Method and system for managing security tiers

• US 6,889,210 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Guardian Data Storage LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: PSS Systems, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Vainstein, Klimenty
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US10/445,657
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 705/54, 705/50, 705/51, 705/52, 705/58, 705/64, 705/71, 705/75, 380/201, 380/228, 380/200, 380/202, 713/166, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 705/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• 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 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

Techniques for reorganizing security levels without implicating accessibility to secured files classified in accordance to one of the security levels are disclosed. In a case of adding a new security level, the controllability or restrictiveness of the new security level is determined with respect to the most restrictive security level or the least security level in a set of existing security levels. A set of proper security parameters are then generated for the new security level and subsequently the existing security levels are reorganized to accommodate the new security level. In a case of removing a security level from the existing security levels, the security parameters for the security level to be deleted are either folded up or down to an immediate next security level, depending on implementation. As a result, the security parameters for the immediate next security level are updated to include those for the security level to be deleted such that the secured files classified at the security level to be deleted can still be accessed by those with proper clearance levels.

Claims

1. In a system for providing restrictive access to contents in secured files, each of the secured files classified in accordance with one of N security levels, a method for reorganizing the N security levels without implicating accessibilities to the secured files, the method comprising:

determining a new security level with respect to the N security levels, wherein a 1st security level is most restrictive and an Nth security level is least restrictive in the N security levels;

generating security parameters accordingly for the new security level, the new security level being ith less restrictive with respect to the 1st security level; and

mapping ith security level in the N security levels to (i+1)th security level in the N security levels to accommodate the new security level such that there are now (N+1) security levels in the system,

wherein each of the secured files includes an encrypted data portion and a security portion that controls restrictive access to the encrypted data portion, the security portion including a file key encrypted by at least a first key and a second key and further protected by a set of rules, and wherein both of the first key and the second key must be obtained by a user whose access privilege is satisfied by the rules before the contents of the each of the secured files can be accessed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the security parameters includes at least a clearance key and one or more of the parameters pertain to a designated group of users authorized to access the secured files classified at the new security level.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the clearance key is associated with the designated group of users, together with a user key associated with each of the users, files secured at the ith security level can now be accessed.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, when a user authorized to access secured files classified at the new security level logins into the system, the user is granted the clearance key, together with a user key authorized the user to access the secured files, those secured files classified at the new security level can now be access by the users.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, the clearance key is a private key in a pair of a public key and the private key, those secured files are classified at the new security with the public key.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein, if the user is authorized at ith security level in the original N security levels, the user is now granted a user key and a clearance key such that the contents in the secured files classified at the (i+1)th security level and below can be now accessed by the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first key determines if the user is authorized to access the secured files classified at one of the N security levels or one of the (N+1) security levels, and the second key is in accordance with the one of the N security levels or the one of the (N+1) security levels.

8. In a system for providing restrictive access to contents in secured files, at least some of the secured files classified in accordance with one of N security levels, a method for reorganizing the N security levels without implicating accessibilities to the secured files, the method comprising:

upon receiving a request to remove an ith security level out of the N security levels, determining if an (i−

1)th security level is a 1st security level or if an (i+1)th security level is an Nth security levels, wherein the 1st security level is most restrictive and the Nth security level is least restrictive in the N security levels;

when the (i−

1)th security level is not the 1st security level and the (i+1)th security level is not the Nth security levels,

merging the ith security level with either the (i−

1)th security level or the (i+1)th security level such that there are now (N−

1) security levels in the system,

wherein each of the secured files includes an encrypted data portion and a security portion that controls restrictive access to the encrypted data portion, the security portion including a file key encrypted by at least a first key and a second key and further protected by a set of rules, and wherein both of the first key and the second key must be obtained by a user whose access privilege is satisfied by the rules before the contents of the each of the secured files can be accessed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein users authorized to access secured files classified at the ith security level can now access secured files classified at the (i−

1)th security level if the ith security level is merged with the (i−

1)th security level.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein users authorized to access secured files classified at the ith security level can now access secured files classified at the (i+1)th security level if the ith security level is merged with the (i+1)th security level.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least two keys are needed to access secured files classified at the ith security level, after the ith security level is merged with the (i−

1)th or (i+1)th security level, the at lest two keys are incorporated into the (i−

1)th or (i+1)th security level as such users authorized to access the secured files classified at the ith security level can still access the secured files.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, at the same time, the users can access secured files classified at the (i−

1)th or (i+1)th security level.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least two keys include a first key associated with a designated group of users and a second key being a clearance key in accordance with the ith security level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, when the user logins into the system, the user is granted the at least two keys.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

when the (i−

1)th security level is the 1st security level,

denying the request to remove the ith security level out of the N security levels;

or

always folding down the ith security level with (i−

1)th security level.

16. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

when the (i−

1)th security level is the N security level,

denying the request to remove the ith security level out of the N security levels;

or

always folding up the ith security level with (i−

1)th security level.

17. In a system for providing restrictive access to contents in secured files, each of the secured files classified in accordance with one of N security levels, the system comprising:

a first machine loaded with a software module to reorganize the N security levels without implicating accessibilities to the secured files, wherein the 1st security level is most restrictive and the Nth security level is least restrictive in the N security levels, when the software module is executed, the first machine performs operations of;

if a request of deleting an ith security level out of the N security levels is received,

determining if an (i−

1)th security level is a 1 st security level or if an (i+1)th security level is an Nth security levels, wherein the 1st security level is most restrictive and the Nth security level is least restrictive in the N security levels;

when the (i−

1)th security level is not the 1st security level and the (i+1)th security level is not the Nth security levels,

merging the ith security level with either the (i−

1)th security level or the (i+1)th security level such that there are now (N−

1) security levels in the system; and

if a request of adding a new security level into the N security is received,

determining a new security level with respect to the N security levels, wherein a 1 st security level is most restrictive and an Nth security level is least restrictive in the N security levels;

generating security parameters accordingly for the new security level, the new security level being ith less restrictive with respect to the 1st security level;

mapping ith security level in the N security levels to (i+1)th security level in the N security levels to accommodate the new security level such that there are now (N+1) security levels in the system; and

a second machine, coupled to the first machine over a network, associated with a user that is granted with at least two keys to access one of the secured files classified at one of the N security levels,

wherein each of the secured files includes an encrypted data portion and a security portion that controls restrictive access to the encrypted data portion, the security portion including a file key encrypted by at least a first key and a second key and further protected by a set of rules, and wherein both of the first key and the second key must be obtained by a user whose access privilege is satisfied by the rules before the contents of the each of the secured files can be accessed.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the two keys granted to the user is a clearance key in accordance with the one of the N security levels.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the two keys granted to the user are folded to either the (i−

1)th security level or the (i+1)th security level, when the user is authorized to access secured files classified at the ith security level.