U.S. patent application number 11/167744 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-06 for system and method for enhanced network client security.
Invention is credited to Naohisa Fukuda, Raymond T. Gurgone, Robert L. Johnston, Edward W. Laves, David S. Robins, Frank Seiji Sanda, Justin Owen Tidwell, Laura J. Worthington, Karlton Mark Zeitz.
Application Number | 20060075472 11/167744 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35044584 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060075472 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sanda; Frank Seiji ; et
al. |
April 6, 2006 |
System and method for enhanced network client security
Abstract
Systems are methods for enhanced network client security are
described. One aspect of one embodiment of the present invention
includes receiving a security-related policy associated with a
user, determining a security model associated with the
security-related policy, and applying the security model to a
network connection on a client device. One aspect of another
embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a first
measure associated with a usage characteristic, the usage
characteristic associated with a user, receiving a second measure
associated with the usage characteristic, comparing the first
measure and second measure, and determining the likelihood that an
unauthorized access has occurred based at least in part on the
comparison.
Inventors: |
Sanda; Frank Seiji; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Fukuda; Naohisa; (Tokyo, JP) ; Laves;
Edward W.; (Golden, CO) ; Johnston; Robert L.;
(Colorado Springs, CO) ; Tidwell; Justin Owen;
(Aurora, CO) ; Gurgone; Raymond T.; (Woodstock,
IL) ; Robins; David S.; (Buffalo Grove, IL) ;
Worthington; Laura J.; (Centennial, CO) ; Zeitz;
Karlton Mark; (Centennial, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KILPATRICK STOCKTON LLP
1001 WEST FOURTH STREET
WINSTON-SALEM
NC
27101
US
|
Family ID: |
35044584 |
Appl. No.: |
11/167744 |
Filed: |
June 27, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60583765 |
Jun 28, 2004 |
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60598364 |
Aug 3, 2004 |
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60652121 |
Feb 11, 2005 |
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60653411 |
Feb 16, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
726/3 ;
726/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 47/22 20130101;
H04L 63/162 20130101; H04L 63/0272 20130101; H04L 63/0263 20130101;
H04L 63/0869 20130101; H04L 63/1408 20130101; H04L 9/321 20130101;
H04L 41/509 20130101; H04L 63/0823 20130101; H04L 63/20 20130101;
H04L 41/0681 20130101; H04L 43/0817 20130101; H04L 2209/56
20130101; H04L 67/322 20130101; H04L 63/0227 20130101; H04L 63/166
20130101; H04L 41/5016 20130101; H04L 63/102 20130101; H04L 41/0213
20130101; H04L 41/5009 20130101; H04L 41/5067 20130101; G06F 21/316
20130101; H04L 63/08 20130101; H04L 47/11 20130101; H04L 47/24
20130101; H04L 43/045 20130101; H04L 67/04 20130101; H04L 2209/60
20130101; H04L 9/3273 20130101; H04W 48/18 20130101; H04L 63/145
20130101; H04L 2209/805 20130101; H04W 12/088 20210101; G06F
21/6227 20130101; H04L 69/329 20130101; H04L 67/02 20130101; H04L
67/30 20130101; H04L 67/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
726/003 ;
726/001 |
International
Class: |
H04L 9/00 20060101
H04L009/00; H04L 9/32 20060101 H04L009/32; G06F 17/00 20060101
G06F017/00; G06F 15/16 20060101 G06F015/16; H04K 1/00 20060101
H04K001/00; G06F 17/30 20060101 G06F017/30; G06F 7/04 20060101
G06F007/04; G06F 7/58 20060101 G06F007/58; G06K 19/00 20060101
G06K019/00; G06K 9/00 20060101 G06K009/00 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: receiving a security-related policy
associated with a user; determining a security model associated
with the security-related policy; and applying the security model
to a network connection on a client device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the security model comprises at
least one rule.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the rule comprises a rule
selected from the group consisting of a firewall rule, an antivirus
rule, and a virtual private network rule.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the security policy is associated
with a connection type.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the connection type comprises a
connection type selected from the group consisting of Wifi, local
area network, wide area network, wireless wide area network,
personal handy network, dial-up, and satellite.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the security policy comprises a
secure zone and a non-secure zone.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is associated with a
user group.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the security policy
comprises receiving the security policy from a policy server.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: creating a security
policy; and associating the security policy with the user.
10. A method comprising: receiving a first measure associated with
a usage characteristic, the usage characteristic associated with a
user; receiving a second measure associated with the usage
characteristic; comparing the first measure and second measure; and
determining the likelihood that an unauthorized access has occurred
based at least in part on the comparison.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the usage characteristic
comprises at least one usage characteristic selected from the group
consisting of a uniform resource locator visited, an application
launched, an number of systems calls per specified duration, a
keystroke sequence, a system call, a processor utilization measure,
and a memory utilization measure.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the usage characteristic
comprises at least one usage characteristic selected from the group
consisting of a traffic level associated with a connection, a
protocol used, and a port hit.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein comparing the first measure and
second measure comprises performing a statistical linear
regression.
14. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code,
the program code comprising: program code for receiving a
security-related policy associated with a user; program code for
determining a security model associated with the security-related
policy; and program code for applying the security model to a
network connection on a client device.
15. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code,
the program code comprising: program code for receiving a first
measure associated with a usage characteristic, the usage
characteristic associated with a user; program code for receiving a
second measure associated with the usage characteristic; program
code for comparing the first measure and second measure; and
program code for determining the likelihood that an unauthorized
access has occurred based at least in part on the comparison.
