Image Forming Port Control for Zero Trust Error Notification

The patent segments the network port management into two distinct functional components: a blocking control unit that blocks unauthorized network ports to maintain security, and a notification unit that independently notifies users of errors. This segmentation allows the error notification function to operate separately from the port blocking mechanism, enabling users to receive error information even when specific network ports are blocked in ZT mode.

The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the notification unit that provides users with error information when job data is received through blocked network ports. The notification unit generates and displays error notifications that explain the cause of job execution failure, enabling users to understand that the error occurred due to ZT mode port restrictions. This feedback loop maintains security while improving ease of operation by eliminating silent failures.

The patent applies preliminary action by blocking network ports before job data transmission occurs. The blocking control unit pre-configures the system to reject job data from unauthorized network ports, preventing potentially malicious data from entering the apparatus in the first place. This proactive approach eliminates the need to take incoming job data into the apparatus for verification, thereby maintaining security policy verification capability while avoiding exposure to transmission risks.