Secure accounting and operational control reporting system

Abstract

A secure accounting and operational method, whereby process elements are provided to a process, selected process elements are manipulated, a scheduled condition of the process is sampled at a predetermined point in the process, and the process sample is encrypted to provide an encrypted output. As a result, an authorized recipient has a high level of confidence in the reliability of the scheduled condition samples due to the integrity provided by the encryption process.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method, comprising: 
 providing at least one process element relating to a process;    at a first predetermined point in the process, sampling a first scheduled condition of the process to provide a process sample;    encrypting the process sample;    storing the encrypted process sample; and    subsequently validating reliability of the process, said validating comprising 
 sampling a current scheduled condition of the process at one of the first predetermined point in the process and a second predetermined point in the process,  
 decrypting the stored encrypted process sample,  
 comparing the current process sample to the decrypted stored process sample, and  
 making a validation determination consistent with a result of the comparison.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one process element is a process input.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one process element is a process output.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting environmental data related to the process sample.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data related to the process sample.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data and embedding the encrypted environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data with the related process sample.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes embedding the environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising verifying the environmental data, before decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising manipulating at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tagging at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process interacts with formatted data comprising at least one object having an associated tag.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least two process elements are provided to the process.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the first predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the second predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sampling the first scheduled condition comprises sampling a selected process element.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs before execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs after execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs as execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         22 . A method, comprising: 
 providing at least one process element relating to a process;    at a first predetermined point in the process, sampling a first scheduled condition of the process to provide a process sample, wherein the first scheduled condition involves a selected process element;    relating an element tag associated with the selected process element to at least one cryptographic label;    encrypting the process sample consistent with the at least one cryptographic label;    storing the encrypted process sample and the element tag; and    subsequently validating reliability of the process, said validating comprising 
 sampling a current scheduled condition of the process at one of the first predetermined point in the process and a second predetermined point in the process,  
 decrypting the stored encrypted process sample consistent with the at least one cryptographic label,  
 comparing the current process sample to the decrypted stored process sample, and  
 making a validation determination consistent with a result of the comparison.  
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one process element is a process input.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one process element is a process output.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising collecting environmental data related to the process sample.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data and embedding the encrypted environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data with the related process sample.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes embedding the environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising verifying the environmental data, before decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising manipulating at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising tagging at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the process interacts with formatted data comprising at least one object having an associated object tag.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein at least two process elements are provided to the process.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the first predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the second predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the element tag includes an attribute.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs before execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs after execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs as execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one cryptographic label is a role-based cryptographic label.  
     
     
         44 . A method, comprising: 
 providing, consistent with a data format, at least one object relating to a process;    selecting, from the at least one object, a first object, consistent with an object tag associated therewith;    referencing at least one cryptographic label consistent with the object tag;    encrypting at least a portion of the first object consistent with the at least one cryptographic label; and    storing the encrypted at least a portion of the first object and the object tag for subsequent use by an intended recipient.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one cryptographic label is a role-based cryptographic label.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the object tag includes an attribute.  
     
     
         47 . An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method, the method comprising: 
 providing at least one process element relating to a process;    at a first predetermined point in the process, sampling a first scheduled condition of the process to provide a process sample;    encrypting the process sample;    storing the encrypted process sample; and    subsequently validating functionality of the process, said validating comprising 
 sampling a current scheduled condition of the process at one of the first predetermined point in the process and a second predetermined point in the process;  
 decrypting the stored encrypted process sample;  
 comparing the current process sample to the decrypted stored process sample; and  
 making a validation determination consistent with a result of the comparison.  
   
     
     
         48 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one process element is a process input.  
     
     
         49 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one process element is a process output.  
     
     
         50 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the method further comprises collecting environmental data related to the process sample.  
     
     
         51 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data related to the process sample.  
     
     
         52 . The article of manufacture of  claim 51 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data and embedding the encrypted environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         53 . The article of manufacture of  claim 52 , wherein the method further comprises decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         54 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data with the related process sample.  
     
     
         55 . The article of manufacture of  claim 54 , wherein the method further comprises decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         56 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes embedding the environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         57 . The article of manufacture of  claim 56 , wherein the method further comprises verifying the environmental data, before decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         58 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the method further comprises manipulating at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         59 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the method further comprises tagging at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         60 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the process interacts with formatted data comprising at least one object having an associated object tag.  
     