16. A system comprising: a policy reader operable to determine a
policy associated with a user; and a client security module
operable to: receive a security-related policy associated with a
user; determine a security model associated with the
security-related policy; and apply the security model to a network
connection on a client device.
17. A system comprising: a policy reader operable to determine a
policy associated with a user; and a unauthorized access detector
operable to: receive a first measure associated with a usage
characteristic, the usage characteristic associated with a user;
receive a second measure associated with the usage characteristic;
compare the first measure and second measure; and determine the
likelihood that an unauthorized access has occurred based at least
in part on the comparison.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to Application Ser. No.
60/583,765, filed on Jun. 28, 2004, titled "Controlling Use of a
Mobile Work Station Based on Network Environment," Application Ser.
No. 60/598,364, filed on Aug. 3, 2004, titled "Systems and Methods
for Enhancing and Optimizing a User's Experience on an Electronic
Device," Application Ser. No. 60/652,121, filed on Feb. 11, 2005,
titled "Remote Access Services," and Application Ser. No.
60/653,411, filed on Feb. 16, 2005, titled "Creating an Environment
for Secure Mobile Access Anywhere," the entirety of all of which
are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to computer
networking and, more particularly to systems and methods for
enhanced network client security.
BACKGROUND
[0003] As the workforce becomes more mobile, enterprises often must
provide a means for their users to connect to the enterprise
network remotely. Enterprises and their users have much greater
flexibility in selecting methods of connecting to the enterprise
network as well as other resources, such as the Internet. With this
added flexibility comes a concomitant increase in complexity and
risk. Thus, although remote access may be necessary, enterprises
may resist providing their users with remote access.
[0004] Each remote method for connecting to an enterprise network
opens a potential security hole that might be exploited. For
instance, listeners on a network, such as rogue access points, may
be able to determine a user's username/password combination for
accessing the network. Also, remote users may expose
username/password combinations by, for example, writing them on a
card affixed to a laptop. Once exposed, unscrupulous persons may
gain access to the username/password combinations and then log into
an enterprise's systems, posing as the authorized user. The
enterprise typically has limited means to determine that a user
utilizing a valid username and password is actually
unauthorized.
SUMMARY
[0005] Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and
methods for enhanced network client security. One aspect of one
embodiment of the present invention comprises receiving a
security-related policy associated with a user, determining a
security model associated with the security-related policy, and
applying the security model to a network connection on a client
device. One aspect of another embodiment of the present invention
comprises receiving a first measure associated with a usage
characteristic, the usage characteristic associated with a user,
receiving a second measure associated with the usage
characteristic, comparing the first measure and second measure, and
determining the likelihood that an unauthorized access has occurred
based at least in part on the comparison. In another embodiment, a
computer-readable medium (such as, for example random access memory
or a computer disk) comprises code for carrying out such
methods.
[0006] These illustrative embodiments are mentioned not to limit or
define the invention, but to provide examples to aid understanding
thereof. Illustrative embodiments are discussed in the Detailed
Description, and further description of the invention is provided
there. Advantages offered by the various embodiments of the present
invention may be further understood by examining this
specification.
FIGURES
[0007] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention are better understood when the following Detailed
Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an illustrative
environment for implementation of one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the modules present
on a client device 102 in one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the modules present
on a security server 104 in one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the modules present
on an enterprise server 106 in one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process for applying a
security model to a network connection in one embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0013] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process for statistical
attack determination in one embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and
methods for enhanced network client security. There are multiple
embodiments of the present invention. By way of introduction and
example, one illustrative embodiment of the present invention
provides a method for centralized security management. In such an
embodiment, an administrator establishes one or more
security-related policies.
[0015] For instance, the administrator may determine that only
client devices having a personal firewall and the latest virus
definition files are to be allowed to connect to the enterprises
confidential data via a Wi-Fi connection. However, only a VPN is
required for a dial-up line. The administrator establishes the
policies in a central policy server. When a user logs into the
enterprise server, the policies are downloaded to the user's client
device.
[0016] When the user next attempts to log in to the enterprise
server via a Wi-Fi connection, a connection manager on the client
device generates a security model based on the security-related
policy. The connection manager then applies the connection model to
the Wi-Fi connection. If the user does not have an active personal
firewall and the latest virus definitions, the connection to the
enterprise server is broken down. The user may still access the
enterprise server via other network types, depending on the
security model for each of the network types.
[0017] The administrator can modify and add policies based on
changes to available network types, security threats, and other
reasons. The changes are dynamically applied to the client in a
manner that is transparent to the user.
[0018] This introduction is given to introduce the reader to the
general subject matter of the application. By no means is the
invention limited to such subject matter. Illustrative embodiments
are described below.
System Architecture
[0019] Various systems in accordance with the present invention may
be constructed. Referring now to the drawings in which like
numerals indicate like elements throughout the several figures,
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an illustrative environment for
implementation of one embodiment of the present invention. The
system shown in FIG. 1 includes a client 102. The client is in
communication with a security server 104.
[0020] Communication with the security server 104 occurs via a
network 108. The network 108 may comprise a public or private
network and may include the Internet. The network may also comprise
a plurality of networks, including, for example, dedicated phone
lines between the various components. In one embodiment, the client
102 communicates with the security server 104 via a virtual private
network ("VPN") established over the Internet.
[0021] The security server 104 is also in communication with an
enterprise server 106 via a network. The network 108 may comprise
various elements, both wired and wireless. In one embodiment, the
communication between the security server 104 and enterprise server
106 occurs over a static VPN established over dedicated
communication lines.
[0022] In one embodiment, a user connects a client device 102 to
the network 108 using a network access user interface. The network
access user interface is always on and only allows the user to
connect to the network 108 via the interface. The network access
user interface automatically causes the client 102 to connect to
the security server 104 through the network 108. The security
server 104 provides value added services to the client 102 and to
one or more enterprises. Access to other services, such as the
Internet, may be provided via the security server 104.
