Configuring policy settings on client computing devices

• US 8,701,157 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Glenn, Gwalani, Sumit, Drewry, William A., Nissler, Mattias Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mohammad L
• Application Number:
  US13/348,574
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 713/182
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Systems and methods for configuring policy settings on client computing devices are provided. In some aspects, a method includes transmitting login credentials to one or more server machines. The method also includes receiving, on the client computing device, policy data and a public key from the one or more server machines in response to the login credentials. The method also includes authenticating the policy data based on the public key. The method also includes automatically installing policy settings based on the authenticated policy data on the client computing device. The policy settings identified by the policy data include four or more of: compliance settings, behavioral settings, software applications, permission to access one or more websites, restrictions on accessing one or more websites, read permission in a remote document storage unit, or write permission in a remote document storage unit.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for installing policy settings on a client computing device, the method comprising:

transmitting login credentials to a server;

receiving, on the client computing device, policy data and a public key from the server in response to the login credentials;

authenticating the policy data based on the public key; and

installing policy settings based on the authenticated policy data on the client computing device, wherein the policy settings identified by the policy data comprise one or more of;

compliance settings, behavioral settings, software applications, permission to access one or more websites, restrictions on accessing one or more websites, read permission in a remote document storage unit, or write permission in a remote document storage unit,

wherein installing the policy settings based on the authenticated policy data on the client computing device comprises storing information based on the policy data in a module on the client computing device, the module being secured by association with the public key from the server and a signature generated on the client computing device to prevent the stored information from being moved or copied by a user of the client computing device,

wherein the module comprises both device policy settings associated with all user accounts of the client computing device and user policy settings, wherein the user policy settings comprise policy settings for a first user of the client computing device, wherein the first user has permission to access a resource according to the user policy, and wherein a second user of the client computing device lacks permission to access the resource according to the user policy settings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device policy settings comprise global policy settings for one or more users of the client computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises one or more of:

a single server machine, multiple server machines, or a server farm.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for installing policy settings on a computer, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

transmit information identifying an enterprise account associated with a user of the computer to a server;

receive, on the computer, policy data signed with a public key from the server in response to the information identifying the enterprise account;

authenticate the policy data based on the public key; and

install policy settings based on the authenticated policy data on the computer, wherein the policy settings based on the authenticated policy data comprise one or more of;

compliance settings, behavioral settings, software applications, permission to access one or more websites, restrictions on accessing one or more websites, read permission in a remote document storage unit, or write permission in a remote document storage unit, wherein installing the policy settings based on the authenticated policy data on the computer comprises storing information based on the policy data in a module for storing multiple content items, the module residing on the computer, the module being secured by association with the public key from the server and a signature generated on the computer to prevent the stored information from being moved or copied by a user of the computer,

wherein the module comprises both device policy settings associated with all user accounts of the computer and user policy settings, wherein the user policy settings comprise policy settings for a first user of the computer, wherein the first user has permission to access a resource according to the user policy settings, and wherein a second user of the computer lacks permission to access the resource according to the user policy settings.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the information identifying the enterprise account comprises login credentials.