Administrative security systems and methods

• US 20050021981A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Gang, Sutton, Paul C., Phillips, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates

Abstract

In an implementation of administrative security systems and methods, access to administrative functions is controlled according to access privileges. A security process can be executed with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function, and a user process can be executed with non-administrative privilege such that access to the administrative function is restricted. The user process can request initiation of the administrative function via the security process with parameters that include an identification of the administrative function and input arguments to the administrative function.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

an operating system configured to control access to administrative functions;

a security process configured to execute with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function; and

a user process configured to execute with non-administrative privilege such that access to the administrative function is restricted, the user process further configured to request initiation of the administrative function via the security process with parameters that include an identification of the administrative function and input arguments to the administrative function.

2. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process.

3. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to determine whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

4. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to:

determine whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process; and

initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the user process is determined to be allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

5. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to determine whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid.

6. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to:

determine whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid; and

initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the input arguments for the administrative function are determined to be valid.

7. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to:

determine whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process;

determine whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid; and

initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the input arguments for the administrative function are determined to be valid, and if the user process is determined to be allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

8. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the user process is instantiated to execute with the non-administrative privilege via remote administration from a networked remote administrator.

9. A computing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to facilitate remote administration of the computing device from a networked remote administrator.

10. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the administrative functions are administrative functions of the operating system.

11. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the administrative functions are administrative functions of the security process.

12. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to be installed and executed as an independent user service with the administrative privilege.

13. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is configurable as an intermediary between the user process and the administrative function such that the security process is independent of administrative function implementation.

14. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the security process is further configured to receive the parameters from the user process and initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process such that the security process is independent of administrative function execution.

15. A method, comprising:

controlling access to administrative functions according to access privileges;

executing a security process with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function;

executing a user process with non-administrative privilege restricting access to the administrative function; and

requesting initiation of the administrative function via the security process on behalf of the user process with parameters that include an identification of the administrative function and input arguments to the administrative function.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising initiating the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising determining whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process; and

initiating the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if determining that the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

19. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising determining whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid.

20. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid; and

initiating the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the input arguments for the administrative function are determined to be valid.

21. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process;

determining whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid; and

initiating the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the input arguments for the administrative function are determined to be valid, and if determining that the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

22. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising instantiating the user process to execute with the non-administrative privilege via remote administration from a networked remote administrator.

23. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein controlling access to the administrative functions includes controlling access to the administrative functions of an operating system.

24. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein controlling access to the administrative functions includes controlling access to the administrative functions of the security process.

25. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein executing the security process includes executing the security process as an independent user service with the administrative privilege.

26. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising configuring the security process as an intermediary between the user process and the administrative function such that the security process is independent of administrative function implementation.

27. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising receiving the parameters and initiating the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process such that the security process is independent of administrative function execution.

28. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing device to:

control access to administrative functions according to access privileges;

execute a security process with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function;

execute a user process with non-administrative privilege such that access to the administrative function is restricted; and

receive a request to initiate the administrative function via the security process on behalf of the user process with parameters that include input arguments to the administrative function.

29. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process.

30. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to determine whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

31. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to:

determine whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process; and

initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

32. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to determine whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid.

33. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to:

determine whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid; and

initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the input arguments for the administrative function are determined to be valid.

34. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to:

determine whether the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process;

determine whether the input arguments for the administrative function are valid; and

initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process if the input arguments for the administrative function are determined to be valid, and if the user process is allowed to initiate the administrative function via the security process.

35. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to instantiate the user process to execute with the non-administrative privilege via remote administration from a networked remote administrator.

36. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to interface a remote administrator for remote administration of the user process.

37. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to control access to the administrative functions of an operating system according to the access privileges.

38. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to control access to the administrative functions of the security process according to the access privileges.

39. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to execute the security process as an independent user service with the administrative privilege.

40. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to configure the security process as an intermediary between the user process and the administrative function such that the security process is independent of administrative function implementation.

41. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to initiate the administrative function with the input arguments on behalf of the user process such that the security process is independent of administrative function execution.