[0023] Although FIG. 1 includes only a single client 102, security
server 104, and enterprise server 106, an embodiment of the present
invention will typically include a plurality of clients 102 and may
include a plurality of security servers 104 and enterprise servers
106.
[0024] FIGS. 2 through 4 are block diagrams illustrating components
on the client 102, security server 104, and enterprise server 106.
Each of the components shown may be a third-party application, a
custom application, or a combination of both. Each of the
components may also be implemented in hardware, software, or a
combination of hardware and software.
Client Devices
[0025] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the modules present
on a client device 102 in one embodiment of the present invention.
Examples of client device 102 are personal computers, digital
assistants, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, mobile
phones, smart phones, pagers, digital tablets, laptop computers,
Internet appliances, and other processor-based devices. In general,
a client device 102 may be any suitable type of processor-based
platform that is connected to the network 108, and that interacts
with one or more application programs. The client device 102 can
contain a processor coupled to a computer-readable medium, such as
RAM. Client device 102 may operate on any operating system, such as
Microsoft.RTM. Windows.RTM. or Linux. The client device 102 is, for
example, a laptop computer executing a network access user
interface.
[0026] The modules shown in FIG. 2 represent functionality of the
client 102. The modules may be implemented as one or more computer
programs that include one or more modules. For instance, in one
embodiment, all the modules shown in FIG. 2 are contained within a
single network access application. Also, the functionality shown on
the client 102 may be implemented on a server in other embodiments
of the present invention. Likewise, functionality shown in FIGS. 3
and 4 as being on a server may be implemented on the client 102 in
some embodiments of the present invention.
[0027] The client 102 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a VPN client 202.
The VPN client 202 allows the client 102 to connect to the
enterprise server 106. In one embodiment of the present invention,
the VPN client 202 is used to determine whether or not the VPN
client 202 is active and whether or not the VPN client 202 is
connected to a VPN server. For instance, an embodiment of the
present invention may determine whether or not to connect to a
particular service based on whether or not the VPN client 202 is
enabled.
[0028] In another embodiment of the present invention, the VPN
client 202 is used for four purposes: (1) to manage policy files,
which include information, such as a gateway Internet Protocol (IP)
address, secrecy and authentication level, and hash; (2)
automatically connecting a VPN; (3) automatically disconnecting the
VPN; and (4) monitoring the status of the VPN. Each of these four
purposes may be affected by other modules, including, for example,
the connection manager 210.
[0029] The client 102 also comprises a secure vault 204. The secure
vault 204 protects content on the client 102. In one embodiment,
the secure vault 204 is responsible for storing encrypted content
on the client 102 and allowing access to the encrypted content
based on a set of permissions or policies. In such an embodiment, a
content creator can provide access via a viewer to secured content
and allow a recipient of the content read-only access or allow the
recipient to perform other tasks, such as modifying the content and
forwarding it to other users. In another embodiment, the secure
vault 204 allows the user to create and distribute secure content
to other clients 102, the content creator can decide to send a
document to several users and allow two of the users full access
and one of the users read-only access.
[0030] The client 102 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises a firewall
206. The firewall 206 allows port blocking via predefined policies.
For instance, in one embodiment, an information technology ("IT")
manager specifies port blocking based on two zones, a safe zone and
a dangerous zone. The IT manager specifies one of these two zones
for each of the network interface devices installed on the client
102. The IT manager is then able to set port-blocking rules by zone
on the firewall 206.
[0031] For example, the IT manager may classify a Wireless Fidelity
("Wi-Fi") network interface as dangerous since it has traditionally
been considered fairly unsafe. And the IT manager may apply more
restrictive port-blocking rules to the dangerous zone than to the
safe zone and network interface devices, such as those used to
connect to a wired Local Area Network ("LAN") or a Personal
Handyphone System ("PHS") cellular connection. The PHS standard is
a TDD-TDMA based microcellular wireless communications technology
and has been traditionally considered relatively safer than Wi-Fi
connections. The PHS cellular connection may also be referred to as
a wireless wide area network ("WWAN") as opposed to a dial-up
connection providing access to a wide area network ("WAN").
[0032] In various other embodiments, the port-blocking rules of the
firewall 206 may be based on time of day, client IP address,
terminating IP address, terminating and originating port, protocol,
and other variables. In one embodiment, the port-blocking rules are
based on policy data associated with individual users logged into
the client 102.
[0033] In one embodiment, the port-blocking rules of the firewall
206 include a blacklist. The blacklist allows an IT manager to
prevent an application from executing on the client 102. For
instance, an IT manager may blacklist a DVD player so that a user
is unable to view DVD's on the client 102. The firewall 206 may
provide a message to the user informing the user that an
application is unavailable.
[0034] In another embodiment, the firewall 206 implements a white
list. The white list is somewhat more restrictive than the
blacklist described above. The white list allows only specified
applications to execute. For example, an IT manager may allow only
MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook to execute. No other
applications will be permitted to execute. The firewall 206 may be
a custom firewall or a third-party firewall integrated into an
embodiment of the present invention. 100291 The embodiment shown in
FIG. 2 also includes an antivirus module 208. The antivirus module
208 shown determines whether policy files, virus dictionary, or
other virus-related resources are out of date and provides the
client 102 with a mechanism for updating the files or data. The
antivirus module 208 may restrict access to various connections,
applications, and other functionality when the policy files are out
of date. For instance, the antivirus module 208 may restrict the
client 102 to connecting to a single gateway through which the
policy files are available. In one embodiment, the antivirus module
208 comprises a third-party antivirus product that is integrated
with the other modules on the client 102.
