Computer system, information processing apparatus, and security protection method

• US 8,510,736 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kawsar, Abdullah Al
• Application Number:
  US13/118,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 711100-173, 718 1-105, 709201-203, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 718/1
• 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

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a computer system includes a server and a client computer. The client computer is connected to the server via a network. The server includes a takeout management module configured to issue a permit to the client computer when a takeout request is received from the client computer. The permit permits the client computer to store data. The takeout request requests using of data acquired via the network under a condition of being disconnected from the network. The client computer includes a disk device, a takeout request transmitter and a security protector. The takeout request transmitter is configured to transmit the takeout request to the server. The security protector is configured to enable the disk device to store data when the permit is received from the server.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a server; and

a client computer comprising a disk device and the client computer is connected to the server via a network, wherein;

the server comprises a takeout management module configured to issue a permit to the client computer when a takeout request is received from the client computer, the permit permitting the client computer to store data from a storage server to the disk device, the takeout request requesting using of data acquired from the storage server connected to the network under a condition of being disconnected from the network, and

the client computer comprises;

a first virtual machine environment where a first operating system (OS) and a takeout management utility operate, the first OS comprising a front end driver and the takeout management utility operating under the first OS;

a second virtual machine environment where a second OS operates, the second OS managing the first OS and comprising a back-end driver and a security protector; and

a takeout request transmitter configured to transmit the takeout request generated by the takeout management utility operating under the first OS to the server, and

wherein the security protector configured to create a virtual disk image file on the disk device, and to connect a virtual bus for communication between the front-end driver and the back-end driver to access the virtual disk image file and store data acquired from the storage server connected to the network to the virtual disk image file by using the virtual bus, when the permit is received from the server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client computer comprises:

the first virtual machine environment where the first OS operates, the first OS comprises the front-end driver configured to issue an operation command for controlling a predetermined device with a storage; and

a virtual machine monitor environment configured to execute virtualization processing for causing the first OS and the second OS to recognize devices comprising the disk device, wherein

the second OS comprises;

the back-end driver configured to receive the operation command issued by the front-end driver, and

a device driver configured to issue the operation command received by the back-end driver to the disk device, and

the security protector is configured to;

instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to cause the first OS to recognize the created virtual disk image file on the disk device as the predetermined device, and

instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to connect the virtual bus for communication between the front-end driver of the first OS and the back-end driver of the second OS so that writing data under the control of the first OS is executable.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the back-end driver comprises a converter configured to convert the operation command issued by the front-end driver for the predetermined device into an operation command for the disk device in order to access the virtual disk image file.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the permit comprises time limit data indicating a time limit allowing the client computer to store data, and

the security protector is configured to instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to disconnect the virtual bus in order to prevent data from being written and read under the control of the first OS, when the time limit indicated by the time limit data in the permit elapses after the permit is received from the server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the security protector is configured to delete the virtual disk image file on the disk device when the security protector disconnects the virtual bus.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the security protector is configured to instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to disconnect the virtual bus in order to prevent data from being written and read under the control of the first OS when the client computer is connected to the network again.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the security protector is configured to delete the virtual disk image file on the disk device when the security protector disconnects the virtual bus.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second server connected to the network,

wherein the security protector comprises a data management module configured to save data stored in the virtual disk image file on the disk device in the second server when the client computer is connected to the network again.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the security protector is configured to delete the virtual disk image file on the disk device after the security protector saved the data stored in the virtual disk image file on the disk device to the second server.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the security protector is configured to instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to cause the first OS to recognize an existing virtual disk image file as the predetermined device, when the virtual disk image file already exists on the disk device.

11. An information processing apparatus connected to a server via a network, comprising:

a processor;

a disk device;

a first virtual machine environment where a first operating system (OS) and a takeout management utility operate, the first OS comprising a front end driver and the takeout management utility operating under the first OS;

a second virtual machine environment where a second OS operates, the second OS managing the first OS and comprising a back-end driver and a security protector; and

a takeout request transmitter configured to transmit a takeout request generated by the takeout management utility operating under the first OS to a takeout management module of the server, the takeout request requesting using of data acquired from a storage server to the disk device via the network under a condition of being disconnected from the network,

wherein the takeout management module of the server is configured to permit the information processing apparatus to store data acquired from the storage server in the disk device of the information processing apparatus, and

wherein the security protector is configured to create a virtual disk image file on the disk device and to connect a virtual bus for communication between the front-end driver and the back-end driver to access the virtual disk image file and store data acquired from the storage server via the network to the virtual disk image file by using the virtual bus, when a permit is received from the server.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the first virtual machine environment where the first OS operates, the first OS comprises the front-end driver configured to issue an operation command for controlling a predetermined device with a storage; and

a virtual machine monitor environment configured to execute virtualization processing for causing the first OS and the second OS to recognize devices comprising the disk device, wherein;

the second OS comprises;

the back-end driver configured to receive the operation command issued by the front-end driver, and

a device driver configured to issue the operation command received by the back-end driver to the disk device, and

the security protector is configured to;

instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to cause the first OS to recognize the created virtual disk image file on the disk device as the predetermined device, and

instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to connect the virtual bus for communication between the front-end driver of the first OS and the back-end driver of the second OS so that writing data under the control of the first OS is executable.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the back-end driver comprises a converter configured to convert the operation command issued by the front-end driver for the predetermined device into an operation command for the disk device in order to access the virtual disk image file.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the permit comprises time limit data indicating a time limit allowing the client computer to store data, and

the security protector is configured to instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to disconnect the virtual bus in order to prevent data from being written and read under the control of the first OS, when the time limit indicated by the time limit data in the permit elapses after the permit is received from the server.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the security protector is configured to delete the virtual disk image file on the disk device when the security protector disconnects the virtual bus.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the security protector is configured to instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to disconnect the virtual bus in order to prevent data from being written and read under the control of the first OS when the client computer is connected to the network again.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the security protector is configured to delete the virtual disk image file on the disk device when the security protector disconnects the virtual bus.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the security protector is configured to instruct the virtual machine monitor environment to cause the first OS to recognize an existing virtual disk image file as the predetermined device without newly creating the virtual disk image file, when the virtual disk image file already exists on the disk device.

19. A security protection method of an information processing apparatus which comprises a disk device and is connected to a server via a network, the method comprising:

transmitting a takeout request to a takeout management module of the server, the takeout request, generated by a takeout management utility operating under a first operating system (OS) of the information processing apparatus, requesting using of data acquired from a storage server to the disk device via the network under a condition of being disconnected from the network;

receiving, by the information processing apparatus, a permit from the takeout management module of the server in response to the takeout request, the permit allowing the information processing apparatus to store data acquired from the storage server to the disk device of the information processing apparatus, wherein the information processing apparatus comprises a first virtual machine environment and a second virtual machine environment, the first virtual machine environment where the first OS and the takeout management utility operates and the first OS comprising a front end driver and the takeout management utility operating under the first OS, and the second virtual machine environment where a second OS operates, the second OS managing the first OS and comprising a back-end driver and a security protector; and

creating a virtual disk image file on the disk device by the security protector and connecting a virtual bus for communication between the front-end driver and the back-end driver to access the virtual disk image file and storing data acquired from the storage server via the network to the virtual disk image file by using the virtual bus, when the permit is received from the server.