Application and data removal system

• US 8,875,304 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Celi, Joseph Jr., McGloin, Mark, Pieczul, Olgierd Stanislaw
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US13/671,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40104 Security; Encryption; Content protection cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00

Abstract

A method, programmed medium and system are provided for a server-based security manager application to support a self-cleaning operation on a remote computerized device. When a computer device has been reported as being missing for example, the security manager server application will cause the device to take pro-determined actions such as un-installing predetermined applications contained on the device and removing all persisted data associated with such predetermined applications.

Claims

1. A machine and/or software implemented method for processing security management of a remote electronic device to support a self-cleaning operation of said remote electronic device, said remote electronic device including a network interfacing unit arranged for connecting to other electronic devices through an interconnection network, said remote electronic device having at least one software application stored therein, said method comprising:

receiving device related information by a security server from said remote electronic device, said device related information including information identifying said remote electronic device;

storing said device related information by said security server;

receiving by said security server of notification to remove at least said one ware application stored on said remote electronic device; and

said security server causing a self-cleaning operation to occur on said remote electronic device for removing at least said one software application stored on said remote electronic device from said remote electronic device after receiving said notification.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said notification is provided to said security server independently of said remote electronic device, said security server being operable for supporting said self-cleaning operation of said remote electronic device.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

receiving by said security server of user identification information along with said device related information; and

storing said user identification information in association with said device related information in a device information file containing said device related information and said user identification information.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said device information file is accessible to support a self-cleaning operation for any application installed on said remote electronic device.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including said security server receiving listing of applications to be removed from said remote electronic device after receiving said notification.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said device related information further includes said listing of applications to be removed from said electronic device after receiving said notification.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including running a security management application by said security server, said security management application being operable for enabling a communication with said remote electronic device over said interconnection network.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said self-cleaning operation is initiated in response to detecting an attempt to run an application on said remote electronic device after said notification.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said remote electronic device is a desktop or laptop computer system.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said remote electronic device is a hand-held electronic device.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said remote electronic device is a tablet computer device.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable, tangible storage devices) and computer-readable program instructions stored on the computer-readable, tangible storage device(s) for processing security management of a remote electronic device to support a self-cleaning operation of said remote electronic device, said remote electronic device having device applications stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by a processing system, being operable for implementing a method comprising:

receiving device related information by a security server from said remote electronic device, said device related information including information identifying said remote electronic device;

storing an information file by said security server, said information file containing said device related information;

receiving by said security server of notification to have one or more of said stored device applications and/or data associated with said stored device applications removed from said remote electronic device; and

causing a self-cleaning operation to occur on said remote electronic device for removing at least one of said stored device applications and/or data associated with at least one of said stored device applications from said remote electronic device after receiving said notification.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said notification is provided to a said security server independently of said remote electronic device, said security server being operable for supporting said self-cleaning operation of said remote electronic device.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12 and further including:

receiving by said security server of user identification information along with said device related information; and

storing said user identification information in association with said device related information in a device information file containing said device related information and said user identification information.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said device information file is accessible to support a self-cleaning operation for any application installed on said remote electronic device.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12 and further including said security server receiving a listing of applications to be removed from said remote electronic device a lying said notification.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said listing of applications is included in said device related information.

18. The method as set forth in claim 12 and further including running a security management application by said security server, said security management application being operable for enabling a communication with said remote electronic device over said interconnection network, said self-cleaning operation being initiated in response to detecting an attempt to run an application on said remote electronic device after said notification.

19. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said remote electronic device is a computerized electronic device capable of storing software applications and data associated with said software applications.

20. A processing system for processing security management of a remote electronic device to support a self-cleaning operation of said remote electronic device, said remote electronic device including a network interfacing unit arranged for connecting to other electronic devices through an interconnection network, said remote electronic device having at least one software application stored therein, said system comprising:

a server system operable for receiving device related information from said remote device, said device related information including information identifying said remote electronic device;

a storage device for storing device related information;

a receiving system for receiving notification to remove at least said one software application stored on said remote electronic device, said notification being received by said server system independently from said remote electronic device, said server system being operable after receiving said notification for causing a self-cleaning operation to occur on said remote electronic device for removing at least one of said device applications and/or data associated with at least one of said device applications from said remote electronic device after receiving said notification, said server system being operable for initializing said self-cleaning operation on said remote electronic device in response to detecting an attempt to run an application on said remote electronic device after said server system has received said notification.