IP Library Granted Patent US 12712882
Granted Patent B2
US 12712882 · App. 18/100,517 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Dynamic inheritance of security policies across different virtual security zones

Inventors: Paul Llamas Virgen (Guadalajara, MX); Priyansh Jaiswal (Boca Raton, FL); Peeyush Jaiswal (Boca Raton, FL)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H04L63/105H04L63/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12712882
App. No.
18/100,517
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes determining whether a first user, the first user being associated with a first virtual security zone that includes a first group of security policies, has a need for a first security policy included in a second virtual security zone associated with a second user. In response to a determination that the first user has a need for the first security policy included in the second virtual security zone, a determination is made as to whether the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone. The method further includes causing the first security policy to be inherited by the first virtual security zone from the second virtual security zone in response to a determination that the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy.

Claims (38)

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining whether a first user, the first user being associated with a first virtual security zone that includes a first group of security policies, has a need for a first security policy included in a second virtual security zone associated with a second user;

in response to a determination that the first user has a need for the first security policy included in the second virtual security zone, determining whether the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone,

wherein the determination of whether the first user has the need for the first security policy is based on information obtained by a predetermined inspector daemon that is configured to monitor actions of the first user and determine, based on information associated with the first user, whether the first user has the need for the security policy,

wherein the information includes a performance record of the first user which is not known to the first user,

wherein the performance record details disciplinary writeups of the first user; and

in response to a determination that the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy, causing the first security policy to be inherited by the first virtual security zone from the second virtual security zone.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second virtual security zone includes the first security policy for a duration that the first security policy is inherited by the first virtual security zone, wherein the information further includes work promotions of the first user that include an increase in work responsibilities.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second virtual security zone does not include the first security policy for a duration that the first security policy is inherited by the first virtual security zone.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the security policies are selected from the group consisting of: electronic access to at least some logical partitions of a predetermined server, access to predetermined processing resources, access to a predetermined collection of secured data, access to a predetermined network security key.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising: outputting a query to a user device of a third user associated with a third virtual security zone, wherein the query is output to determine whether the first user is endorsed for inheriting the first security policy, wherein the determination of whether the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone is based on user experience of the first user and endorsements of the first user.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of: a history of actions initiated by the first user with respect to satisfying predetermined security protocols of a network associated with the security policies, the first security policies, and a scheduled workload associated with the first user, wherein the scheduled workload associated with the first user includes the first user having scheduled work tasks that require use of a resource authorization that the first virtual security zone does not currently include.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising: in response to a determination that the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy, outputting a proposal of the first virtual security zone inheriting the first security policy to a predetermined inspector daemon that is configured to authorize and/or deny proposed inheritances of security policies; and receiving an answer from the predetermined inspector daemon that indicates whether the first virtual security zone is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone, wherein the first security policy is caused to be inherited by the first virtual security zone from the second virtual security zone in response to a determination that the answer indicates that the first virtual security zone is authorized to inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising: causing the first security policy to be withdrawn from the first virtual security zone in response to a predetermined amount of time passing.

9 . A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

determine, by the computer, whether a first user, the first user being associated with a first virtual security zone that includes a first group of security policies, has a need for a first security policy included in a second virtual security zone associated with a second user;

in response to a determination that the first user has a need for the first security policy included in the second virtual security zone, determine, by the computer, whether the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone,

wherein the determination of whether the first user has the need for the first security policy is based on information obtained by a predetermined inspector daemon that is configured to monitor actions of the first user and determine, based on information associated with the first user, whether the first user has the need for the security policy,

wherein the information includes a performance record of the first user which is not known to the first user,

wherein the performance record details disciplinary writeups of the first user; and

in response to a determination that the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy, cause, by the computer, the first security policy to be inherited by the first virtual security zone from the second virtual security zone.

10 . The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the second virtual security zone includes the first security policy for a duration that the first security policy is inherited by the first virtual security zone, wherein the information further includes work promotions of the first user that include an increase in work responsibilities.

11 . The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the second virtual security zone does not include the first security policy for a duration that the first security policy is inherited by the first virtual security zone.

12 . The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the security policies are selected from the group consisting of: electronic access to at least some logical partitions of a predetermined server, access to predetermined processing resources, access to a predetermined collection of secured data, access to a predetermined network security key.

13 . The computer program product of claim 9 , comprising: outputting a query to a user device of a third user associated with a third virtual security zone, wherein the query is output to determine whether the first user is endorsed for inheriting the first security policy, wherein the determination of whether the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone is based on user experience of the first user and endorsements of the first user.

14 . The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of: a history of actions initiated by the first user with respect to satisfying predetermined security protocols of a network associated with the security policies, the first security policies, and a scheduled workload associated with the first user, wherein the scheduled workload associated with the first user includes the first user having scheduled work tasks that require use of a resource authorization that the first virtual security zone does not currently include.

15 . The computer program product of claim 9 , the program instructions readable and/or executable by the computer to cause the computer to: in response to a determination that the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy, output, by the computer, a proposal of the first virtual security zone inheriting the first security policy to a predetermined inspector daemon that is configured to authorize and/or deny proposed inheritances of security policies; and receive, by the computer, an answer from the predetermined inspector daemon that indicates whether the first virtual security zone is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone, wherein the first security policy is caused to be inherited by the first virtual security zone from the second virtual security zone in response to a determination that the answer indicates that the first virtual security zone is authorized to inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone.

16 . The computer program product of claim 9 , the program instructions readable and/or executable by the computer to cause the computer to: cause, by the computer, the first security policy to be withdrawn from the first virtual security zone in response to a predetermined amount of time passing.

17 . A system, comprising:

a processor; and

logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic being configured to:

determine whether a first user, the first user being associated with a first virtual security zone that includes a first group of security policies, has a need for a first security policy included in a second virtual security zone associated with a second user;

in response to a determination that the first user has a need for the first security policy included in the second virtual security zone, determine whether the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy from the second virtual security zone,

wherein the determination of whether the first user has the need for the first security policy is based on information obtained by a predetermined inspector daemon that is configured to monitor actions of the first user and determine, based on information associated with the first user, whether the first user has the need for the security policy,

wherein the information includes a performance record of the first user which is not known to the first user,

wherein the performance record details disciplinary writeups of the first user; and

in response to a determination that the first user is authorized to at least temporarily inherit the first security policy, cause the first security policy to be inherited by the first virtual security zone from the second virtual security zone.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the second virtual security zone includes the first security policy for a duration that the first security policy is inherited by the first virtual security zone, wherein the information further includes work promotions of the first user that include an increase in work responsibilities.