OKAPI Project (ACTS Project 051)

Summary

The OKAPI project aims to develop a trusted kernel to be used for electronic commerce, that will facilitate reliable and secure access to protected services with multimedia content. So far, the project resulted to a platform that supports the following features:

• Registration of new customers in the system
• Provides marketing capabilities for the Service Providers by connecting the kernel with the Web.
• Allows the on-line ordering of services from the Service Providers
• Provides secure transactions by using public key cryptography
• Provides automatic downloading, installation and execution of services and applications
• Acts as a license manager for the ordered services, restricting access even when these are located in the user's computer

The kernel consists of three different types of modules that communicate with each other through the Internet. Each of these modules are used by the respective actors of the system which are:

• The User which is the party that wishes to order and access the offered services.
• The Service Provider which is a company that provides electronic services with multimedia content
• The Trusted Third Party which is an independent organization that guards against unauthorized access to the services

The kernel can be used applications such as

• Electronic Commerce
• On-line Database Access
• Tele-education

Here you can read a brief description of the functionality of these modules.

Free Kernel Downloading

IMPORTANT NOTICE: You can now connect to the TTP server located at "artemis.csd.auth.gr". This TTP server is expected to be up and running 24 hours a day.

The kernel can be retrieved directly from this page.
Click here to download the latest PC version of the User Server currently available - Ver. 2.4.1 (AUT). You can then experiment and test the server.

You can also download the latest PC version of the Service Provider (SPv) Server.

To obtain the Trusted Third Party (TTP) Server please send mail to Prof. Ioannis Pitas.

Click here for information on configuring and running the servers.

You can protect your own programs with the kernel by using the Lock16 and Lock32 libraries. You can download the libraries now or read information on how you can use them inside your programs.

Internet Trials

In order to demonstrate the functionality of the kernel we have installed it on the "aias.csd.auth.gr" host computer. The University plays the role of the Trusted Third Party and the Service Provider offering some sample applications as services. If you wish to participate in the testing of the kernel, download the User module and connect to our servers. We welcome any observations and suggestions you may have.

Major new features in version 2.4.1

• The SPv server now keeps a log file for all the access requests it receives and the outcome of these requests. For each request, the number of the ACU and the name of the requested entitlement are stored.
• The SPv server denies access to entitlements that have not been paid for. Orders are enabled using the SPv GUI by selecting the payment method for the ordered entitlement.

Major new features in version 2.4

• The SPv server now uses a Microsoft Access database through the use of ODBC for data retrieval and storage.
• New operations were added to the SPv to allow the management of the available entitlements and the SPv's customers.
• Implementation of encryption - decryption capabilities using the routines from the SECUDE security toolkit available from GMD.

You can also view the list of new features and changes of the previous versions of the kernel.

Please send suggestions, comments to: Prof. I. Pitas (pitas@zeus.csd.auth.gr)