Virtual machine access control in mobile computing device based on positional range from beacon signal

• US 9,794,267 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dow, Eli M., Rohde, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, James J
• Application Number:
  US14/853,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas

Abstract

A system is provided and includes a broadcasting device configured to emit a beacon signal over a predefined range and a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device is configured to run a host operating system at any location. The mobile computing device is further configured to run a virtual machine associated with the beacon signal within the host operating system but only when the computing device is in range of the beacon signal of a predefined strength.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a networking unit of the mobile computing device, a beacon signal only upon the mobile computing device entering within a range of the beacon signal;

determining that the mobile computing device is within the range of the beacon signal from a strength of the beacon signal received via the networking unit being above a predefined strength;

determining that a virtual machine associated with the beacon signal exists in the mobile computing device;

running a host operating system on the mobile computing device with the mobile computing device being positioned at any location;

running an instance of the virtual machine within the host operating system of the mobile computing device using a component of the beacon signal while the mobile computing device is determined to remain within the range of the beacon signal based on the strength of the beacon signal received via the networking unit being above the predefined strength; and

enabling firmware on the mobile computing device to terminate the running of the instance of the virtual machine when the mobile computing device is determined to be outside of the range of the beacon signal from the strength of the beacon signal received by the networking unit being below the predefined strength.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component of the beacon signal comprises a private key by which the virtual machine is decrypted on the mobile computing device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving is initiated by a user.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing instructions relating to processing of the virtual machine upon the mobile computing device leaving the range of the beacon signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

checking for a virtual machine or operating system instance provisioning server signal within the range of the beacon signal;

in an event the virtual machine or operating system instance provisioning server signal exists, determining whether a later version of the virtual machine exists from the virtual machine or operating system instance provisioning server signal; and

in an event the later version of the virtual machine exists, taking an action with respect to the later version of the virtual machine.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in an event the virtual machine associated with the beacon signal does not exist in the firmware of the mobile computing device, the method further includes:

determining whether the mobile computing device is authorized to receive the virtual machine; and

in an event the mobile computing device is authorized to receive the virtual machine, taking an action in accordance with the determining.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the mobile computing device is at a periphery of the range from the strength of the beacon signal received by the networking unit being reduced toward the predefined strength; and

alerting a user of the mobile computing device that the user is at the periphery of the range.