Security and report generation system for networked multimedia workstations

• US 20040210622A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Wenker, Paul Richard, Stein, Michael Victor
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for providing security in a networked multimedia computing system is provided wherein an administrative workstation is challenged by a network workstation when the administrative workstation is attempting to manipulate or query the network workstation. The administrative workstation responds in an automatic fashion to supply a series of logically acceptable password candidates to the challenging workstation in an attempt to validate itself to the challenging network workstation without interrupting a user. If none of the series of passwords is successful, an administrator, or user, operating the administrative workstation is prompted to manually enter a password. The system allows for an administrative workstation to automatically and transparently validate itself to a challenging network workstation, in most situations, without requiring input from the administrator. Another aspect of the invention involves a system for generating reports concerning user-selected hardware and software attributes for one or more network workstations.

Claims

1. In a network computer system, a method for requesting information about one or more network workstations comprising:

generating a request message in an administrator workstation, the request message including an identity of the one or more network workstations and an indication of the requested information;

transmitting the request message to the one or more network workstations;

demanding authorization verification from the administrator workstation; and

automatically sending a series of password candidates from the administrator workstation to the network workstation in response to the demand.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining, within the one or more network workstations, whether any of the series of password candidates are valid, said authorization of the administrator workstation being verified when any of the series of password candidates are valid.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, when the authorization of the administrator workstation is verified, the steps of:

gathering the requested information in the one or more network workstations;

generating, in each of the network workstations, an information response message comprising the gathered information; and

transmitting the information response message of each of the one or more network workstations to the administrator workstation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information requested comprises at least one hardware characteristic of each of said one or more network workstations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information requested comprises an identity and version of at least one application of each of said one or more network workstations.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the series of password candidates includes a password entered for a network workstation when the network workstation was connected to the network.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the series of password candidates includes a null password.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the series of password candidates includes an administrator'"'"'s password.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator to enter a password in the event that none of the series of passwords is successful in validating the master workstation to the network workstation.

10. The method claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of:

adding the password entered by the administrator to the series of password candidates.