[0035] The client 102 also comprises a connection manager 210,
which includes a rules processor. In one embodiment, the connection
manager 210 assigns a priority number to every connection, e.g.,
one to one hundred, and selects the connection with the highest
number to connect to.
[0036] The connection manager 210 may provide a connection to a
variety of networks, including, for example, dial-up, LAN, digital
subscriber line ("DSL"), cable modem, Wi-Fi, wireless local area
network ("WLAN"), PHS, and satellite.
[0037] In one embodiment, the connection manager 210 differentiates
between public and private connections. A public connection is a
connection provided by a service provider who has a relationship
with the administrator of the security server 104, which allows the
security server 104 to authenticate the connection. For instance,
the security server 104 administrator may have a business
arrangement with a hotspot provider. In order to connect, the
client 102 connects to a local access point and the authentication
of the user occurs automatically at the security server 104. In
contrast, a private connection requires that all aspects of the
authentication mechanism for a connection are managed in the
absence of the security server 104, although the connection manager
may provide certain facilities to allow for automated
authentication where possible.
[0038] In one embodiment, the connection manager 210 makes
connections available or unavailable to the client 102 based on
policies present on the client 102. The connection manager 210 may
also download changes to policy data and transmit quality of
service ("QoS") and other data to the security server 104 or the
enterprise server 106.
[0039] In one embodiment, the connection manager 210 determines the
type of connections that are available based on signals provided by
hardware associated with the client 102. For example, when the
client 102 passes near a hotspot, a Wi-Fi card in the client 102
senses the hotspot and sends a signal to the connection manager
210. For instance, the Wi-Fi card may sense a broadcast service set
identifier ("SSID"). Once the signal exceeds a threshold, the
connection manager 210 provides a signal to a user of the client
102 that the network is available or may automatically connect to
the hotspot. Alternatively, the Wi-Fi card may poll for a
non-broadcast SSID. The connection manager 210 may provide a single
connection to the client 102 at one time or may provide multiple
connections to the client 102.
[0040] The client 102 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises a QoS
collector 212. The QoS collector 212 collects data values,
including, for example, the number of bytes sent and received, the
average transfer rate, the average signal strength at connection,
termination cause, failed connections, and a network identifier. In
another embodiment, the QoS collector 212 collects data during the
session to determine when a connection provides inconsistent
performance.
[0041] In one embodiment, the QoS collector 212 collects data
regarding a connection during a session but does not send the data
for a session until the next session. Thus, if a session is
terminated abnormally, the QoS data will still be collected and
transferred successfully. In another embodiment, the QoS collector
212 transfers data only when a particular type of connection is
detected, such as a high-speed or low cost connection.
[0042] The client 102 also comprises a session statistics module
214. The session statistics module stores data representing user
characteristics. For instance, the session statistic module 214 may
store a list of the applications a user generally accesses, how
often the user is connected, the typical CPU and memory utilization
measure, keyboard sequences, and other characteristics of a user.
If a particular user deviates from the expected characteristics by
greater than a threshold, such as N standard deviations, and the
significance of the statistic is more than a specified amount, the
session statistics module 214 can identify the current user as a
potential unauthorized user.
[0043] The session statistics module 214 may perform other tasks as
well. For instance, in one embodiment, the session statistics
module 214 pre-loads applications based on a user's general usage
patterns.
[0044] The client 102 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises a policy
reader 216. In one embodiment, a company's policies are housed on
the enterprise server 106. For instance, individual groups and
users within an enterprise are identified and associated with
policies, such as what types of connections they are able to access
and what a user's VPN profile is. The user may also be able to
specify a VPN policy on the client 102. In such an embodiment, the
policy reader 216 downloads the policy rules from the enterprise
server 106 and accesses local user policies and reconciles any
conflicts between the two.
[0045] For example, an IT manager may establish a VPN profile to be
used by a user when connecting to a Wi-Fi network. However, the
user may wish to create a secondary VPN profile to be used if the
first VPN becomes unavailable. The policy reader 216 loads both
local and enterprise VPN profiles, resolving any conflict between
the two VPN profiles.
[0046] In one embodiment, the policy reader 216 accesses data at an
enterprise, department, and user level. In such an embodiment, some
of the policy rules may be stored in a lightweight directory access
protocol ("LDAP") server on the client 102, security server 104, or
enterprise server 106. In another embodiment, the policy reader 216
receives only changes to policy data and does not typically
download all of the policy data at once. Policies downloaded by the
policy reader 216 may be provided to the rules processor of the
connection manager 210.
[0047] The client 102 may also comprises a client security module
216. In one embodiment, the client security module 216 implements a
client asset protection process. When the client security module
216 receives a signal indicating that the client asset protection
process is to be executed, the client security module 216 may, for
example, disable devices and interfaces on the client device 102
and may, in some embodiments, encrypt the hard drive of the client
device 102 so that the files stored on the drive are not easily
accessible.
[0048] The client 102 may also comprise a user interface 220. The
user interface 220 may control the underlying operating environment
or the user's view of the underlying environment. For example, in
one embodiment, the user interface 220 supplants the Microsoft.RTM.
Windows operating system interface from the user's perspective. In
other words, the user is unable to access many of the standard
Windows features. Such a user interface may be implemented to limit
the applications and configuration setting a user is able to
access. In some embodiments, such as a personal digital assistant
("PDA"), no user interface is provided by an embodiment of the
present invention; the standard PDA user interface is utilized.
