Data positioning and alerting system
First Claim
1. A method of tracking confidential files within a computer network, said method comprising:
- receiving at a client computer in said computer network from a server computer a file policy for a confidential computer file, said file policy including at least one event, a corresponding action, and one or more unique file identifiers, one of said unique file identifiers uniquely identifying said confidential computer file;
detecting by said client computer a user-initiated activity on said client computer that affects a client computer file;
determining that said client computer file is said confidential computer file by comparing a unique identifier of the client computer file to one or more of said unique file identifiers stored in the file policy;
determining a location of said confidential computer file based upon said comparing;
sending from said client computer to said server computer the location of said confidential computer file within said computer network; and
sending from said client computer to said server computer an indication of said user-initiated activity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A file policy is created for each confidential file in a server computer including a list of events and a corresponding action. The file policies for the confidential files are sent to each client computer in the computer network. A software agent on each client computer detects when an activity occurs that affects one of the confidential files having a file policy. The activity is reported to the server computer and, if the activity matches an event in the policy, the corresponding action is taken. Events include: copying a file, printing, accessing, sending via e-mail, renaming, etc. Actions include: alerting an administrator, temporary blocking the activity or preventing the activity. If the activity is temporarily blocked from occurring, the agent queries the user as to whether the user wishes to request approval, and forwards that requests on to the server computer. If the activity is approved then the software agent removes the temporary block from the user activity and allows the user'"'"'s activity concerning the confidential file to occur.
58 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of tracking confidential files within a computer network, said method comprising:
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receiving at a client computer in said computer network from a server computer a file policy for a confidential computer file, said file policy including at least one event, a corresponding action, and one or more unique file identifiers, one of said unique file identifiers uniquely identifying said confidential computer file; detecting by said client computer a user-initiated activity on said client computer that affects a client computer file; determining that said client computer file is said confidential computer file by comparing a unique identifier of the client computer file to one or more of said unique file identifiers stored in the file policy; determining a location of said confidential computer file based upon said comparing; sending from said client computer to said server computer the location of said confidential computer file within said computer network; and sending from said client computer to said server computer an indication of said user-initiated activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of monitoring confidential file usage within a computer network, said method comprising:
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receiving at a client computer in said computer network from a server computer a file policy for a confidential computer file, said file policy including at least one event, a corresponding action, and a unique file identifier uniquely identifying said confidential computer file; detecting by said client computer a user-initiated activity on said client computer that affects a client computer file; determining that said client computer file is said confidential computer file by comparing a unique identifier of the client computer file to said unique file identifier stored in the file policy; determining that said user-initiated activity matches said event of said file policy; executing said action of said file policy by temporarily blocking said user-initiated activity from occurring on said client computer; sending a request from said client computer to said server computer to allow said user-initiated activity that affects said client computer file to occur on said client computer; receiving an approval from said server computer to allow said user-initiated activity; and allowing said user-initiated activity that affects said client computer file to occur on said client computer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of tracking confidential files within a computer network, said method comprising:
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sending from a server computer in said computer network to a plurality of client computers a file policy for a confidential computer file, said file policy including at least one event, a corresponding action and a unique identifier corresponding to the confidential computer file; receiving from one of said client computers an indication that a user-initiated activity has occurred on said one client computer that affects said confidential computer file; determining that said user-initiated activity occurring on said one client computer affects said confidential computer file by matching said unique identifier of said file policy with a unique identifier of a client computer file on said one client computer; recording said user-initiated activity, an indication of said one client computer, and an indication of said confidential computer file in a database record of said server computer; and receiving from said one client computer an indication that said user-initiated activity matches said event of said file policy and a notification alert corresponding to said action alerting said server computer that said event has been attempted by said one client computer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification