IP Library Granted Patent US 9,077,546
Granted Patent B1
US 9,077,546 · App. 13/686,382 · Granted Jul 7, 2015

Two factor validation and security response of SSL certificates

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,077,546
App. No.
13/686,382
Granted
Jul 7, 2015
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for authenticating a secure sockets layer certificate (SSL) certificate are described herein. The methods include receiving the SSL certificate associated with a website, identifying a chain of trust associated with the SSL certificate, transmitting, to a security manager, a validation request based on the SSL certificate and a certificate in the chain of trust, receiving a validation response from the security manager, and presenting an indication of trustworthiness, to a user, based on the validation response. The apparatuses are provided to implement the methods.

Claims (36)

1. A method, implemented by a computing system programmed to perform the following, the method comprising:

receiving, by a credential manager at a client device, a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate associated with a website;

identifying, at the client device, a chain of trust associated with the SSL certificate;

transmitting, to a security manager of a trusted certificate authority, a validation request based on the SSL certificate and a certificate in the chain of trust;

receiving a validation response from the security manager of the trusted certificate authority;

notifying the security manager that the SSL certificate is malicious when a root certificate of a true root certificate authority does not match a root certificate in the chain of trust associated with the SSL certificate;

transmitting identifying information to the security manager when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust, wherein the identifying information comprises: an internet protocol (IP) address of the website, an IP address of the credential manager, a name of the true root certificate authority, and a name of the root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate; and

presenting an indication of trustworthiness of the SSL certificate based on the validation response.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the validation request using a signing certificate that is common to the credential manager and the security manager.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the validation response further comprises an indication that a root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate is valid.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying the true root certificate authority and the root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising preventing a web browser application from accessing the website when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust.

6. A computing system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled with the memory, the processor to execute a credential manager, wherein the credential manager is to:

receive a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate associated with a website;

identify a chain of trust associated with the SSL certificate;

transmit, to a security manager of a trusted certificate authority, a validation request based on the SSL certificate and a certificate in the chain of trust;

receive a validation response from the security manager of the trusted certificate authority, wherein the validation response further comprises an indication that a root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate is valid;

present an indication of trustworthiness of the SSL certificate based on the validation response;

notify the security manager that the SSL certificate is malicious when a true root certificate does not match the certificate of the chain of trust associated with the SSL certificate; and

transmit identifying information to the security manager when the true root certificate does not match the certificate of the chain of trust, the identifying information comprising an internet protocol (IP) address of the website, an IP address of the credential manager, a name of a true root certificate authority, and a name of the root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate.

7. The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the credential manager is further to generate the validation request using a signing certificate that is common to the credential manager and the security manager.

8. The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the credential manager is further to notify a true root certificate authority and the root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust.

9. The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the credential manager is further to prevent a web browser application from accessing the website when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a credential manager at a client device, a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate associated with a website;

identifying, at the client device, a chain of trust associated with the SSL certificate;

transmitting, to a security manager of a certificate authority, a validation request based on the SSL certificate and a certificate in the chain of trust;

receiving a validation response from the security manager of the certificate authority;

notifying the security manager that the SSL certificate is malicious when a true root certificate does not match a root certificate of the chain of trust;

transmitting identifying information to the security manager when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust, the identifying information comprising an internet protocol (IP) address of the website, an IP address of the credential manager, a name of the root certificate authority, and a name of a valid root certificate authority;

presenting an indication of trustworthiness based on the validation response.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprises generating the validation request using a signing certificate that is common to the credential manager and the security manager.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the validation response further comprises an indication that a root certificate authority associated with the SSL certificate is valid.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprises notifying the security manager when the true root certificate does not match the root certificate of the chain of trust.

Assignments (11)
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTERESTS IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (FIRST LIEN), RECORDED ON OCTOBER 16, 2019 AT REEL 050741 FRAME 0918 Recorded Sep 24, 2025
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SUCCESSOR TO CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS RESIGNING AGENT
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 072947/0157 →
SECOND LIEN NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY Recorded Jul 30, 2025
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 072300/0068 →
ASSIGNMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 19, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS EXISTING AGENT
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 055345/0042 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Oct 17, 2019
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DIGICERT, INC.; GEOTRUST, LLC
Reel/Frame 050746/0973 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Oct 17, 2019
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DIGICERT, INC.; GEOTRUST, LLC
Reel/Frame 050747/0001 →
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 16, 2019
From: DIGICERT, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050741/0899 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 16, 2019
From: DIGICERT, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050741/0918 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 3, 2017
From: DIGICERT, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044681/0556 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 3, 2017
From: DIGICERT, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044710/0529 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2017
From: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
To: DIGICERT, INC.
Reel/Frame 044344/0650 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2012
From: RAKSHIT, SAMIR KUMAR
To: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029357/0855 →