Policy-Based Application Management

• US 20140032733A1
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Barton, Gary, Walker, James Robert, Desai, Nitin, Lang, Zhongmin
• Application Number:
  US14/043,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/54 by adding security routines or objects to programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 : Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 : Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

Improved techniques for managing enterprise applications on mobile devices are described herein. Each enterprise mobile application running on the mobile device has an associated policy through which it interacts with its environment. The policy selectively blocks or allows activities involving the enterprise application in accordance with rules established by the enterprise. Together, the enterprise applications running on the mobile device form a set of managed applications. Managed applications are typically allowed to exchange data with other managed applications, but are blocked from exchanging data with other applications, such as the user'"'"'s own personal applications. Policies may be defined to manage data sharing, mobile resource management, application specific information, networking and data access solutions, device cloud and transfer, dual mode application software, enterprise app store access, and virtualized application and resources, among other things.

Claims

1. A method of providing a secure storage location on an electronic mobile device, comprising:

receiving, by an electronic mobile device, a managed application from an application server during a first communication, the managed application being constructed to operate in accordance with a set of one or more policy files;

receiving, by the device, the set of one or more policy files from the application server during a second communication which is different than the first communication, the set of one or more policy files being stored on the electronic mobile device separately from the managed application;

running, by the processor, the managed application on the mobile device, the managed application operating in accordance with the set of one or more policy files;

storing and executing multiple managed applications on the device;

associating each managed application with an application group;

associating each application group with a different secure persistent storage area; and

providing access to each secure persistent storage area only to those managed applications in the associated application group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a set of encryption/decryption keys in one of the policy files; and

using the received set of keys to encrypt data written to the secure persistent storage area, and to decrypt data read from the secure persistent storage area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to delete content from the secure persistent storage area;

responsive to the request, determining whether an originator of the request is authorized to delete the content; and

deleting the content from the secure persistent storage area when the originator is authorized to delete the content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the originator is other than a user of the electronic mobile device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the originator is an administrator of an enterprise mobility management (EMM) service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more policy files act to provide access by the managed application to a secure persistent storage area of the electronic mobile device, said secure persistent storage area accessible by an enterprise administrator, and usable to store a plurality of discrete data files.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing and executing multiple managed applications on the device; and

permitting each managed application access to the secure persistent storage area, based on one or more policy files.

8. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer instructions that, when executed, provide a secure storage location on an electronic mobile device by:

receiving, by an electronic mobile device, a managed application from an application server during a first communication, the managed application being constructed to operate in accordance with a set of one or more policy files;

receiving, by the device, the set of one or more policy files from the application server during a second communication which is different than the first communication, the set of one or more policy files being stored on the electronic mobile device separately from the managed application; and

running, by the processor, the managed application on the mobile device, the managed application operating in accordance with the set of one or more policy files,

wherein the set of one or more policy files act to provide access by the managed application to a secure persistent storage area of the electronic mobile device, said secure persistent storage area accessible by an enterprise administrator, and usable to store a plurality of discrete data files.

9. The computer readable media of claim 8, said instructions further comprising:

receiving a set of encryption/decryption keys in one of the policy files; and

using the received set of keys to encrypt data written to the secure persistent storage area, and to decrypt data read from the secure persistent storage area.

10. The computer readable media of claim 9, said instructions further comprising:

receiving a request to delete content from the secure persistent storage area;

responsive to the request, determining whether an originator of the request is authorized to delete the content; and

deleting the content from the secure persistent storage area when the originator is authorized to delete the content.

11. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the originator is other than a user of the electronic mobile device.

12. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the originator is an administrator of an enterprise mobility management (EMM) service.

13. The computer readable media of claim 8, said instructions further comprising:

storing and executing multiple managed applications on the device;

associating each managed application with an application group;

associating each application group with a different secure persistent storage area; and

providing access to each secure persistent storage area only to those managed applications in the associated application group.

14. The computer readable media of claim 8, said instructions further comprising:

storing and executing multiple managed applications on the device; and

permitting each managed application access to the secure persistent storage area, based on one or more policy files.

15. An electronic mobile device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to provide a secure storage location by;

receiving, by an electronic mobile device, a managed application from an application server during a first communication, the managed application being to operate in accordance with a set of one or more policy files;

receiving, by the device, the set of one or more policy files from the application server during a second communication which is different than the first communication, the set of one or more policy files being stored on the electronic mobile device separately from the managed application;

running, by the processor, the managed application on the mobile device, the managed application operating in accordance with the set of one or more policy files;

storing and executing multiple managed applications on the device;

associating each managed application with an application group;

associating each application group with a different secure persistent storage area; and

providing access to each secure persistent storage area only to those managed applications in the associated application group.

16. The device of claim 15, said instructions further comprising:

receiving a set of encryption/decryption keys in one of the policy files; and

using the received set of keys to encrypt data written to the secure persistent storage area, and to decrypt data read from the secure persistent storage area.

17. The device of claim 16, said instructions further comprising:

receiving a request to delete content from the secure persistent storage area;

responsive to the request, determining whether an originator of the request is authorized to delete the content; and

deleting the content from the secure persistent storage area when the originator is authorized to delete the content.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the originator is other than a user of the electronic mobile device.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the originator is an administrator of an enterprise mobility management (EMM) service.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the set of one or more policy files act to provide access by the managed application to a secure persistent storage area of the electronic mobile device, said secure persistent storage area accessible by an enterprise administrator, and usable to store a plurality of discrete data files.