Administration of protection of data accessible by a mobile device

• US 8,020,192 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CPTN Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Wright, Michael, Mims, Robert, Jacobson, Sterling K., Nault, Gabe, Smith, Merrill, Boucher, Peter, Wood, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Simitoski; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/926,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 380/258, 713/154, 726/1, 726/11, 726/23, 709/221, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The protection of data on a client mobile computing device by a server computer system such as within an enterprise network or on a separate mobile computing device is described. Security tools are described that provide different security policies to be enforced based on a location associated with a network environment in which a mobile device is operating. Methods for detecting the location of the mobile device are described. Additionally, the security tools may also provide for enforcing different policies based on security features. Examples of security features include the type of connection, wired or wireless, over which data is being transferred, the operation of anti-virus software, or the type of network adapter card. The different security policies provide enforcement mechanisms that may be tailored based upon the detected location and/or active security features associated with the mobile device. Examples of enforcement mechanisms are adaptive port blocking, file hiding and file encryption.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method for detecting a current location from a set of possible locations for a mobile computing device for use in protecting data accessible to the mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

by a layer manager module, obtaining at least one current network environment parameter;

by a location module, determining whether the obtained current network environment parameter matches a predefined parameter for a first location;

by the location module, performing a location detection test using valid historical parameters to verify the first location;

setting the verified first location as the location of the mobile device; and

by the location module, updating the valid historical parameters by determining whether a parameter has been previously detected and marking the parameter as a valid historical parameter for determining location, wherein the marking comprises;

maintaining a first count of the number of times a parameter has been previously detected;

maintaining a second count of the number of times the parameter has been previously detected as valid; and

marking the parameter as a valid historical parameter for determining location when the first count is less than the second count.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of testing, by the location module, whether the first location is a false positive.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of testing whether the first location is a false positive is performed by comparing the obtained at least one current network environment parameter to one or more override criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of, if the obtained current network environment parameter does not match the predefined parameter for the first location:

by the location module, determining a second location having a network environment parameter from the set of possible locations that is the closet match to the current network environment parameter;

by the location module, testing the network environment parameter for the second location to override criteria;

by the location module, setting the second location as the current location if the override criteria do not match; and

by the location module, setting a default location as the current location if the override criteria do match.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing a location detection test using valid historical parameters to verify the first location uses a composite value of several independent terms to define a location threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the location threshold is defined according to a formula: