System and method for alerting on open file-share sessions on a user's electronic device

• US 20070192487A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Domo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gabriel Jakobson
• Inventors: Jakobson, Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A method and system for detecting active file-share sessions on a client device, alerting the user of the client device, and enabling the user to terminate the file-share sessions, are disclosed. In accordance with the disclosed method and system, when a remote device (e.g., on a network, the Internet, wireless, etc) connects to a shared file or folder on a client device (e.g., a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, personal video recorder, and the like) the user of the client device receives an alert identifying the file-sharing session established through this connection. The user is then presented with an option of whether to approve this file-sharing session, or to disconnect it (thus causing the remote user to lose access to the client device'"'"'s file system) with a single click of a button.

Claims

1. A method of protecting an electronic device against unauthorized access to files and folders associated with said electronic device, comprising:

determining whether there are open share-sessions associated with said electronic device;

in the event at least one open share-session is determined to exist, determining whether the at least one open share-session is included on an approved share-session list;

in the event at least one open share-sessions is determined not to be on the approved share session list, sending an alert.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving identifying information of a remote device associated with the at least one open share-session determined not to be on the approved share session list; and

including remote device identifying information in the alert.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

including in the alert an approval request, the approval request providing said recipient of the alert the capability to approve or terminate the at least one open share-session determined not to be on the approved share-session list;

in response to receiving an approval from said recipient, including on the approved open share-session list the at least one open share-session determined not to be on the approved share session list; and

in response to receiving a denial of approval by said recipient, terminating the at least one open share-session that is determined not to be on the approved share session list.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said remote device identifying information includes the name and IP address of said remote device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the alert includes identifying Information specifying any files or folders associated with the at least one open share-session determined not to be on the approved share session list.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the alert includes information specifying the user credentials under which the any files or folders associated with the at least one open share-session are determined not to be on the approved share session list are accessed.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in the event at least one open share-session is determined to exist, suspending access to the at least one open share-session;

in response to receiving an approval from said recipient, reinstating access to the at least one open share-session.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

recording a log of the determination and the alert presented, the log including the whether there was a response to approve or terminate the open share session associated with the alert.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

initiating the determination of whether there are open share-sessions on said electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the initiating step is driven by a system timer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the system timer is operated at a frequency of greater than 1 cycle per second.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the initiating step is invoked by the operating system on said electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the initiating step is invoked upon access to a file or folder associated with said electronic device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a personal computer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a personal video recorder.

17. A method of controlling access to information stored on a computer, comprising:

determining whether a remote device is attempting to create an open share session on the computer;

in the event of a determination that a remote device is attempting to create an open share session, sending an alert.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

including in the alert an approval request, the approval request providing said recipient of the alert the capability to approve or terminate the attempt by said remote device to create an open share session;

in the event an approval is granted, allowing said remote device to create an open share session; and

in the event the approval is denied, terminating such attempt to create an open share session.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

collecting identifying information of said remote device determined to be attempting to create an open share session; and

including the collected identifying information of said remote device in the alert.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

in the event the approval is approved, entering the collected identifying information of said remote device in an approved open share session list, and prior to sending an alert, determining whether the open share session is associated with a remote device specified in the approved share session list;

in the event the open share session is associated with a remote device specified in the approved share session list, allowing said remote device to access an open share session.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the alert is sent to a user of said computer.