File filter

• US 10,237,243 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hardee, Christopher J., Matteson, Jason A., Steinke, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Tae K
• Application Number:
  US15/071,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

Method for transferring files to a destination folder on a computer. At least one rule to a transfer of files to a destination folder on a destination computer system are received. A filter file is generated, wherein the filter file includes the least one rule specific to the transfer of files to the destination folder. During transfer of files to the destination folder on the destination computer, attributes of each file are compared to the at least one rule specific to the transfer of files to the destination folder. Upon attributes of a compared file violating a rule of the at least one rule specific to the transfer of files to the destination folder, transfer of the violating file to the destination folder is prevented.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to implement a file transfer prevention mechanism, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to transfer files from a source folder on a first filesystem to a destination folder on a second filesystem on a destination computer;

accessing a first copy of a filter file that includes at least one file transfer rule specific to transferring files from the source folder to the destination folder, wherein the at least one file transfer rule includes a file virus scan status, a file password control rule, and a file permissions rule, wherein the first copy of the filter file is stored with the files to be transferred to the destination folder, wherein a second copy of the filter file is stored in the destination folder;

upon comparing the first copy of the filter file to the second copy of the filter file and determining that the first copy of the filter file and the second copy of the filter file match, commencing an operation to transfer the files from the source folder to the destination folder;

during the operation to transfer the files from the source folder to the destination folder, comparing attributes of each file to the at least one file transfer rule and by operation of one or more computer processors; and

upon attributes of a compared file violating the at least one file transfer rule, preventing transfer of the violating file from the source folder to the destination folder.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one user input related to the at least one file transfer rule; and

generating the filter file, wherein the filter file includes the least one file transfer rule specific to the transfer of files to the destination folder.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon the compared file violating a rule of the at least one file transfer rule, outputting for display an alert message.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the message identifies the rule of the at least one file transfer rule that the compared file violates.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the copy folder is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises rendering a portion of the non-transitory computer-readable medium unused by the copy folder unwritable after the files have been transferred to the copy folder.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes at least one of:

a file size rule;

a file type rule;

a file creation date rule;

a file modification date rule;

a file name rule;

a file creator rule;

and

a file class rule.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each file is compared to the at least one file transfer rule, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

generating an indication that transfer of the violating file from the source folder to the destination folder was prevented, whereafter the indication is output.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving at least one user input related to the at least one file transfer rule; and

generating the filter file, wherein the filter file includes the least one file transfer rule.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the indication comprises an alert message that is output for display.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the message identifies the rule of the at least one file transfer rule that the compared file violates.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the copy folder is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises rendering a portion of the non-transitory computer-readable medium unused by the copy folder unwritable after the files have been transferred to the copy folder.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes at least two of a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes at least three of a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes at least four of a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes at least five of a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes at least six of a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one file transfer rule further includes a file size rule, a file type rule, a file creation date rule, a file modification date rule, a file name rule, a file creator rule, and a file class rule.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one user input related to the at least one file transfer rule.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the filter file, wherein the filter file includes the least one file transfer rule specific to the transfer of files to the destination folder.