Computer firewall system and method

• US 20040243707A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Prevention Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Prevention Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Watkinson, Gavin
• Application Number:
  US10/491,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A firewall controls connection to a network to allow the user to selectively access at least one service over the network, where the or each service requires connection resources defined by connection parameters. A user interface allows a user to select at least one service and to select to enable or disable the or each selected service. Connection parameters to be enabled or disabled are determined based on the user selection and predetermined connection parameters for the or each service. Access to the or each selected service is controlled based on the determined connection parameters.

Claims

1. A computer firewall system for controlling connection to a network to allow a user to selectively access at least one service over the network, where the or each service requires connection parameters, the computer firewall system comprising:

a user interface means for allowing a user to select at least one service and to select to enable or disable the or each selected service;

connection parameter determining means for determining connection parameters to be enabled or disabled based on the user selection and predetermined connection parameters for the or each service; and

control means for controlling access to the or each selected service based on said determined connection parameters.

2. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one service consists of at least one of web, email, newsgroup, file/print sharing, netmeeting, or chat.

3. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, wherein said user interface means is adapted to generate a graphical user interface displaying the name of the or each service to allow a user to use a pointing device to select to enable or disable the or each service.

4. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, including a service parameter data store storing the predetermined connection parameters for the or each service, wherein said connection parameter determining means is adapted to read the predetermined connection parameters in the service parameter data store for the or each selected service as said determined connection parameters.

5. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, wherein said control means is adapted to, by default, disable access to all services, said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to select to enable at least one service, said connection parameter determining means is adapted to determine the connection parameters to be enabled based on the user selection and said predetermined connection parameters for the or each service, and said control means is adapted to allow access to the or each selected service based on said determined connection parameters.

6. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a device drive to control connections to a protocol stack.

7. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, wherein said connection parameters comprise at least one of port number and communication protocol.

8. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, wherein said user interface means is adapted to also allow a user to select to enable one or more ports, and said control means is adapted to be responsive to the user selection to enable the or each selected port.

9. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, including connection log means for recording parameters associated with communication connection attempts and for displaying the recorded parameters.

10. A computer firewall system according to claim 1, including connection attempt warning means for generating and displaying a warning of communication connection attempts.

11. A method of controlling connection of a computer to a network to allow a user of the computer to selectively access at least one service over a network, where the or each service requires connection parameters, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection identifying at least one service and whether the selected service is to be enabled or disabled;

determining connection parameters to be enabled or disabled based on the user selection and predetermined connection parameters for the or each service; and

controlling access to the or each selected service based on said determined connection parameters.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said at least one service consists of at least one of web, email, newsgroup, file/print sharing, netmeeting, or chat.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein a graphical user interface is generated displaying the name of the or each service to allow a user to use a pointing device to select to enable or disable the or each service.

14. A method according to claim 11, including storing the predetermined connection parameters for the or each service, and reading the stored predetermined connection parameters for the or each selected service as said determined connection parameters.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein, by default, access to all services is disabled, a user selection to enable at least one service is received, the connection parameters to be enabled are determined based on the user selection and said predetermined connection parameters for the or each service, and access to the or each selected service is allowed based on said determined connection parameters.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the access control is performed by a device drive to control connections to a protocol stack.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said connection parameters comprise at least one of port number and communication protocol.

18. A method according claim 11, wherein the received user selection includes a selection to enable one or more ports, and the selected ports are enabled or disabled in accordance with the user selection.

19. A method according claim 11, including recording parameters associated with communication connection attempts and displaying the recorded parameters.

20. A method according to claim 11, including generating and displaying a warning of communication connection attempts.

21. A computer firewall system for controlling connection to a network to allow a user to selectively access at least one service over a network, where the or each service requires connection parameters, the computer firewall system comprising:

a program memory storing processor readable instruction code for controlling a processor; and

a processor for reading and implementing the instruction code in the program memory;

wherein the processor readable code in the program memory comprises code implementable by the processor to carry out the method of any one of claims 11 to 20.

27. A carrier medium carrying computer readable code for controlling a computer to implement the method of claim 11.

22. A computer firewall system for controlling connection to a network to allow a user to limit network connection to provide only for access to at least one service over the network, where the or each service requires connection resources defined by connection parameters, the computer firewall system comprising:

a user interface means for allowing a user to select at least one service and to select to enable or disable the or each selected service to enable the user to prevent communication resources being used for anything other than one or more desired services;

connection parameter determining means for determining connection parameters defining connection resources to be enabled or disabled based on the user selection and predetermined connection parameters for the or each service; and

control means for controlling connection resources based on said determined connection parameters to enable only those connection resources required to provide access to the or each desired service.

23. A computer firewall system according to claim 22, wherein said control means is adapted to, by default, disable all network connections and access to all services, said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to select to enable at least one service, said connection parameter determining means is adapted to determine the connection parameters defining connection resources to be enabled based on the user selection and said predetermined connection parameters for the or each service, and said control means is adapted to only enable the connection resources required to allow access to the or each selected service based on said determined connection parameters.

24. A method of controlling connection of a computer to a network to allow a user to limit network connection to provide only for access at least one service over the network, where the or each service requires connection resources define by connection parameters, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection identifying at least one service and whether to enable or disable the or each selected service to enable the user to prevent communication resource being used for anything other than one or more desired services;

determining connection parameters defining connection resources to be enabled or disabled based on the user selection and predetermined connection parameters for the or each service; and

controlling connection resources based on said determined connection parameters to enable only those connection resources required to provide access to the or each desired service.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein, by default, all network connections and access to all services is disabled, a user selection to enable at least one service is received, the connection parameters defining connection resources to be enabled are determined based on the user selection and said predetermined connection parameters for the or each service, and only the connection resources required to allow access to the or each selected service are enabled based on said determined connection parameters.

26. A computer firewall system for controlling connection to a network to allow a user to limit network connection to provide only for access at least one service over the network, where the or each service requires connection resources define by connection parameters, the computer firewall system comprising:

a program memory storing processor readable instruction code for controlling a processor; and

a processor for reading and implementing the instruction code in the program memory;

wherein the processor readable code in the program memory comprises code implementable by the processor to carry out the method of claim 24.

28. A carrier medium carrying computer readable code for controlling a computer to implement the method of claim 24.