Dynamically extendible firewall

• US 20010042202A1
• Filed: 03/28/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stratus Technologies Bermuda Ltd. (Stratus Technologies Bermuda Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Stratus Technologies Bermuda Ltd. (Stratus Technologies Bermuda Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cao, Lei, Horvath, Charles J.
• Application Number:
  US09/819,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042202A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/154
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A method for dynamically-extending a firewall includes a step of receiving an identifier from a remote system. The identifier is used locally to accept packets of information with matching identifiers, rejecting packets whose identifiers do not match.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically extending a firewall, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a connection with a remote system;

(b) receiving an identifier from the remote system; and

(c) using the identifier to filter information received through the connection with the remote system.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein step (a) comprises initiating a serial connection with the remote system.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein step (a) comprises:

(a-a) contacting the remote system;

(a-b) providing the remote system with authentication credentials;

(a-c) receiving a serial connection from the remote system in response to the authentication credentials.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein step (b) comprises:

(b-a) requesting an identifier from the remote system; and

(b-b) receiving an identifier in response to the request.

5. The method of

claim 1

wherein the identifier from the remote system is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

6. The method of

claim 1

wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-a) receiving a packet of information from the remote system;

(c-b) examining the packet of information to determine its destination address

(c-c) comparing the destination address to the identifier received from the remote system;

(c-d) accepting the packet if its destination address matches the identifer; and

(c-e) rejecting the packet if its destination address does not match the identifier.

7. The method of

claim 1

wherein the remote system chooses the identifier transmitted from a pool of identifiers.

8. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the step:

(e) assigning the identifier received from the remote system to the local system.

9. The method of

claim 8

further comprising the steps:

(f) receiving a second identifier from the remote system;

(g) assigning the second identifier to service management logic on the local system.

(h) using the second identifier to filter information received through the connection with the remote system;

10. A method for dynamically extending a firewall, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a connection from a remote system;

(b) receiving an identifier from the remote system; and

(c) using the identifier to filter information received through the connection with the remote system.

11. The method of

claim 10

wherein step (a) comprises the initiation of a serial connection by a remote system.

12. The method of

claim 10

wherein step (a) comprises:

(a-a) receiving a call from the remote system;

(a-b) receiving authentication credentials from the remote system;

(a-c) initiating a serial connection with the remote system in response to the authentication credentials.

13. The method of

claim 10

wherein step (b) comprises:

(b-a) requesting an identifier from the remote system; and

(b-b) receiving an identifier in response to the request.

14. The method of

claim 10

wherein the identifier from the remote system is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

15. The method of

claim 10

wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-a) receiving a packet of information from the remote system;

(c-b) examining the packet of information to determine its destination address

(c-c) comparing the destination address to the identifier received from the remote system;

(c-d) accepting the packet if its destination address matches the identifer; and

(c-e) rejecting the packet if its destination address does not match the identifier.

16. The method of

claim 10

wherein the remote system chooses the identifier transmitted from a pool of identifiers.

17. The method of

claim 10

further comprising the step:

(e) assigning the identifier received from the remote system to the local system.

18. The method of

claim 17

further comprising the steps:

(f) receiving a second identifier from the remote system;

(g) using the second identifier to filter information received through the connection with the remote system;

(h) assigning the second identifier to service management logic on the local system.