Managing a network security application

• US 7,392,537 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Forcepoint LLC (Francisco Partners Management LLC)
• Original Assignee: Stonesoft Oy (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Pudas, Hannu, Satomaa, Jari, Jalava, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): HENEGHAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US09/973,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,451 Days
• Field of Search: 713/201, 709220-226, 726/12
• US Class Current: 726/11
• 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 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications

Abstract

The invention provides an arrangement for managing a network security application comprising a full management user interface for conducting management operations for the network security application, and a limited management user interface for conducting a limited number of management operations of the full management user interface for the network security application over a wireless remote connection.

Claims

1. Network management equipment comprising:

a wireless communication device, and

a firewall device connectable between a first data network and a second data network,

said firewall device further comprising a network security application of the firewall device monitoring traffic passing through the firewall device between said first data network and said second data network,

said firewall device further comprising a full management user interface which comprises mechanisms for conducting management operations for said network security application of said firewall device over a secure data connection, from a full management station managing a plurality of firewall devices and

said firewall device further comprising a wireless communication interface module connected directly to said firewall and wirelessly connected to a remote wireless communication device and configured to provide, via said remote wireless communication device, a limited management user interface for conducting a limited number of management operations of said full management user interface for the network security without accessing said full management station.

2. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein,

said full management user interface comprises management operations for setting initial configuration of the network security application of said firewall device and for updating or modifying configuration of the network security application of said firewall device, and

said limited management user interface comprises management operations for updating or modifying configuration of the network security application of said firewall device.

3. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein,

the network security application of said firewall device comprises mechanisms for sending to the limited management user interface an alarm as a response to a predefined situation, and

said limited management user interface comprises management operation for acknowledging receipt of an alarm.

4. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein,

the network security application comprises memory and mechanisms for storing log data into the memory,

said full management user interface comprises management operations for viewing said log data, and

said limited management user interface comprises management operations for viewing limited amounts of said log data.

5. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein said wireless remote connection uses wireless application protocol (WAP).

6. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein said wireless remote connection uses short message service (SMS) messages.

7. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein said wireless remote connection uses HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

8. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein,

the limited management user interface resides in a wireless device and the network security application comprises mechanisms for authenticating said wireless device and mechanisms for authenticating the person using said wireless device in the messages received from the limited management user interface to the network security application.

9. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein,

said full management user interface comprises management operations for configuring said limited management user interface.

10. Network management equipment comprising:

a remote wireless device configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly to implement a limited management interface for a network security firewall application of a firewall device;

a firewall device configured to be connectable between a first data network and a second data network, and

a computer managing a plurality of firewall devices and coupled to said firewall device and programmed to provide a full management user interface which comprises mechanisms for conducting management operations for a network security firewall application of said firewall device over a secure data connection, and

a wireless data terminal which communicates wirelessly with a remote wireless device and directly connected to said firewall device,

and wherein said firewall device comprises

a network security firewall application comprising;

a firewall module that controls said firewall device to monitor traffic passing through said firewall device between said first data network and said second data network, and

a wireless communication interface module directly coupled to said wireless data terminal and configured to provide data from wireless communications with said remote wireless device to said firewall module so as to provide the ability for said remote wireless device to directly control said firewall device so as to provide a limited management user interface for conducting a limited number of management operations of said full management user interface using said network security firewall application without accessing said computer managing said plurality of firewalls.