SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE ACCESS OF A REMOTE SYSTEM

• US 20110277019A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bohicketsc LLC
• Original Assignee: John Russell Jr. Pritchard
• Inventors: Pritchard, John Russell JR.
• Granted Patent: US 9,313,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A system and method for providing a user with secure access to devices operatively connected to a network comprising at least one processing device that has access to a database. The database maintains information for each user of the system, such as the user'"'"'s login credentials and access level or permissions, along with information corresponding to each network device, such as, for example, the device'"'"'s login credentials, IP address, and port settings. The processing device authenticates each user and then provides each user with access to the network devices as defined by the data maintained in the database corresponding to the respective user and the network devices.

Claims

1. A system for automating a login/authentication of at least one network device comprising:

a server comprising a first web server and a first database configured to maintain device login/authentication credentials, wherein the server is configured as a host for a network monitoring program and provides a secure means of communication to at least one remote device;

a communication means for transmitting data between the server and the at least one network device; and

a network monitoring program on both the centrally located server and remote server, wherein the network monitoring program automates device login/authentication and masks data relating to the login/authentication.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote device is a server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote device comprises a second database.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote device comprises a second web server.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the data relating to the login/authentication comprises authentication credentials.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the data relating to the login/authentication comprises data representative of internet protocol information.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the data relating to the login/authentication comprises data representative of port information.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications means comprises an SSH tunnel.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first database is configured to store data representative of at least one user.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first database is configured to store data corresponding to the at least one network device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the data corresponding to the at least one network device comprises data corresponding to a location of the at least one network device.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the data corresponding to the at least one network device comprises data corresponding to a set of login/authentication credentials for the at least one network device.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the data corresponding to the at least one network device comprises data corresponding to a login methodology of the at least one network device.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web application that consists of a custom codebase and a database, that executes within a web browser and derives a web interface for the database and provides a masked login/authentication to remote and local devices on behalf of a user to the devices to which the user has been granted access, where the user is unable to view the actual login/authentication credentials, the access IP and port information.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising a database comprised of users, device locations, device login/authentication credentials, device login methodology, port settings, user login/authentication credentials, user action logs, user'"'"'s network access level permission that is secured from unauthorized access.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web server that provides a secure means of communication to a store (database) and is used as a means to manage database variables.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web application that consists of a custom codebase and a database, that executes within a web browser and derives a web interface for the database and provides a masked login/authentication to remote and local devices on behalf of a user to the devices to which the user has been granted access, where the user is unable to view the actual login/authentication credentials, the access IP, and port information.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web application that grants the user an appropriate and corresponding level of permissible access to the device(s), based on the user'"'"'s appropriate and corresponding level of permissible access assigned by the network monitoring software administration control.

19. A system for a single login provided by a user during a network monitoring login/authentication process that determines an appropriate and corresponding level of permissible access to any given device credentials located in a database, comprising:

a network monitoring software login/authentication credential that is validated against user accounts of a web application;

a server comprising the database of device login/authentication credentials, wherein the server acts as a host for a network monitoring program and the web application; and

a web server that provides a secure means of communication to the database;

wherein

the database comprises users, device locations, device login/authentication credentials, device login methodology, port settings, user login/authentication credentials, user action logs, user'"'"'s network access level permission that is secured from unauthorized access.

20. A method for providing a user with secure remote access to a network device, the method comprising the steps of:

when the user requests access to the network device from within a web application, forwarding the request to a database by the web application via a first secure means of communication;

logging and/or authenticating the user into the network device; and

redirecting a response from the network device via a second secure means of communication to the user granting the user device level access without the user gaining knowledge of at least one of the group comprising login/authentication, IP access or address, and a port setting(s) of the network device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein, when device access is granted by the web application, a third secure means of communication to the network device is made via a dynamically created path, an endpoint of which is automatically defined by masked data within the database so that the user does not gain knowledge of at least one of the group comprising the login/authentication, IP access or address, and port setting(s) of the network device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein a single login gives the user an ability to navigate a plurality of devices simultaneously in different geographic locations without a need to log into each device separately with individual login credentials, as the web application serves as the user'"'"'s proxy and has access to the login credentials stored in the database.