SECURITY STATUS AND INFORMATION DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 20100100964A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lookout Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Flexilis Incorporated (Lookout Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hering, John G., Burgess, James, MAHAFFEY, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for reporting security information relating to a mobile device. The invention enables a security assessment to be displayed in various formats on the mobile device display or on a client computer. A security component identifies security events on the mobile device that are processed on the mobile device or by a server. The security component then determines a security assessment for the mobile device based upon the detected security events. The security assessment display may be persistent in the form of a desktop widget or dashboard on a client computer, or home-screen item on the mobile device. This allows a user or administrator to verify that security protection on the device is functioning and to be alerted if the device needs attention without having to specifically seek the information, thereby enabling immediate response to potential security problems.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

at a server, receiving from a mobile device raw or at least partially processed data about security events that occurred on the mobile device;

processing the received data at the server to assess a security state of the mobile device; and

at the server, outputting security state assessment results for display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the security state assessment results for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the security state assessment results for display on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing step includes a severity assessment of security events on the mobile device to determine severity levels for the security events and wherein the outputting step includes outputting the security severity level for display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a list of security events for display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a list of security events for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a chart indicating security events on the mobile device for display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a chart indicating security events on the mobile device for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a status indicator signal representing a current security state for the mobile device for persistent display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a status indicator signal representing a current security state for the mobile device for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes sending an e-mail to a client computer that includes a current security state for the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes generating a webpage that includes a display of a current security state for the mobile device.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a local security component on a mobile device;

receiving at the local security component raw or partially processed data about events on the mobile device;

processing the received data by the local security component to assess a security state of the mobile device; and

outputting security state assessment results for display on the mobile device display.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the security state assessment results to a server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the security state assessment results for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing step includes a severity assessment of security events on the mobile device to determine severity levels for the security events, and wherein the outputting step includes outputting the security severity level for display on the mobile device display.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a list of security events for display on the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a list of security events for display on the client computer different from the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a chart indicating security events on the mobile device for display on the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a chart indicating security events on the mobile device for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a status indicator signal representing a current security state for the mobile device for persistent display on the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes outputting a status indicator signal representing a current security state for the mobile device for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes sending an e-mail to a client computer that includes a current security state for the mobile device.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting step includes generating a webpage that includes a current security state for the mobile device.

25. A system comprising:

a server having a security component in communication with a database containing mobile device security event information;

the server receiving from a mobile device raw or partially processed data about events that occurred on the mobile device;

the security component processing the received data to assess a security state of the mobile device by comparing the received data to the database; and

the server outputting security state assessment results for display.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the security state assessment output by the server is for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the security state assessment output by the server is for display on the mobile device.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the security component assesses security events on the mobile device to determine severity levels for the security events, and the security state assessment results output by the server include the security severity level for display on the mobile device display.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the security component produces a list of security events and the server outputs the list of security events for display on the mobile device display.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the security component produces a list of security events and the server outputs the list of security events for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the server outputs a chart indicating security events on the mobile device for display on the mobile device.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the server outputs a chart indicating security events on the mobile device for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the server outputs a status indicator signal representing a current security state for the mobile device for persistent display on the mobile device.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the server outputs a status indicator signal representing a current security state for the mobile device for display on a client computer different from the mobile device.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the server outputs an e-mail to a client computer that includes a current security state for the mobile device.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein the server generates a webpage that includes a display of a current security state for the mobile device.