[0049] The user interface 220 provides the user with an easy-to-use
mechanism for accessing network connections. In one embodiment,
when the user interface 220 is visible, it provides a very
easy-to-use format that displays network connection types and
provides other functionality to the user. For example, during
complex operations, such as connecting to a new network type, the
user can simply select a single button within the user interface
220 and the client 102 will properly disconnect from the previous
network, acquire the new network, perform all authentication and
policy-based requirements, and then allow the user to continue
using an application on the new network. This simple, easy-to-use
user interface 220, the complexity of which may be hidden and
completely automatic, allows a less-technical user to successfully
operate the client 102. All network connection, authentication,
secure sign on, VPN parameters, and other aspects of the connection
are managed by the user interface 220.
[0050] The client 102 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises a security
agent 222. In some embodiments, the security agent 222 is also
referred to as a "bomb." In one embodiment, an IT manager indicates
that the security agent 222 should be activated when the client 102
next connects to the enterprise server 106. The IT manager may do
so because the client 102 has been reported stolen. Subsequently,
the client 102 connects to the enterprise server 106, either
directly or indirectly and receives the message to initiate the
security agent 222.
[0051] In one embodiment, when the security agent 222 activates, it
stops all applications from being able to run and encrypts the data
on the hard drive of the client 102. For instance, the security
agent 222 may implement a white list as described above and then
implement a secure vault for all data on the client 102. The
connection manager 210 may also be configured so that no
connections are possible.
[0052] In one such embodiment, since the data is merely encrypted
by security agent 222, rather than erased, the data may be
recovered if the client 102 is subsequently recovered. For
instance, the enterprise may retain the key needed for decrypting
the local drive. The client 102 is returned to the enterprise,
which then decrypts the drive. In another embodiment, the data on
the local drive of the client is rendered inaccessible by, for
example, writing over the data multiple times.
[0053] The client 102 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises an out-of-band
communication receiver 224. The out-of-band communication receiver
224 allows the client to receive communications other than through
a network-based connection. The connection manager 210 may manage
the out-of-band communication. For instance, the command to
activate the security agent 222 may be transferred via a short
messaging service ("SMS") communication received by the out-of-band
communication receiver 224.
Security Server
[0054] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the modules present
on a security server 104 in one embodiment of the present
invention. The security server 104 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a
remote authentication dial-in user service ("RADIUS") server 302,
which may also be referred to as an AAA (authentication,
authorization, and accounting) server. RADIUS is the standard by
which applications and devices communicate with an AAA server.
[0055] The RADIUS server 302 provides authentication services on
the security server 104. In some embodiments of the present
invention, the RADIUS server 302 proxies to a RADIUS server on the
enterprise server 106. In one embodiment, the RADIUS server 302
provides mutual authentication for the client 102 using Extensible
Authentication Protocol Transport Layer Security ("EAP-TLS").
Although EAP-TLS itself is strictly an 802.1x authentication
protocol, designed primarily for Wi-Fi connections, the underlying
TLS authentication protocol may be deployed in both wired and
wireless networks. EAP-TLS performs mutual secured sockets layer
("SSL") authentication. This requires both the client device 102
and the RADIUS server 302 to have a certificate. In mutual
authentication, each side may prove its identity to the other using
its certificate and its private key.
[0056] The security server shown in FIG. 3 also comprises an LDAP
server 304. The LDAP server 304 uses the LDAP protocol, which
provides a mechanism for locating users, organizations, and other
resources on the network. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the LDAP server 304 provides access control at the
network layer to various components that an enterprise customer may
or may not purchase. For example, a customer may choose to
implement a secure vault as described in relation to FIG. 1. In
such a case, the customer or users or groups associated with the
customer are also associated with the firewall module. The LDAP
entry is then used to determine that the firewall is to be enabled
on a client.
[0057] In some embodiments, the LDAP server 304 is implemented as a
list of user identifiers not using the LDAP protocol. In another
embodiment, data in the LDAP server 304 is propagated from data
present in the enterprise server 106.
[0058] The security server 104 shown in FIG. 3 also comprises a
session manager 306. The session manager 306 controls sessions,
including sessions between the client 102 and enterprise server
106. In some embodiments, the session manager 306 also determines
how to route data requests. For instance, the session manager 306
may determine that a particular data request should be routed to
the Internet rather than to the enterprise server 106. This may be
referred to as "splitting the pipe" and provides a mechanism to
replace "split tunneling" (a traditional configuration option with
most standard VPN clients) at the client device by the more secure
split of traffic not intended for the enterprise at the security
server, allowing monitoring of all traffic without the enterprise
incurring the expense of the extra bandwidth required.
[0059] In some embodiments, the client 102 and enterprise server
106 establish a VPN for communication. In such an embodiment, the
session manager 306 may be unable to route requests to any location
other than the enterprise--the packets are encrypted and thus,
cannot be separately evaluated.
[0060] In one embodiment, the session manager 306 performs
automated authentication of a client device 102 or user. For
example, if the session manager 306 determines that a client 102 is
approaching a Wi-Fi hotspot, the session manager 306 is able to
pre-populate the hotspot with the certificate that the hotspot
requires to authenticate the user. In this manner, the
authentication appears very fast to the user. The session manager
306 may also control the manner in which data is queued for
download to the client device 102.
[0061] In one such embodiment, the session manager 306 provides two
modes for data queuing. In a first mode, the session manager 306
determines that the network down time will be brief, e.g., the user
is moving through a tunnel, which interferes with network access.
In such a case, the session manager queues a minimal amount of
data. In a second mode, the session manager 306 determines that the
network down time will be of a longer duration, e.g., the user is
boarding a plane from New York to Tokyo. In such a case, the
session manager 306 may queue a larger amount of data. In one such
embodiment, the session manager 306 determines the mode by querying
the user for the downtime interval. When the user reconnects to the
security server 104, the session manager 306 determines the best
manner of downloading the queued data and begins the download.
