System and method for providing commitment security among users in a computer network

摘要

A system and method for use in a networked communication system provides a type of liability or commitment security mechanism which enables, for example, a merchant to rely on digitally signed statements, and at the same time enables a buyer to selectively enter a commitment limit before a digital signature is made by his or her private signing key. A trusted certificate authority enforces that the chosen limit cannot be exceeded prior to the transaction being fulfilled by issuing a commitment certificate on a per transaction basis which gives the other party a guarantee, even in case the key was compromised. The disclosed system and method allows a user to limit total liability when using a digital signing key even if used to sign any number of commitments or statements with other parties. It allows the beneficiary to trust in the received commitment confirmed by the commitment certificate.