Presence sensing information security

• US 20060101275A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Daniels, Fonda, Lyle, Ruthie D., Kumhyr, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,904,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for presence sensing security. A presence sensing security method can include the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user. The securing step can include securing content of selected applications of the computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user. Additionally, the securing step can include securing access to selected files in the computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

Claims

1. A presence sensing security method comprising the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing content of selected applications of said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing access to selected files in said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said securing step comprises the step of masking content of selected applications of said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said masking step comprises the step of masking messages in a messaging client in said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said securing step comprises the step of encrypting selected files in said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a third party user has been authorized to interact with said computing device when said authorized user is not present; and

,

if so, securing said computing device excepting for a portion authorized for use by said third party user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon detecting the presence of a radio frequency identification tag associated with at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon a manual specification of the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

10. A presence sensing security system comprising:

presence detecting circuitry configured to detect a sensing device; and

,

presence based security logic coupled to a protected computing device and programmed to secure access to only a portion of said protected computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said sensing device is a radio frequency identification tag.

12. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for presence sensing security, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

13. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing content of selected applications of said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing access to selected files in said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein said securing step comprises the step of masking content of selected applications of said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein said masking step comprises the step of masking messages in a messaging client in said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 14, wherein said securing step comprises the step of encrypting selected files in said computing device based upon the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising an additional set of instructions which when executed by the machine cause the machine to further perform the steps of:

determining whether a third party user has been authorized to interact with said computing device when said authorized user is not present; and

,

if so, securing said computing device excepting for a portion authorized for use by said third party user.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon detecting the presence of a radio frequency identification tag associated with at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said securing step comprises the step of securing access to only a portion of a computing device based upon a manual specification of the presence of at least one of an authorized user and an unauthorized user.