[0062] In one embodiment, the session manager 306 comprises a
packet shaper (not shown). The packet shaper provides various
functional capabilities to the session manager 306. For example, in
one embodiment, the packet shaper provides a mechanism for
prioritizing packets sent between the enterprise server 106 and the
client 102. In one embodiment, the packet shaper utilizes
Multiprotocol Label Switching ("MPLS"). MPLS allows a specific path
to be specified for a given sequence of packets. MPLS allows most
packets to be forwarded at the switching (layer 2) level rather
than at the (routing) layer 3 level. MPLS provides a means for
providing QoS for data transmissions, particularly as networks
begin to carry more varied traffic.
[0063] The session manager 306 may also provide session persistence
capabilities. For instance, in one embodiment, when a user drops a
connection or moves from one provider network coverage area to
another, the connection manager 306 persists a virtual connection
as the first connection is terminated and the second is
initiated.
[0064] The session manager 306 may include a server-side rules
engine. The server-side rules engine may use historical
information, such as the session statistics described above, for
statistical attack determination. For instance, session manager 306
may access a stored statistic regarding a client device 102 and
based on monitoring of the current statistics for the client device
102 determine that an unauthorized user is using the client device
102.
[0065] The security server 104 shown in FIG. 3 also comprises a
real-time monitor 308. The real-time monitor 308 monitors the
status of communications, such as which clients and users are
logged on, the amount of data being transferred, ongoing QoS
measures, ports in use, and other information.
[0066] When the real-time monitor 308 detects a problem, it may
issue an alert to network support. In one embodiment, data from the
real-time monitor 308 is provided to users via a portal available
on the security server 308. In another embodiment, the real-time
portal 308 transfers information to the enterprise server 106, from
which users access the data.
[0067] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 also comprises a historical
monitor 310. The historical monitor 310 provides information
similar to the real-time monitor 310. However, the underlying data
is historical in nature. For instance, in one embodiment, the
historical monitor 310 provides audit information for making
intelligent business decisions and for dealing with regulatory
compliance issues.
[0068] The information available via the historical monitor 310 may
include, for example, historical QoS data, registration compliance
data, and metrics consistency data. The historical data monitor 310
may be used to determine that certain clients are not performing
optimally by comparing metrics of various clients over time. For
instance, by evaluating information available via the historical
data monitor 310, a support person may be able to determine that a
radio tuner on a specific client device 102 is failing. If the user
of one client device 102 is complaining about the availability of
service, but other users are able to successfully access service,
then the client device's radio may be the problem.
[0069] The historical data monitor 310 may also be used to
reconcile information captured on the security server 104 regarding
connections and data provided by telecommunication carriers. The
data may be used to determine when certain resources need to be
increased and when a certain carrier is not performing
adequately.
[0070] The security server also comprises a database 312. In
embodiments of the present invention, the database 312 may be any
type of database, including, for example, MySQL, Oracle, or
Microsoft SQL Server relational databases. Also, although the
database 312 is shown as a single database in FIG. 2, the database
312 may actually comprise multiple databases, multiple schemas
within one or more databases, and multiples tables within one or
more schemas. The database 312 may also be present on one or more
other machines, e.g., database servers.
[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, the database 312
stores customer information regarding enterprises served by the
security server 104, such as a list of valid users, a list of valid
cellular cards, the relationships between the individual users and
groups within the enterprise, and other customer information.
[0072] For example, in one embodiment, the database 312 stores an
association between users and cellular data cards. The enterprise
may allocate a single user to a specific data card. Alternatively,
the enterprise may associate a group of users with a group of
cellular data cards. Other types of data may also be stored in the
database 312, such as billing data.
[0073] The security server 104 shown in FIG. 3 also comprises a QoS
server 314. The QoS server 314 uploads information from the QoS
collector 212 on the client device 102 and stores the QoS data. The
QoS server 314 can collect data from multiple clients and store it
in the database 312.
[0074] The security server also comprises a QoS tools engine 316.
The QoS tools engine 316 displays data made available by the QoS
server 314 and other processes, such as the real-time monitor
308.
[0075] In one embodiment, the QoS tools engine 316 provides an
aggregation of QoS data in a spreadsheet. In another embodiment,
the QoS tools engine 316 provides data using map views, pie charts,
and graphs. The QoS tools engine 316 may also provide the
capability for setting QoS-based alarms and may provide data to
users via a portal.
[0076] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the security server 104
also comprises a portal server 318. The portal server 318 may be,
for example, a web server. Any standard web server application may
be utilized, including Microsoft.RTM. Internet Information Server
("IIS") or Apache.
[0077] Although the security server 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is
illustrated as a single server, it may comprise multiple servers.
For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the
security server 104 comprises multiple regional servers.
[0078] Also, the description above suggests that data is provided
to and queried from the security server 104 by the client 102,
i.e., the client pulls the data. However, in some embodiments, the
client 102 also comprises a listener (not shown) so that the
security server 104 can push data to the client 102.
Enterprise Server
[0079] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the modules present
on an enterprise server 106 in one embodiment of the present
invention. The enterprise server 106 may also be referred to herein
as a customer server and may comprise one or more servers for one
or more enterprises linked to one or more security servers 104.
