Paul England

Bio: Paul England is an academic researcher from Microsoft. The author has contributed to research in topics: Encryption & Trusted Platform Module. The author has an hindex of 48, co-authored 157 publications receiving 7825 citations. Previous affiliations of Paul England include John L. Scott.

Digital rights management operating system

Abstract: A digital rights management operating system protects rights-managed data, such as downloaded content, from access by untrusted programs while the data is loaded into memory or on a page file as a result of the execution of a trusted application that accesses the memory. To protect the rights-managed data resident in memory, the digital rights management operating system refuses to load an untrusted program into memory while the trusted application is executing or removes the data from memory before loading the untrusted program. If the untrusted program executes at the operating system level, such as a debugger, the digital rights management operating system renounces a trusted identity created for it by the computer processor when the computer was booted. To protect the rights-managed data on the page file, the digital rights management operating system prohibits raw access to the page file, or erases the data from the page file before allowing such access. Alternatively, the digital rights management operating system can encrypt the rights-managed data prior to writing it to the page file. The digital rights management operating system also limits the functions the user can perform on the rights-managed data and the trusted application, and can provide a trusted clock used in place of the standard computer clock.

Loading and identifying a digital rights management operating system

Abstract: The identity of an operating system running on a computer is determined from an identity associated with an initial component for the operating system, combined with identities of additional components that are loaded afterwards. Loading of a digital rights management operating system on a subscriber computer is guaranteed by validating digital signatures on each component to be loaded and by determining a trust level for each component. A trusted identity is assumed by the digital rights management operating system when only components with valid signatures and a pre-determined trust level are loaded. Otherwise, the operating system is associated with an untrusted identity. Both the trusted and untrusted identities are derived from the components that were loaded. Additionally, a record of the loading of each component is placed into a boot log that is protected from tampering through a chain of public-private key pairs.

Secure processor architecture for use with a digital rights management (DRM) system on a computing device

Abstract: A secure processor is operable in normal and preferred modes, and includes a security kernel instantiated when the processor enters into preferred mode and a security key accessible by the security kernel during preferred mode. The security kernel employs the accessed security key to authenticate a secure application, and allows the processor to be trusted to keep hidden a secret of the application. To instantiate the application, the processor enters preferred mode where the security key is accessible, and instantiates and runs the security kernel. The security kernel accesses the security key and applies same to decrypt a key for the application, stores the decrypted key in a location where the application will expect same, and instantiates the application. The processor then enters the normal mode, where the security key is not accessible.

Enforcement architecture and method for digital rights management

Abstract: An enforcement architecture and method for implementing digital rights management are disclosed. Digital content is distributed from a content server to a computing device of a user and received, and an attempt is made to render the digital content by way of a rendering application. The rendering application invokes a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system, and such DRM system determines whether a right to render the digital content in the manner sought exists based on any digital license stored in the computing device and corresponding to the digital content. If the right does not exist, a digital license that provides such right and that corresponds to the digital content is requested from a license server, and the license server issues the digital license to the DRM system. The computing device receives the issued digital license and stores the received digital license thereon.

Computer security management, such as in a virtual machine or hardened operating system

Abstract: A security scheme provides security to one or more self-contained operating environment instances executing on a computer. The security scheme may include implementing a set of security applications that may be controlled by a supervisory process, or the like. Both the set of security applications and the supervisory process may operate on a host system of the computer, which may also provide a platform for execution of the one or more self-contained operating environments. The security scheme protects processes running in the one or more self-contained operating environment and processes running on the computer outside of the self-contained operating environments.

Systems and Methods for Secure Transaction Management and Electronic Rights Protection

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem, wherein it is impossible for an electronic content information provider to provide commercially secure and effective method, for a configurable general-purpose electronic commercial transaction/distribution control system. SOLUTION: In this system, having at least one protected processing environment for safely controlling at least one portion of decoding of digital information, a secure content distribution method comprises a process for encapsulating digital information in one or more digital containers; a process for encrypting at least a portion of digital information; a process for associating at least partially secure control information for managing interactions with encrypted digital information and/or digital container; a process for delivering one or more digital containers to a digital information user; and a process for using a protected processing environment, for safely controlling at least a portion of the decoding of the digital information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Terra: a virtual machine-based platform for trusted computing

Abstract: We present a flexible architecture for trusted computing, called Terra, that allows applications with a wide range of security requirements to run simultaneously on commodity hardware. Applications on Terra enjoy the semantics of running on a separate, dedicated, tamper-resistant hardware platform, while retaining the ability to run side-by-side with normal applications on a general-purpose computing platform. Terra achieves this synthesis by use of a trusted virtual machine monitor (TVMM) that partitions a tamper-resistant hardware platform into multiple, isolated virtual machines (VM), providing the appearance of multiple boxes on a single, general-purpose platform. To each VM, the TVMM provides the semantics of either an "open box," i.e. a general-purpose hardware platform like today's PCs and workstations, or a "closed box," an opaque special-purpose platform that protects the privacy and integrity of its contents like today's game consoles and cellular phones. The software stack in each VM can be tailored from the hardware interface up to meet the security requirements of its application(s). The hardware and TVMM can act as a trusted party to allow closed-box VMs to cryptographically identify the software they run, i.e. what is in the box, to remote parties. We explore the strengths and limitations of this architecture by describing our prototype implementation and several applications that we developed for it.

Adaptive pattern recognition based control system and method

Abstract: An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation that may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a video cassette recorder (VCR), medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

Systems and methods for establishing a cloud bridge between virtual storage resources

Abstract: Methods and systems for establishing a cloud bridge between two virtual storage resources and for transmitting data from one first virtual storage resource to the other virtual storage resource The system can include a first virtual storage resource or cloud, and a storage delivery management service that executes on a computer and within the first virtual storage resource The storage delivery management service can receive user credentials of a user that identify a storage adapter Upon receiving the user credentials, the storage delivery management service can invoke the storage adapter which executes an interface that identifies a second virtual storage resource and includes an interface translation file The storage delivery management service accesses the second virtual storage resource and establishes a cloud bridge with the second virtual storage resource using information obtained from the second virtual storage resource and information translated by the storage adapter using the interface translation file