     
         61 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein at least two process elements are provided to the process.  
     
     
         62 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the first predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         63 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the second predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         64 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein sampling the first scheduled condition comprises sampling a selecting process element.  
     
     
         65 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs before execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         66 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs after execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         67 . The article of manufacture of  claim 47 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs as execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         68 . An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method, the method comprising: 
 providing at least one process element relating to a process;    at a first predetermined point in the process, sampling a first scheduled condition of the process to provide a process sample, wherein the first scheduled condition involves a selected process element;    relating an element tag associated with the selected process element to at least one cryptographic label;    encrypting the process sample consistent with the at least one cryptographic label;    storing the encrypted process sample and the element tag; and    subsequently validating reliability of the process, said validating comprising 
 sampling a current scheduled condition of the process at one of the first predetermined point in the process and a second predetermined point in the process;  
 decrypting the stored encrypted process sample consistent with the at least one cryptographic label;  
 comparing the current process sample to the decrypted stored process sample; and  
 making a validation determination consistent with a result of the comparison.  
   
     
     
         69 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the at least one process element is a process input.  
     
     
         70 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the at least one process element is a process output.  
     
     
         71 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the method further comprises collecting environmental data related to the process sample.  
     
     
         72 . The article of manufacture of  claim 71 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data.  
     
     
         73 . The article of manufacture of  claim 72 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data and embedding the encrypted environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         74 . The article of manufacture of  claim 73 , wherein the method further comprises decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         75 . The article of manufacture of  claim 74 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes encrypting the environmental data with the related process sample.  
     
     
         76 . The article of manufacture of  claim 75 , wherein the method further comprises decrypting the encrypted environmental data, and verifying the environmental data, after decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         77 . The article of manufacture of  claim 71 , wherein encrypting the process sample includes embedding the environmental data within the encrypted related process sample.  
     
     
         78 . The article of manufacture of  claim 77 , wherein the method further comprises verifying the environmental data, before decrypting the stored encrypted process sample.  
     
     
         79 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the method further comprises manipulating at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         80 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , further comprising tagging at least one of the at least one process element.  
     
     
         81 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the process interacts with formatted data comprising at least one object having an associated object tag.  
     
     
         82 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein at least two process elements are provided to the process.  
     
     
         83 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the first predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         84 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the current scheduled condition of the process is sampled at the second predetermined point in the process.  
     
     
         85 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the element tag includes an attribute.  
     
     
         86 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs before execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         87 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs after execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         88 . The article of manufacture of  claim 68 , wherein the first predetermined point occurs as execution of the process is initiated.  
     
     
         89 . The article of manufacture of claim  123 , wherein at least one of the at least one encryption label is a role-based cryptographic label.  
     
     
         90 . An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method, the method comprising: 
 providing, consistent with a data format, at least one object relating to a process;    selecting, from the at least one object, a first object, consistent with an object tag associated with the first object;    referencing at least one cryptographic label consistent with the object tag;    encrypting at least a portion of the first object consistent with the at least one cryptographic label; and    storing the at least a portion of the first object and the object tag for subsequent use by an intended recipient.    
     
     
         91 . The article of manufacture of claim  90 , wherein the at least one encryption label is a role-based cryptographic label.  
     
     
         92 . The article of manufacture of claim  90 , wherein the object tag comprises an attribute.  
     
     
         93 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a first computer readable medium having stored thereon a first data set comprising at least one object and a respective tag associated therewith;    relating the respective tag to at least one cryptographic label;    encrypting the at least one object consistent with the at least one cryptographic label;    creating a second data set comprising the encrypted at least one object and the respective tag; and    storing said second data set on one of the first computer readable medium and a second computer readable medium.    
     
     
         94 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a first computer readable medium having stored thereon a first data set comprising a plurality of objects and a tag for, and associated with, each of the plurality of objects; and    creating a second data set on one of said first computer readable medium and a second computer readable medium, said creating comprising 
 for each of the plurality of objects, 
 relating the respective tag associated with the respective object to at least one cryptographic label,  
 encrypting the respective object consistent with the at least one cryptographic label, and  
 storing the encrypted respective object and the respective tag in said second data set.