IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS THAT OPERATES ACCORDING TO SECURITY POLICIES, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20140047504A1
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsuchitoi, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

An image processing apparatus which is capable of restraining operation that does not comply with security policies even in a case where security policies are changed through setting of user modes. The security policies are set in advance in the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus has a UI operation unit that enables operation on the image processing apparatus. When settings of the image processing apparatus are changed via the UI operation unit, it is verified whether or not the changed settings match the security policies. Operation of the image processing apparatus is restrained until it is verified that the changed settings match the security policies.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus that has a plurality of functions and in which security policies are set in advance, comprising:

an operation unit configured to enable operation on the image processing apparatus;

a verification unit configured to, when settings of the image processing apparatus are changed via said operation unit, verify whether the changed settings match the security policies; and

a restraint unit configured to restrain operation of the image processing apparatus until said verification unit verifies that the changed settings match the security policies.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determination unit configured to carry out determination as to the changed settings; and

a control unit configured to, when said determination unit determines that the changed settings are settings as to security policies or settings as to operation of the image processing apparatus, perform control to cause said restraint unit to restrain operation of the image processing apparatus.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said verification unit comprises a generation unit that generates a policy file by extracting necessary constraint conditions from the security policies set in advance in the image processing apparatus and the security policies changed by said operation unit, and a comparison unit that compares the constraint conditions in the generated policy file and setting values obtained from the settings changed by said operation unit to determine whether or not the constraint conditions and the setting values match each other, wherein said restraint unit restrains operation of the image processing apparatus when there is a mismatch between the constraint conditions and the setting values.

4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when said operation unit issues an instruction to perform verification of the security policies, said control unit performs control to cause said verification unit to perform verification.

5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restraint unit imposes restraint to disable selection of all the plurality of functions via said operation unit.

6. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restraint unit imposes restraint to disable selection of only functions influenced by the security policies.

7. An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control unit blocks communication of the image processing apparatus with external devices until said verification unit verifies compliance with the security policies.

8. A control method for an image processing apparatus that has an operation unit and a plurality of functions and in which security policies are set in advance, comprising:

a verification step of, when settings of the image processing apparatus are changed via the operation unit, verifying whether the changed settings match the security policies; and

a restraint step of restraining operation of the image processing apparatus until it is verified in said verification step that the changed settings match the security policies.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing an image processing apparatus to implement a control method for an image processing apparatus that has an operation unit and a plurality of functions and in which security policies are set in advance, comprising:

a verification step of, when settings of the image processing apparatus are changed via the operation unit, verifying whether the changed settings match the security policies; and

a restraint step of restraining operation of the image processing apparatus until it is verified in said verification step that the changed settings match the security policies.