Patent · US Expired

Multi-level security network system

US7069437B2 · kind B2 · utility

68Cited by
45References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 22, 2001
Grant dateJun 27, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 28, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L63/0428
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A network prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to confidential information. The network has various workstations and servers connected by a common medium and through a router to the Internet. The network has two major components, a Network Security Center (NSC) and security network interface cards or devices. The NSC is an administrative workstation through which the network security officer manages the network as a whole as well as the individual security devices. The security devices are interposed between each of workstation, including the NSC, and the common medium and operate at a network layer (layer 3) of the protocol hierarchy. The network allows trusted users to access outside information, including the Internet, while stopping outside attackers at their point of entry. At the same time, the network limits an unauthorized insider to information defined in their particular security profile. The user may select which virtual network to access at any given time. The result is trusted access to multiple secure Virtual Private Networks (VPN), all from a single desktop machine.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.