Enabling security of a computer system

• US 9,058,466 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Choksey, Dhruv, Boyum, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): ZAIDI, SYED A
• Application Number:
  US12/259,387
• Time in Patent Office: 2,422 Days
• Field of Search: 713/184, 713/202, 382/115, 455/41, 455/411
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals

Abstract

Enabling security of a computer system. Physical proximity of an authorized user with the computer system is detected without requiring the authorized user to physically access the interior of the computer system is monitored. In response to detecting the physical proximity of an authorized user, the authorized user is allowed access to privileged operations of the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for enabling security of a computer system, said method comprising:

monitoring for physical proximity of an authorized user with said computer system without requiring said authorized user to physically access the interior of said computer system; and

in response to detecting said physical proximity of an authorized user with said computer system, allowing said authorized user access to privileged operations of said computer system, wherein said detection is based on physical interaction of said authorized user with said computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prohibiting access to said privileged operations after a predetermined amount of time since said detecting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring for physical proximity further comprises:

prompting said authorized user to enter a special command; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system provided said special command is entered correctly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

generating a security key;

displaying said security key proximate to said computer system;

receiving entry of said key into said computer system; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system, provided that said entry of said key matches said generated security key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

monitoring said physical proximity at an externally accessible port on said computer system; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system in response to detecting a preconfigured hardware device received in said port.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

monitoring said physical proximity at an externally accessible interactive device on said computer system; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system in response to detecting that said interactive device is selected.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an externally located indicator which indicates that said authorized user is allowed said access to said privileged operations of said computer system.

8. A system for enabling access to privileges operations of a computer system comprising:

an externally accessible interface, configured to allow detection of a physical proximity of an authorized user with said computer system; and

an access control module communicatively coupled with said interface configured to control access to privileged operations of said computer system, and configured to detect said physical proximity of said authorized user, and in response, allowing said authorized user access to said privileged operations of said computer system, wherein said detection is based on physical interaction of said authorized user with said computer system.

9. The system of claim 8, said access control module configured to prohibit said access to said privileged operations after a predetermined amount of time since said detecting.

10. The system of claim 8, said access control module configured to prompt said authorized user to enter a special command, and configured to determine that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system provided said special command is entered correctly.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a display configured to display a security key proximate to said computer system;

wherein said access control module configured to generate said security key, configured to prompt said authorized user to enter said security key as displayed on said display, and configured to determine that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system provided said security key is entered correctly.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said externally accessible interface is a port wherein said access control module is configured to detect said physical proximity of said authorized user with said computer system when said port receives a preconfigured hardware device.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said externally accessible interface is an interactive device wherein said access control module is configured to detect said physical proximity of said authorized user with said computer system when said interactive device is selected.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an externally located indicator configured to indicate that said authorized user is allowed said access to said privileged operations of said computer system.

15. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions thereon, when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for enabling security of a computer system based on a physical proximity, said method comprising:

monitoring for physical proximity of an authorized user with said computer system without requiring said authorized user to physically access the interior of said computer system; and

in response to detecting said physical proximity of an authorized user with said computer system, allowing said authorized user access to privileged operations of said computer system, wherein said detection is based on physical interaction of said authorized user with said computer system; and

prohibiting access to said privileged operations after a predetermined amount of time since said detecting.

16. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

prompting said authorized user to enter a special command; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system provided said special command is entered correctly.

17. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

generating a security key;

displaying said security key proximate to said computer system;

receiving entry of said key into said computer system; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system, provided that said entry of said key matches said generated security key.

18. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

monitoring said physical proximity at an externally accessible port on said computer system; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system in response to detecting a preconfigured hardware device received in said port.

19. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said monitoring physical proximity further comprises:

monitoring said physical proximity at an externally accessible interactive device on said computer system; and

determining that said authorized user is in said physical proximity with said computer system in response to detecting that said interactive device is selected.

20. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

generating an externally located indicator which indicates that said authorized user is allowed said access to said privileged operations of said computer system.