Parental control policy generation

• US 8,640,190 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NortonLifeLock Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Banerjee, Anindya
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAKHIA, VIRAL S
• Application Number:
  US13/369,852
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/25, 726/27, 726/2, 726/22, 713/166, 713/182, 713/150, 455/410
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems

Abstract

Various systems and methods generate access control policies. For example, one method can receive attribute information regarding a computer user. The method can compare the attribute information with access control information and select a value of an access restriction based on a result of the comparing. The access restriction indicates whether a computer resource can be accessed or not. The method then generates an access control policy that includes the value of the access restriction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving attribute information, wherein

the attribute information identifies an attribute of a computer user, and

the attribute information is received from a parental control client;

comparing the attribute information with access control information, wherein

the access control information comprises a plurality of existing access control policies, and

the existing access control policies are stored in a repository of access control information;

selecting a value for an access restriction of a set of access restrictions, wherein

the access restriction indicates accessibility of a resource, and

the selecting comprises

identifying a first access control policy of the plurality of existing access control policies; and

generating an access control policy, wherein

the access control policy comprises the value of the access restriction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining the set of access restrictions, based on the attribute information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

setting a respective value of each access restriction of the set of access restrictions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a first value of a set of values for the access restriction is ineffective; and

filtering the first value out of the set of values for the access restriction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

grouping the access control information based upon attributes of the access control information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the attribute information comprises at least one of age, gender, or location,

the attribute information is received at a policy generation module implemented by a first computing device, and

the parental control client is implemented by a second computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating an effectiveness of a parental control policy, wherein

the access control information comprises the parental control policy; and

generating a reputation value for a creator of the access control policy, based on the evaluating.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving feedback indicating an effectiveness of an access policy.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the access control policy should be modified; and

modifying the access control policy.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable to:

receive attribute information, wherein

the attribute information identifies an attribute of a computer user, and

the attribute information is received from a parental control client;

compare the attribute information with access control information, wherein

the access control information comprises a plurality of existing access control policies, and

the existing access control policies are stored in a repository of access control information;

select a value for an access restriction of a set of access restrictions, wherein

the access restriction indicates accessibility of a resource, and

selecting the value comprises

identifying a first access control policy of the plurality of existing access control policies; and

generate an access control policy, wherein

the access control policy comprises the value of the access restriction.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

define the set of access restrictions, based on the attribute information.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

determine that a first value of a set of values for the access restriction is ineffective; and

filter the first value out of the set of values for the access restriction.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

group the access control information based upon attributes of the access control information.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

evaluate an effectiveness of a parental control policy, wherein

the access control information comprises the parental control policy; and

generate a reputation value for a creator of the access control policy, based on the evaluating.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

detect that the access control policy should be modified; and

modify the access control policy.

16. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

receive attribute information, wherein

the attribute information identifies an attribute of a computer user, and

the attribute information is received from a parental control client;

compare the attribute information with access control information, wherein

the access control information comprises a plurality of existing access control policies, and

the existing access control policies are stored in a repository of access control information;

select a value for an access restriction of a set of access restrictions, wherein

the access restriction indicates accessibility of a resource, and

selecting the value comprises

identifying a first access control policy of the plurality of existing access control policies; and

generate an access control policy, wherein

the access control policy comprises the value of the access restriction.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

define the set of access restrictions, based on the attribute information.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

determine that a first value of a set of values for the access restriction is ineffective; and

filter the first value out of the set of values for the access restriction.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

evaluate an effectiveness of a parental control policy, wherein

the access control information comprises the parental control policy; and

generate a reputation value for a creator of the access control policy, based on the evaluating.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

detect that the access control policy should be modified; and

modify the access control policy.