Preventing Conflicts of Interests Between Two or More Groups Using Applications

• US 20080091682A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextlabs
• Original Assignee: Blue Jungle
• Inventors: Lim, Keng
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• 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 2216/03 Data mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/032 Protect output to user by software means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 : Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 : Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 : Communications

Abstract

To prevent conflicts of interest, an information management system is used to make sure two or more groups are kept apart so that information does not circulate freely between these groups. The system has policies to implement an “ethical wall” to separate users or groups of users. The user or groups of user may be organized in any arbitrary way, and may be in the same organization or different organizations. The two groups (or two or more users) will not be able to access information belonging to the other, and users in one group may not be able to pass information to the other group. The system may manage access to documents, e-mail, files, and other forms of information.

Claims

1. A method of managing information comprising:

providing an organization comprising a first group and a second group, wherein the organization has an information management system comprising a policy server comprising one or more rules to manage information of the organization;

within the first group of the organization, providing a first user and a first application program managed by the information management system;

when the first user uses the first application program to connect to a second user, seeking approval from the policy server;

if approved, permitting the first user to use the first application program to connect to the second user; and

if not approved, blocking the first user from using the first application program to connect to the second user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first application comprises an instant messenger program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second user is outside the organization.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second user is inside the organization, but not in the first or second groups.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second user is in second group.

2. A method of managing information comprising:

providing an organization comprising a first group and a second group, wherein the organization has an information management system comprising a policy server comprising one or more rules to manage information of the organization;

within the first group of the organization, providing a first user and a first application program managed by the information management system;

storing a subset of the one or more rules of the policy server on a first device of the first user;

when the first user uses the first application program to connect to a second user, evaluating the subset of the one or more rules on the first device to determine whether to approve the connection from the first user to a second user;

if approved, permitting the first user to use the first application program to connect to the second user; and

if not approved, blocking the first user from using the first application program to connect to the second user.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the first application comprises an instant messenger program.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the second user is outside the organization.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the second user is inside the organization, but not in the first or second groups.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the second user is in second group.

11. A method of managing information comprising:

providing an organization comprising a first group and a second group, wherein the organization has an information management system comprising a policy server comprising one or more rules to manage information of the organization;

within the first group of the organization, providing a first user and a first application program managed by the information management system;

storing a subset of the one or more rules of the policy server on a first device of the first user;

when the first user uses the first application program to communicate with a second user, evaluating the subset of the one or more rules on the first device to determine whether to approve the communication from the first user to a second user;

if approved, permitting the first user to use the first application program to communicate with the second user; and

if not approved, blocking the first user from using the first application program to communicate with the second user.