[0080] The enterprise server 106 shown in FIG. 4 comprises a policy
server 402. The policy server 402 provides a means for managing the
policy rules, including, for example, available VPN profiles,
available transports (e.g. Wi-Fi, LAN, PHS, Dialup), firewall
rules, such as blacklists and white lists, connection rules, and
antivirus rules. The policy server 402 may include other rules as
well, such as the level of data throttling to perform for each
client or group of clients. Data throttling limits the data
transfer rate to a particular client 102 so that connection
resources can be optimized.
[0081] The policies may be managed at one or more levels. For
example, an IT manager may wish to create a VPN profile for the
enterprise as a whole, but a different VPN profile for an
engineering group since the engineering group needs access to
various unique applications.
[0082] The policy server 402 may also provide a mechanism for
configuring the location of various servers that the client 102
will utilize. For instance, the policy server 402 may allow an IT
manager to specify the IP address of an acceleration server 404 or
a vault server 406
[0083] In one embodiment, the policy server also allows the IT
manager to specify which users receive updates for various
components on the client 102. The policy server 402 may also allow
the IT manager to perform connection configuration. For instance,
the IT manager may use the policy server to specify phone numbers
for PHS connections, Wi-Fi SSID's for private connections, and
other connection configuration information.
[0084] The enterprise server 106 shown in FIG. 4 also comprises an
acceleration server 404. The acceleration server 404 performs
processes to improve the performance of data transfer. For
instance, the acceleration server 404 may automatically compress
images that are to be transferred to a client 102.
[0085] In one embodiment, the acceleration server 404 communicates
with the policy server 402. An IT manager sets acceleration rules
using the policy server 402, and the acceleration server 404 uses
these rules to determine what level of acceleration to use for a
particular communication. In one embodiment, the IT manager sets a
default level of acceleration for all communication and a specific
level of acceleration for one group of users. The specific level of
acceleration may be referred to as an override.
[0086] The enterprise server 106 also comprises a vault server 406.
The vault server comprises two components, an automatic component
and an administration component. In one embodiment, the automatic
component integrates with an enterprise's mail server (not shown)
and performs operations on emails to and from the mail server. For
instance, the vault server 406 may quarantine an email,
automatically encrypt the email before it is sent, add a legal
disclaimer to an email, or perform other functions on the
email.
[0087] In one embodiment, the automatic component of the vault
server 406 searches an email based on words or based on the domain
or specific address to which the email is addressed or from which
the email originated. Using this information, the user can perform
functions on the email, such as those described above.
[0088] The administration component of the vault server 406 allows
a user to terminate access to secure content, either by a specific
user or by all users. It also logs activity. Using one embodiment
of the vault server 406, a user can indicate that a set of users
whose employment has been terminated will no longer have access to
any secure content. In an alternative embodiment of the vault
server 406, a user can indicate that a given element of secure
content, say a price list, is now out of date, and so that piece of
secure content will no longer be viewable by any user. When each
user accesses the secure content, the vault server 406 logs the
event. So for each secure content element, the vault server 406
creates a log of all activity on the secure content.
[0089] In one embodiment, the vault server 406 also compresses
data. For instance, one embodiment utilizes standard PKZIP
compression to compress all content. In another embodiment, an IT
manager may identify three types of images and specify a different
level of compression for each type of image based on the level of
resolution necessary for each type of image.
[0090] The enterprise server 108 also comprises a RADIUS server 408
and LDAP server 410, which are similar to those described above in
relation to the security server 104. The RADIUS server 302 on the
security server 104 may proxy to the RADIUS server 408 on the
enterprise server 106. Similarly, data in the LDAP server 410 may
be propagated to the LDAP server 204 on the security server
104.
[0091] The enterprise server 106 also comprises a one-time password
("OTP") server 412. The OTP server 412 provides a mechanism for
authentication. For instance, in one embodiment of the present
invention, the enterprise server 106 uses the OTP server 412 to
perform a mutual authentication process.
[0092] The enterprise server 106 also comprises a concentrator 414.
The concentrator 414 provides remote access capability to the
client 102. For instance, the concentrator 414 may serve as a means
for terminating a VPN between the client 102 and enterprise server
106.
[0093] The enterprise server 104 shown in FIG. 4 also comprises a
portal server 416. The portal server 416 may comprise a standard
web server, such as IIS or Apache. The portal server 416 may
provide one or more portals. For example, in one embodiment, the
portal server 416 provides two portals, portal one and portal
two.
[0094] Portal one provides a configuration interface for managing
the various elements shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, including, for
example, the policy server 402 and LDAP server 410. Portal two
provides an interface for accessing data, such as QoS data and
session data.
[0095] For instance, a user may use historical QoS data on portal
two to determine how a particular provider is performing in terms
of throughput, user connections, and other QoS metrics. Portal two
may also provide real-time information, such as how many users are
currently connected.
[0096] For instance, in one embodiment, an IT manager determines
that twenty users have been rejected by a carrier in the last three
minutes due to authentication failure and five users with the same
user identifier are currently logged on to five different devices.
The IT manager uses this information to detect a potential security
problem. Portal two may also be used to set alerts as described
above.
[0097] It should be noted that the present invention may comprise
systems having a different architecture than that which is shown in
FIGS. 1 through 4. For example, in some systems according to the
present invention, the security server 104 and enterprise server
106 may comprise a plurality of security and enterprise servers.
The system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 is merely illustrative,
and is used to help explain the illustrative systems and processes
discussed below.
Illustrative Methods of Enhanced Network Client Security
[0098] The following illustrative embodiments utilize a central
policy server 402 on an enterprise server 106. In one embodiment,
the client device 102 downloads security-related policies from the
policy server 402 and the connection manager 210 utilizes the
policies to generate one of more security models and applies the
security models to connections. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating
a process for applying a security model to a network connection in
one embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown,
the connection manager 210 receives an indication that a network
connection is established 502. For example, a user may click a
button on the user interface 220 to cause the connection manager
210 to disconnect from a first network connection and connect to a
second network connection. The connection manager 210 is able to
determine when the second connection has been successfully
completed.
