Revocation list improvement

1. A method for enforcing use of certificate revocation lists in validating certificates, the certificate revocation lists being associated with a series of list generation indices such that each of the certificate revocations lists is assigned one of the list generation indices, the list generation indices advancing according to a time of generation of the certificate revocation lists, the certificate revocation lists and the list generation indices being cryptographically signed, the method comprising:

receiving one of the certificate revocation lists and an associated one of the list generation indices as an identifier of the one certificate revocation list;

checking the certificates against the one certificate revocation list;

associating each of the certificates, which have been checked against the one certificate revocation list, with the one list generation index;

receiving an enforcement generation index associated with a latest one of the certificate revocation lists in use;

storing the enforcement generation index as a last known enforcement generation index; and

refusing performance of an action associated with one of the certificates if the one list generation index of the one certificate is earlier in the series than the last known enforcement generation index.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising storing the checked certificates such that each of the checked certificates includes the one list generation index.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising checking an authenticity of the one certificate revocation list and the one list generation index.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising checking an authenticity of the enforcement generation index.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising establishing a secure authenticated channel to receive the enforcement generation index.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising revoking the one certificate if the one list generation index of the one certificate is earlier in the series than the last known enforcement generation index.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising allowing performance of another action even if the one list generation index of the one certificate is earlier in the series than the last known enforcement generation index.

8. A system for enforcing use of certificate revocation lists in validating certificates, the certificate revocation lists being associated with a series of list generation indices such that each of the certificate revocations lists is assigned one of the list generation indices, the list generation indices advancing according to a time of generation of the certificate revocation lists, the certificate revocation lists and the list generation indices being cryptographically signed, the system comprising:

physical computing machinery comprising:

a list receiving module to receive one of the certificate revocation lists and an associated one of the list generation indices as an identifier of the one certificate revocation list;

a list validation module to:

check the certificates against the one certificate revocation list; and

associate each of the certificates, which have been checked against the one certificate revocation list, with the one list generation index;

an enforcement generation index module to:

receive an enforcement generation index associated with a latest one of the certificate revocation lists in use; and

store the enforcement generation index as a last known enforcement generation index; and

a certificate validation enforcement module to refuse performance of an action associated with one of the certificates if the one list generation index of the one certificate is earlier in the series than the last known enforcement generation index.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the physical computing machinery further comprises a certificate storage module to store the checked certificates such that each of the checked certificates includes the one list generation index.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the list receiving module includes an authenticity checker to check an authenticity of the one certificate revocation list and the one list generation index.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the enforcement generation index module includes an authenticity checker to check an authenticity of the enforcement generation index.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the enforcement generation index module includes a secure channel setup module to at least partially establish a secure authenticated channel to receive the enforcement generation index.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the certificate validation enforcement module is operative to revoke the one certificate if the one list generation index of the one certificate is earlier in the series than the last known enforcement generation index.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the certificate validation module is operative to allow performance of another action even if the one list generation index of the one certificate is earlier in the series than the last known enforcement generation index.

15. A system for enforcing use of certificate revocation lists in validating certificates, the system comprising:

physical computing machinery comprising:

a list receiving module to receive a certificate revocation list and an associated list generation index as an identifier of the certificate revocation list, the certificate revocation list and the list generation index being cryptographically signed;

a list validation module to:

check the certificates against the certificate revocation list; and

associate each of the certificates, which have been checked against the certificate revocation list, with the list generation index;

an enforcement generation index module to:

receive an enforcement generation index associated with a latest certificate revocation list in use; and

store the enforcement generation index as a last known enforcement generation index; and

a certificate validation enforcement module to refuse performance of an action associated with one of the certificates if the list generation index of the one certificate is earlier a series generation indices than the last known enforcement generation index.

16. A system for enforcing use of certificate revocation lists in validating certificates, the system comprising:

physical computing machinery comprising:

means for receiving a certificate revocation list and an associated list generation index as an identifier of the certificate revocation list, the certificate revocation list and the list generation index being cryptographically signed;

means for checking the certificates against the certificate revocation list;

means for associating each of the certificates, which have been checked against the certificate revocation list, with the list generation index;

means for receiving an enforcement generation index associated with a latest certificate revocation list in use;

means for storing the enforcement generation index as a last known enforcement generation index; and

means for refusing performance of an action associated with one of the certificates if the list generation index of the one certificate is earlier a series generation indices than the last known enforcement generation index.