Network security method

• US 20060010485A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jim Gorman
• Original Assignee: Jim Gorman
• Inventors: Gorman, Jim
• Application Number:
  US11/177,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010485A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method includes detecting software installed on a first computer; checking the software to see if it is security compliant; preventing the first computer from communicating with a second computer if the software is security non-compliant; and allowing the first computer to communicate with a third computer, the third computer making the first computer security compliant.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting software installed on a first computer;

checking the software to see if the first computer is security compliant;

preventing the first computer from communicating with a second computer if it is security non-compliant; and

allowing the first computer to communicate with a third computer, the third computer making the first computer security compliant.

2. The method of claim 1, further including rebooting the first computer after it has been made security compliant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and third computers are running different operating systems.

4. The method of claim 1, further including directing the first computer to a website, the website being displayed by the third computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third computer detects software installed on the first computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first computer is made security compliant in response to a single input.

7. The method of claim 1, further allowing the first computer to communicate with the second computer after it is made security compliant.

8. A method, comprising:

providing a first computer which runs software;

detecting with a second computer the software running on the first computer to see if it needs to be updated;

allowing the first computer to communicate with a third computer if the software has been updated;

preventing the first computer from communicating with the third computer if the software has not been updated; and

updating the software on the first computer if it needs to be updated so that the first computer is security compliant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the software includes security software and operating system software.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein updating the software includes updating the software in response to a single input.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein software running on the second computer:

allows the first computer to communicate with the third computer if the software has been updated;

prevents the first computer from communicating with the third computer if the software is not updated; and

updates the software running on the first computer to make it security compliant.

12. The method of claim 11, further including sending a confirmation between the first and second computers in response to the software being updated.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second computer installs a software patch on the first computer to update the software.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first computer communicates with the second and third computers via a communication network.

15. A method, comprising:

detecting software installed on a plurality of computers;

checking the software installed on each computer to see if it is up to date;

allowing each computer in the plurality of computers to connect to a first communication network if its software is up to date;

allowing each computer in the plurality of computers to connect to a second communication network if its software is not up to date; and

updating the software installed on each computer if it is not up to date.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the software is updated using the second communication network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second communication network includes a security server which runs security software.

18. The method of claim 15, further including sending a confirmation between the second communication network and each computer in the plurality of computers after the software has been updated.

19. The method of claim 15, further including directing each computer in the plurality of computers to a website hosted by the second communication network if its software is not up to date.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the updating of the software is in response to at least one input being received by the website.