A trusted system having at least one repository for controlling use of
digital works in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital
works. The system comprises means for receiving a request to access a
digital work in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital
work, the usage rights specifying a manner of access and indicating a
security class, means for determining a security level of a repository
controlling the requested access, and means for granting the request and
permitting exercise of the manner of access specified in the usage rights
associated with the digital work in accordance with the usage rights if
the security level of the repository corresponds to the security class
specified in the usage rights associated with the digital work. The
security class indicates a security level of a repository that can access
the digital work, and the usage rights are expressed with a grammar. In
addition, an authorization object is used for identification of the
repository, the physical integrity of the repository is secured, and
digital works are accessed only through a transmission transaction
protocol.