[0099] The connection manager 210 then determines the network type
504. If the connection manager 210 established the second network
connection, the connection manager 210 may store the network type
as part of the process of establishing the connection. In another
embodiment, the connection manager 210 analyzes an existing
connection to determine the network type. The connection manager
210 may obtain other attributes of the network, such as the speed,
provider, reliability, and other attributes. The connection manager
210 may obtain the attributes by examining the network or may
obtain attributes of the network that have been previously stored,
such as performance metrics.
[0100] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the connection manager
210 next receives a security-related policy associated with the
user 506. The security-related policy may be downloaded from a
centralized policy management data store. For example, in one
embodiment, an administrator establishes security-related policies
in the policy server 402. The policy reader 216 on the client 102
downloads policies from the policy server 402. The connection
manager 210 then receives the security-related policies from the
policy reader 216. The policies may be in the form of an XML file,
database, or other data store.
[0101] The connection manager 210 next determines a security model
associated with the security-related policy 508. For instance, the
connection manager 210 may determine that a particular level of
firewall and anti-virus protection is required for the network type
currently accessed by the client 102. In one embodiment, the
security model may require that a VPN be established in order to
use a particular network type. In another embodiment, a particular
white list or blacklist may be required for the current network
type. In other embodiments, each security model may comprise a
different combination of firewall, VPN, anti-virus and other
attributes, which can be used in combination to implement a
security-related policy.
[0102] Once the connection manager 210 determines the security
model associated with the security-related policy, the connection
manager 210 applies the security model to the network connection
510. For instance, if a particular level of firewall protection is
necessary for the network type utilized by the network connection,
the connection manager 210 causes the firewall to provide the
requisite level of protection. In one embodiment, if the anti-virus
or firewall protection is insufficient to support the type of
connection the client 102 is attempting to access, the connection
manager 210 will not permit the connection to occur. In one
embodiment, the connection manager 510 utilizes one or more
security models to determine the most appropriate connection to
utilize based on a security-related policy and connects
automatically to that network. In another embodiment, the
connection manager 210 disables or hides connections if the client
does not have sufficient security components, e.g., the appropriate
firewall, for establishing the connection.
[0103] In one embodiment, a component on the client device compares
a user's behavior with the user's past behavior based on usage
characteristics. If the present behavior and the past behavior
differ significantly, the current user may be identified as an
unauthorized user, e.g., someone who discovered the user's username
and password. The process of identifying a user as invalid based on
usage characteristics may be referred to as statistical attack
detection. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process for
statistical attack determination in one embodiment of the present
invention. In the embodiment shown, a session statistics module 214
receives a first measure associated with a usage characteristic
502. The first measure may be, for example, a mean, median,
maximum, minimum, or other summary measure of a usage
characteristic. Each measure may comprise a plurality of
measurements. In one embodiment, the measure is a code representing
the history of a usage characteristic. For instance, in one
embodiment, the measure is related to a keystroke sequence usage
characteristic. The measure is a code indicating how often a
particular keystroke sequence is used during the first five minutes
a client 102 is connected to a network 108.
[0104] In embodiments of the present invention, the usage
characteristic may be a characteristic that provides information
about how a particular user utilizes a client 102. For example, in
one embodiment, the usage characteristic comprises at least one
usage characteristic selected from the group consisting of a
uniform resource locator visited, an application launched, a number
of systems calls per specified duration, a keystroke sequence, a
system call, a processor utilization measure, and a memory
utilization measure. In another embodiment, the usage
characteristic comprises at least one usage characteristic selected
from the group consisting of a traffic level associated with a
connection, a protocol used, and a port hit.
[0105] The session statistics module next receives a second measure
associated with the usage characteristic 504. The second measure
may be an actual measure of activity at a point in time. For
instance, in one embodiment, the first measure is average processor
utilization by a particular user on a particular client 102. The
second measure is actual processor utilization at a point in time
by the user on the client 102.
[0106] The session statistics module 214 compares the first measure
and the second measure 608. The session statistics module 214 then
determines whether the first and second measures differ
significantly 610. For instance, the session statistics module 214
may perform a statistical linear regression on the measures
collected for the user and client 102 previously and the current
measure.
[0107] If the measures differ significantly, the session statistics
module signals an unauthorized access 612. For example, the session
statistics module 214 may send a signal to the enterprise server
106, indicating an unauthorized access. In another embodiment, the
client device 102 disconnects from the enterprise server 106 and
does not allow the user to make any further network connections.
Once the signal has been sent or a determination made that the
measures do not differ significantly, the process ends 614.
[0108] In response to the indication, the enterprise server 106 may
disable a user's access to confidential information. The enterprise
server 106 may also disable a user's access to any network
connections. In one embodiment, the enterprise server 106 or
security server 104 monitors the usage characteristics for
particular users and causes their access to be suspended if a
potential attack is identified. Such a server-based embodiment may
rely on a subset of the data available to a client-based
embodiment.
[0109] In one embodiment of the present invention, the session
statistics module 214 uses measures of the usage characteristics to
pre-load applications. For instance, if a user generally opens an
email client application as soon as the boot process on the client
device 102 is complete, the session statistics module 214 may cause
the application to be pre-loaded, saving the user from having to
manually start the application or explicitly add the application to
a startup group.
General
[0110] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the
invention has been presented only for the purpose of illustration
and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous
modifications and adaptations thereof will be apparent to those
skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of
the present invention.
* * * * *