Protection against unintentional file changing

• US 7,788,702 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ELLEN C
• Application Number:
  US11/682,307
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/27, 726/29
• US Class Current: 726/2
• 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 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB

Abstract

Files are protected against intrusion. A first embodiment protects certain files against changes. A second embodiment encrypts the files that are stored using user'"'"'s personal information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

Defining security levels for each file stored on a computer;

setting a restricted first group of files on a computer to have a first file security level that prevents access to the file without special permission;

Encrypting said first group of files using a cryptographic encryption key, and storing encrypted files representing the restricted first group of files, whereby all files with the first file security level are encrypted to prevent said access;

Setting a second file security level for a second group of files, whereby the second group of files is stored unencrypted; and

Providing a decryption key to provide access to said restricted first group of files only when access to the files is requested, and a specified first access condition is met.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said specified access condition comprises personal identifying information for a first user.

3. A method as in claim 1, further comprising defining a third group of files, that have said first file security level;

Encrypting said third group of files using a second cryptographic encryption key, and storing encrypted files representing the restricted third group of files; and

Providing a decryption key to provide access to said restricted third group of files only when access to the files is requested, and a specified second access condition, different than the first access condition is met.

4. A method as in claim 3, further comprising allowing a first user to decrypt only said first files and not said second files, and allowing a second user to decrypt only said second files and not said first files.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising designating a fourth group of files with a third security level, and storing said files with said third security level as unencrypted files that are allowed read only access, and where said first security level for said first group of files allows both read and write access to the encrypted files.

6. A method as in claim 2, further comprising forming encrypted files by using a part of said personal identifying information for the encryption.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising detecting an action and responsive to detecting that action, changing a first file from said first file security level to said second file security level, and thereby allowing read and write access to an unencrypted version of said first file.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said detecting an action comprises allowing only at least one specified program to move the files from the first security level to the second security level, and not allowing programs other than said at least one specified program to move the files.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein said detecting an action comprises detecting said first file being written to a removable media, and automatically setting the first file to said second security level in which the file is unencrypted and read and write access are allowed to said first file, responsive to said file being written to the removable media.

10. A method as in claim 7, further comprising displaying information indicative of said first file which has a first security level, and enabling a user interface action which converts said first file to said second security level.

11. A method as in claim 8, wherein said specified program is a registered word processing program, and further comprising detecting the registered word processing program and allowing the registered word processing program to have access to unencrypted files as read and write files.

12. A method comprising:

Defining a security level for each file stored in a computer;

identifying a first user;

using an operating system associated program of a computer to designate a first plurality of files in a computer, as being associated with said first user and having a first security level which only allows the files to be stored in an encrypted form, and to encrypt said first plurality of files using a first encryption key that is associated with said first user;

responsive to said identifying, using said operating system associated program in said computer to allow said first user to make any changes to any of said first plurality of files using a decryption key corresponding to said first encryption key associated with said first user, and to prevent reading contents of said first plurality of files when said first user is not identified;

identifying a second user;

using said operating system associated program of a computer to designate a second plurality of files in a computer, as being associated with said second user and having said first security level which only allows the files to be stored in an encrypted form, and to encrypt said second plurality of files using a second encryption key that is associated with said second user;

responsive to said identifying, using said operating system associated program in said computer to allow said second user to make any changes to any of said second plurality of files using a second decryption key corresponding to said second encryption key associated with said first user and to prevent reading contents of said first plurality of read/write files when said second user is not identified;

using said operating system associated program in said computer to set other files to a second security level that allows said other files to be stored unencrypted, and to allow said other files on said system to be read without identifying said first and second user; and

responsive to an action on at least one first file, allowing said at least one first file to be converted from said first security level to said second security level.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein said second security level prevents writing to files in said second security level.

14. A method as in claim 12, wherein said second security level produces files which are unencrypted but which can be written to and read by the system only after a specified security operation.

15. A method as in claim 12, wherein said detecting an action comprises allowing only at least one specified program to move the files from the first security level to the second security level, and not allowing programs other than said at least one specified program to move the files.

16. A method as in claim 12, wherein said detecting an action comprises detecting said first file being written to a removable media, and automatically setting the first file to said second security level in which the file is unencrypted and read and write access are allowed to said first file, responsive to said file being written to the removable media.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein said specified program is a registered word processing program, and further comprising detecting the registered word processing program and allowing the registered word processing program to have access to unencrypted files as read and write files.