Computer system protection
US7398400B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 24, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 17, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/562
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Computer system protection to protect against harmful data from an external computer network (60) (e.g. the Internet) involves supplying incoming data (62) to a software checker (64) as the data enters a computer system (not shown). The checker (64) routes any suspect data (66) to an encryptor (68) which encrypts it to render it unusable and harmless. Encrypted data passes to a computer (72) in an internal network (74) and having a desktop quarantine area or sandbox (76) for suspect data. The computer (72) runs main desktop applications (78) receiving encrypted data (70) for storage and transfer, but not for use in any meaningful way because it is encrypted. Equally well applications (78) cannot be interfered with by encrypted data (70) because encryption makes this impossible. On entry into the sandbox (76), the encrypted data (70) is decrypted to usable form it then becomes accessible by software (204) suitable for use in the sandbox (76) subject to sandbox constraints.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.