Method and system for managing security tiers

Abstract

Techniques for reorganizing security levels without implicating accessibility to secured files classified in accordance to one of the security levels are disclosed. In a case of adding a new security level, the controllability or restrictiveness of the new security level is determined with respect to the most restrictive security level or the least security level in a set of existing security levels. A set of proper security parameters are then generated for the new security level and subsequently the existing security levels are reorganized to accommodate the new security level. In a case of removing a security level from the existing security levels, the security parameters for the security level to be deleted are either folded up or down to an immediate next security level, depending on implementation. As a result, the security parameters for the immediate next security level are updated to include those for the security level to be deleted such that the secured files classified at the security level to be deleted can still be accessed by those with proper clearance levels.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 076,254, filed Feb. 12, 2002, that claims the benefits of U.S. provisional application No. 60 / 339,634 filed Dec. 12, 2001. The application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 159,537 and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Securing Digital Assets”, which is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to the area of protecting data in an enterprise environment, and more particularly, relates to a method and system for managing security tiers or levels without implicating accessibilities to secured files classified according to a security level.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]The Internet is the fastest growing telecommunications medium in history. This growth and the easy access it affords have significantly enhanced the opportunity to use a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The present invention can be implemented as a method, a system, a process, software medium or other form, each yielding one or more of the following features, benefits and advantages. One of the features, benefits and advantages is the management mechanism of security levels in a security system, the mechanism provides flexibility in reorganizing security levels without implicating accessibility to secured files originally classified. Another one of the features, benefits and advantages is that secured files originally classified at a security level to be deleted can still be accessed by properly folding the security level to a next immediate security level.

Problems solved by technology

However, the advantages provided by the Internet come with a significantly greater element of risk to the confidentiality and integrity of information.

Without proper security means, an unauthorized person or machine may intercept any information traveling across the Internet and even get access to proprietary information stored in computers that interconnect to the Internet, but are otherwise generally inaccessible by the public.

However, it has been reported that many unauthorized accesses to proprietary information occur from the inside, as opposed to from the outside.

An example of someone gaining unauthorized access from the inside is when restricted or proprietary information is accessed by someone within an organization who is not supposed to do so.

Due to the open nature of the Internet, contractual information, customer data, executive communications, product specifications, and a host of other confidential and proprietary intellectual property, remains available and vulnerable to improper access and usage by unauthorized users within or outside a supposedly protected perimeter.

Unfortunately, these various security means have been proven insufficient to reliably protect proprietary information residing on private networks.

For example, depending on passwords to access sensitive documents from within often causes security breaches when the password of a few characters long is leaked or detected.

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