The present application claims priority upon Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-259190 filed on Sep. 4, 2002, which is herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for updating security information, and to a client, a server and a management computer for use in the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
As shown in
Examples of the content of the file system stored in the storage include file attributes (see
The security software shown in
A virus pattern file and a signature file are included in the policy file. The virus pattern file is used in virus countermeasure software called anti-virus software. The signature file is used in network attack countermeasure software called a host intrusion detection system. The anti-virus software inspects files, periodically or while a file is open, for the presence of computer virus infections on the basis of a pattern indicative of the characteristics of a computer virus, and appropriately takes necessary action. The host intrusion detection system identifies a network packet called a signature, detects attacks through the network, monitors e.g., a log file that the implemented application program outputs, and detects attacks.
The policy (security policy) referred to herein is security information generically naming limitations relating to use of a computer. In other words, the policy includes not only information for prohibiting the implementation of specific applications and preventing changes to settings, but also various kinds of software.
Next, the updating of the policy file in the network environment will be described. As shown in
In the above conventional technology, the policy file is stored in a storage equipped with the client. Thus, the policy file naturally cannot be updated while the operation of the client is stopped. For this reason, access control, virus countermeasures, etc., cannot be conducted in the latest state during the period of time until the policy file is updated.
As shown in the flow chart of
Moreover, in relation to updating of the policy, updating of the policy must be implemented with regard to each of a plurality of clients, and the entire management burden of each client becomes enormous.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for updating security information even when operation of the client is stopped.
In order to accomplish the above and other objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for updating information on security, in which the client is connected with a server through a network, with the server including a storage device that is managed by the client, the storage device storing security information of the client, the method comprising updating the security information of the client stored in the storage device that the client manages in the server.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a client connected to a server through a network, the server including a storage device, comprising means for managing the storage in the server, the storage device storing security information, the security information being updated without operation of the client, and means for referencing the security information of the client.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a server connected to a client through a network comprising means for communicating with the client through the network, and a storage device that is managed by the client, the storage device storing security information to be updated.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a management computer connected through a network to a server, the server including a storage device that is managed by a client, the storage device storing security information of the client, comprising means for communicating with the server through the network, and means for updating the security information.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
At least the following matters will be made clear by the explanation in the present specification and the description of the accompanying drawings.
A client is constituted by a so-called diskless computer that does not include a local hard disk device. In the present embodiment, this client will be called a “diskless client.”
As shown in
Similar to convention, the diskless client 100 is equipped with a CPU 110, a memory 120, and a network interface 130. An OS 121, security software 122, an application program 123, and a network storage driver 124 are read out from the server 200 and deployed in the memory 120. The diskless client 100 gives to the server 200 the function of a storage device as disk images 230.
That is, the diskless client 100 does not include a local disk device, but is mounted with a hard disk device (storage, storage device) of the server 200. The network storage driver 124 of the diskless client 100 controls the disk of the mounted server 200 via the network.
The server 200 includes a network interface 210 and a CPU 220, and also includes a plurality of hard disk devices that each diskless client 100 manages. The server 200 may also operate on, for example, a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) format. The disk images 230 that the diskless client 100 uses are stored in the hard disk device. There is a disk image 230 present for each diskless client 100. The disk images 230 are file groups that are the same as the ones stored in the storage (hard disk device) of the conventional client shown in
That is, the disk images 230 that the diskless client 100 uses are an OS configuration file group 231 relating to the configuration of the OS, a policy file group 232, and a group 233 of other files. Security information that is the same as that of the aforementioned conventional technology is included in these file groups 231 to 233.
That is, the policy file 232 is constituted by the aforementioned access control information, the virus pattern file, the signature file, and the like. The group 233 of other files includes the application program 123, data files that software and/or programs use, and the network storage driver 124. Additionally, various file management information shown in
The management computer 300 includes a CPU 310, a memory 330, a network interface 320, and a storage 340 that is constituted by a hard disk device. An OS 331, management software 332, and an application program 333 are deployed in the memory 330. Various file groups 341 to 343, such as an OS, management software, an application program, and data files, are stored in the storage 340. The management software 332 uses the management software file group 342 to update the content of the various file groups 341 to 343 in the disk images 230 of the server 200, i.e., the security information, to update them to the latest versions.
After updating of the policy has been concluded, the diskless client 100 starts up (S220). Specifically, when the diskless client 100 is turned on, an IPL (Initial Program Loader) is started up. A basic OS is called up from the disk images 230 of the server 200 through the network by the action of the IPL, and the basic OS is deployed in the memory 120 of the diskless client 100. The diskless client 100 begins operation as a computer by the deployed basic OS beginning operation (S230).
Services resulting from the network connection and various pieces of software are started by the control of the started OS (S240), whereby it becomes possible for the diskless client 100 to transmit and receive data through the network. When the diskless client 100 that has begun operation receives input of authentication information such as the ID (user name) and password of the user, it checks these with authentication information registered within the files groups 231 and 232 within the disk images 230 of the server 200. When the validity of the authentication information including the group ID (group name) has been authenticated as a result of the checking, use of the client by the user is made possible.
Additional access control for raising security by the security software 122 will be described in a case where the application program is operated by the diskless client 100. The security software 122 is software added to the OS in order to strengthen the access control function. The security software 122 conducts precise access control for further raising security on the basis of the access control information described in the policy file. Detailed attributes, such as users, applications, and periods of time of day, are specified in the policy file as conditions permitting access to files that the application program and the like use.
That is, as shown in the flow chart of
Although an embodiment of the invention has been specifically described on the basis of that embodiment, the invention is not limited thereto and can be variously altered in a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof.
The following effects are provided with the embodiment of the invention.
The disk that the diskless client manages and uses is mounted on the server on the network. Additionally, the disk images of the client including the policy (security information) and files are stored in the disk mounted in the server. The management computer updates the policy in the disk images.
Thus, regardless of whether or not operation of the client is stopped, the policy (security information) can be updated as needed. Therefore, updating of the policy is already concluded at the point in time when the stopped client is started up. Thus, the client is operated according to the continually updated policy.
Even in a case where a plurality of clients mount disks on a single server, updating can be accomplished simply by updating the policy of the server. For example, the policy of the server is updated through the management computer. That is, there is no need to implement updating of the policy with regard to each client as has conventionally been the case, and the management burden of each client can be greatly reduced.
Even when operation of the client is stopped, the security information can be updated.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the appended claims.
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