plurality of peers, and wherein the tracker server does not store the content;
determine the validity of the content by comparing the hash within the pointer file to a block within the content; and
determine the authenticity of the content by using the certificate to identify the content source.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the authenticity of the content further comprises using a root certificate obtained from a certification authority.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform determining if the peer has been authenticated by the certification authority.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the peer did not originally create the content.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the peer belongs to a plurality of peers wherein the plurality of peers have signed the certificate and have been authenticated by the certification authority.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the pointer file is a .torrent file.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the root certificate includes a public key of the certification authority.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the certificate includes a public key of the peer providing the certificate.
17. A system for enabling trusted content, the system comprising:
a processor;
a bus connected to the processor; and
memory connected to the bus; wherein the processor executes instructions to receive a certificate associated with content from a peer of a plurality of peers in a peer-to-peer network;
receive a pointer file associated with the content, wherein the pointer file includes a hash and an address of a tracker server, and wherein the tracker server mediates and logs communications between the plurality of peers, and wherein the tracker server does not store the content;
determine the validity of the content by comparing the hash within the pointer file to a block within the content; and
determine the authenticity of the content by using the certificate to identify the content source.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein determining the authenticity of the content further comprises using a root certificate obtained from a certification authority.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising determining if the peer has been authenticated by the certification authority.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the peer did not originally create the content.
21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the peer belongs to a plurality of peers wherein the plurality of peers have signed the certificate and have been authenticated by the certification authority.
22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the pointer file is a .torrent file.
23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the root certificate includes a public key of the certification authority.
24. The system of claim 18 , wherein the certificate includes a public key of the peer providing the certificate.