Claims
- 1. A method for substituting an anonymous Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) for a computer system's real UUID in order to disguise an identity of said computer system to an application requesting a UUID for said client computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
establishing a storage device in said computer system including a primary location, wherein a UUID stored in said primary location is used as a UUID for said computer system; generating said anonymous UUID, wherein said anonymous UUID does not identify any particular computer system; storing said anonymous UUID in said primary location within said storage device; and providing said anonymous UUID in response to a request for said computer system's UUID.
- 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
said storage device including a secondary location for saving said real UUID while said anonymous UUID is being utilized as said computer system's UUID; and in response to said storage of said anonymous UUID in said primary location, moving said real UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein said real UUID is not located in said primary location after said move.
- 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
establishing a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system's identity; said computer system starting execution of said boot process; determining whether said cloak bit is set during said execution of said boot process; and in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, moving said real UUID stored in said primary location to a secondary location in said storage device and storing said anonymous UUID in said primary location, wherein said identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said client computer system's UUID.
- 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, moving said real UUID from said storage location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system's UUID.
- 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
an application program requesting said computer system's UUID; and said computer system providing a UUID stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request.
- 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:
establishing a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system's identity; said computer system providing said real UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is cleared; and said computer system providing said anonymous UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is set.
- 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether said cloak bit is set or cleared; in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, moving said real UUID from said primary location to a secondary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said secondary location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said computer system's UUID; and in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, moving said real UUID from said secondary location to said primary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system's UUID.
- 8. A system for substituting an anonymous Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) for a computer system's real UUID in order to disguise an identity of said computer system to an application requesting a UUID for said client computer system, said computer system including a CPU, comprising:
a storage device in said computer system including a primary location, wherein a UUID stored in said primary location is used as a UUID for said computer system; said system for generating said anonymous UUID, wherein said anonymous UUID does not identify any particular computer system; said anonymous UUID being stored in said primary location within said storage device; and said system for providing said anonymous UUID in response to a request for said computer system's UUID.
- 9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:
said storage device for including a secondary location for saving said real UUID while said anonymous UUID is being utilized as said computer system's UUID; and in response to said storage of said anonymous UUID in said primary location, said system for moving said real UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein said real UUID is not located in said primary location after said move.
- 10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:
a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system's identity; said computer system for starting execution of said boot process; means for determining whether said cloak bit is set during said execution of said boot process; and in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, said system for moving said real UUID stored in said primary location to a secondary location in said storage device and storing said anonymous UUID in said primary location, wherein said identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said client computer system's UUID.
- 11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, said system for moving said real UUID from said storage location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system's UUID.
- 12. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:
an application program for requesting said computer system's UUID; and said computer system for providing a UUID stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request.
- 13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:
a cloak bit for specifying whether to disguise said computer system's identity; said computer system for providing said real UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is cleared; and said computer system for providing said anonymous UUID which is stored in said primary location to said application program in response to said request when said cloak bit is set.
- 14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:
means for determining whether said cloak bit is set or cleared; in response to a determination that said cloak bit is set, said system for moving said real UUID from said primary location to a secondary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said secondary location to said primary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is disguised by utilizing said anonymous UUID as said computer system's UUID; and in response to a determination that said cloak bit is cleared, said system for moving said real UUID from said secondary location to said primary location and moving said anonymous UUID from said primary location to said secondary location, wherein a true identity of said computer system is represented by utilizing said real UUID as said computer system's UUID.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention is related to the subject matter of co-pending patent application Ser. No. ______ (Docket Number RPS9 2000 0057 US1) entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISGUISING A COMPUTER SYSTEM'S IDENTITY ON A NETWORK BY DISGUISING THE SYSTEM'S MAC ADDRESS”, assigned to the assignee herein named, filed on ______, and incorporated herein by reference.