Information processing apparatus, control method thereof, control program, and storage medium

• US 20050216761A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takada, Tomoyuki, Suzuki, Noriyuki, Toyama, Takeshi, Ito, Hiroyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00

Abstract

In an information processing apparatus which is equipped with plural storage devices, there are provided a security information comparison unit for, in a case where data is moved from a movement source storage device to a movement destination storage device, comparing security information of the movement source storage device with security information of the movement destination storage device, and a data movement control unit for controlling the movement of the data based on a comparison result by the security information comparison unit. Thus, it is possible to strongly secure safety with respect to the movement and/or copy of the data among the storage devices by a user.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which is equipped with plural storage devices, said apparatus comprising:

a security information comparison unit adapted to, in a case where data is moved from a movement source storage device to a movement destination storage device, compare security information of said movement source storage device with security information of said movement destination storage device; and

a data movement control unit adapted to control the movement of the data based on a comparison result by said security information comparison unit.

2. An information processing-apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the security information of said movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of said movement destination storage device, said data movement control unit does not permit the movement of the data.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said data movement control unit further comprises

an indication request unit adapted to request an indication whether or not to execute the movement of the data when the security information of said movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of said movement destination storage device, and

an acquisition unit adapted to acquire the indication, and

when the indication to execute the movement of the data is acquired by said acquisition unit, said data movement control unit permits the movement of the data.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the security information includes presence/absence of a user authentication function, and

when said movement source storage device has the user authentication function but said movement destination storage device does not have the user authentication function, said security information comparison unit judges that the security information of said movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of said movement destination storage device.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the security information includes information as to whether or not a user authentication function has been set to be valid, and

when the user authentication function of said movement source storage device has been set to be valid but the user authentication function of said movement destination storage device is not set to be valid, said security information comparison unit judges that the security information of said movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of said movement destination storage device.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the security information includes user discrimination information, and

when the user discrimination information of said movement source storage device does not conform to the user discrimination information of said movement destination storage device, said security information comparison unit judges that the security information of said movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of said movement destination storage device.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit adapted to display the comparison result acquired by said security information comparison unit.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the data includes copying of the data.

9. A control method for an information processing apparatus which is equipped with plural storage devices, said method comprising:

a security information comparison step of, in a case where data is moved from a movement source storage device to a movement destination storage device, comparing security information of the movement source storage device with security information of the movement destination storage device; and

a data movement control step of controlling the movement of the data based on a comparison result in said security information comparison step.

10. A control method according to claim 9, wherein, when the security information of the movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of the movement destination storage device, said data movement control step is adapted not to permit the movement of the data.

11. A control method according to claim 9, wherein

said data movement control step further comprises

an indication request step of requesting an indication whether or not to execute the movement of the data when the security information of the movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of the movement destination storage device, and

an acquisition step of acquiring the indication, and

when the indication to execute the movement of the data is acquired in said acquisition step, said data movement control step is adapted to permit the movement of the data.

12. A control method according to claim 9, wherein

the security information includes presence/absence of a user authentication function, and

when the movement source storage device has the user authentication function but the movement destination storage device does not have the user authentication function, said security information comparison step is adapted to judge that the security information of the movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of the movement destination storage device.

13. A control method according to claim 9, wherein

the security information includes information as to whether or not a user authentication function has been set to be valid, and

when the user authentication function of the movement source storage device has been set to be valid but the user authentication function of the movement destination storage device is not set to be valid, said security information comparison step is adapted to judge that the security information of the movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of the movement destination storage device.

14. A control method according to claim 9, wherein

the security information includes user discrimination information, and

when the user discrimination information of the movement source storage device does not conform to the user discrimination information of the movement destination storage device, said security information comparison step is adapted to judge that the security information of the movement source storage device does not conform to the security information of the movement destination storage device.

15. A control method according to claim 9, further comprising a display step of displaying the comparison result acquired in said security information comparison step.

16. A control method according to claim 9, wherein the movement of the data includes copying of the data.

17. A control program for an information processing apparatus which is equipped with plural storage devices, said program causing a computer to execute:

a security information comparison module for, in a case where data is moved from a movement source storage device to a movement destination storage device, comparing security information of the movement source storage device with security information of the movement destination storage device; and

a data movement control module for controlling the movement of the data based on a comparison result by said security information comparison module.

18. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a control program for an information processing apparatus which is equipped with plural storage devices, said program causing a computer to execute:

a security information comparison module for, in a case where data is moved from a movement source storage device to a movement destination storage device, comparing security information of the movement source storage device with security information of the movement destination storage device; and

a data movement control module for controlling the movement of the data based on a comparison result by said security information comparison module.