SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR APPLYING A SECURITY POLICY TO A DEVICE BASED ON LOCATION

• US 20140040981A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F-Secure Corporation (F-Secure Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Lookout Incorporated
• Inventors: Mahaffey, Kevin Patrick, Hering, John Gunther, Burgess, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,167,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A security policy may be applied to a mobile communications device based on a location of the mobile communications device. For example, a first location of the mobile communications device may be obtained and a first security policy may be applied to the mobile communications device based on the first location. Furthermore, a change in the location of the mobile communications device may be detected. For example, the location of the mobile communications device may change from the first location to a second location. In response to the mobile communications device now being located at the second location, a second security policy may be applied to the mobile communications device. Thus, different security policies may be applied to a mobile communications device as the current location of the mobile communications device changes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a mobile communications device, a first location associated with a current location of the mobile communications device;

applying a first security policy to the mobile communications device based on the first location;

determining, by the mobile communications device, a change in the current location of the mobile communications device from the first location to a second location associated with the current location of the mobile communications device;

at the mobile communication device, applying a second security policy to replace the first security policy to the mobile communications device based on the change from the first location to the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application of the second security policy replaces the application of the first security policy for the mobile communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current location is transmitted to a server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device determines the first security policy to apply and the second security policy to apply based upon the current location.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving at the mobile communications device an email notification from the server in response to the determined and transmitted change in the current location

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the email notification comprises information to indicate that the mobile communications device has left the first location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first security policy and the second security policy are different, the second security policy is more strict than the first security policy.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a mobile communications device, a first location associated with a current location of the mobile communications device;

applying a first security policy to the mobile communications device based on the first location;

determining, by the mobile communications device, a change in the current location of the mobile communications device from the first location to a second location associated with the current location of the mobile communications device;

at the mobile communication device, applying a second security policy to replace the first security policy to the mobile communications device based on the change from the first location to the second location.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the application of the second security policy replaces the application of the first security policy for the mobile communications device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the current location is transmitted to a server.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the mobile communications device determines the first security policy to apply and the second security policy to apply based upon the current location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise receiving at the mobile communications device an email notification from the server in response to the determined and transmitted change in the current location

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the email notification comprises information to indicate that the mobile communications device has left the first location.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first security policy and the second security policy are different, the second security policy is more strict than the first security policy.

15. A system, comprising at least one processor and memory, comprising:

a module to obtain, by a mobile communications device, a first location associated with a current location of the mobile communications device;

a module to apply a first security policy to the mobile communications device based on the first location;

a module to determine, by the mobile communications device, a change in the current location of the mobile communications device from the first location to a second location;

a module to apply, at the mobile communication device, a second security policy to replace the first security policy to the mobile communications device based on the change from the first location to the second location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the application of the second security policy replaces the application of the first security policy for the mobile communications device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the current location is transmitted to a server.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile communications device determines the first security policy to apply and the second security policy to apply based upon the current location.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a module to receive at the mobile communications device an email notification from the server in response to the determined and transmitted change in the current location

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the email notification comprises information to indicate that the mobile communications device has left the first location.