Systems and methods for securing data
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for securing data are disclosed. An administrative system may create a secure configuration. The secure configuration may disable functionality of a managed node that compromises sensitive data. However, the secure configuration may not prevent all user access to the managed node. The administrative system may deploy the secure configuration to at least one managed node. The administrative system may cause the secure configuration to be applied to the at least one managed node.
1. A method for securing data on a managed device, the method being performed by an administrative system that is connected to a managed device over a network, comprising:
detecting, by the administrative system, an event related to the managed device that triggers application of a secure configuration, wherein the event comprises determining that a user of the managed device is an employee whose employment has been or will be terminated;
in response to detecting the event, searching the data on the managed device and determining whether the data is sensitive without any prior knowledge of the data and dynamically creating, by the administrative system, the secure configuration based on the event;
wherein the secure configuration, when applied, disables functionality of the managed device that compromises sensitive data but does not prevent all user access to the managed device, wherein the secure configuration, when applied, restricts functionality of the managed device to read-only while allowing writes initiated by an operating system to a memory page file, wherein the functionality of the managed device that is disabled by the secure configuration comprises formatting a disk, encrypting the disk, copying files via system ports, and taking screenshots;
deploying, by the administrative system, the secure configuration to the managed device;
causing, by the administrative system, the secure configuration to be applied to the managed device;
in response to the secure configuration being applied to the managed device, receiving by the administrative system, a status message from the managed device indicating that the managed device is in a secure mode that allows the user of the managed device to at least view files on the managed device; and
wherein the administrative system waits to detect an event that indicates that the secure configuration is no longer necessary, causing the secure configuration to be released from the managed device and the managed device to send to the administrative system a normal status message.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functionality of the managed device that is disabled by the secure configuration further comprises at least one of modifying, deleting, renaming, transferring, and copying the sensitive data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure configuration changes settings of the managed device when the secure configuration is applied to the managed device, and wherein the settings comprise at least one of file settings, directory settings, function settings, port settings, device settings, and application settings.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure configuration changes user permissions of the managed device when the secure configuration is applied to the managed device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the secure configuration to be applied to the managed device comprises instructing the managed device to apply the secure configuration.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the secure configuration to be applied to the managed device is performed automatically in response to detecting the event.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the secure configuration to be applied to the managed device is performed manually in response to user input.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure configuration is deployed to the managed device before another event is detected that makes securing the data on the managed device desirable.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure configuration is deployed to the managed device after another event is detected that makes securing the data on the managed device desirable.
10. An administrative system that is configured for securing data on a managed device connected to the administrative system over a network, the administrative system comprising:
a processor;
memory in electronic communication with the processor;
instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to:
detect an event related to the managed device that triggers application of a secure configuration, wherein the event comprises determining that a user of the managed device is an employee whose employment has been or will be terminated;
in response to detecting the event, search the data on the managed device and determine whether the data is sensitive without any prior knowledge of the data, wherein the administrative system dynamically creates the secure configuration based on the event;
wherein the secure configuration, when applied, disables functionality of the managed device that compromises sensitive data but does not prevent all user access to the managed device, wherein the secure configuration, when applied, restricts functionality of the managed device to read-only while allowing writes initiated by an operating system to a memory page file, wherein the functionality of the managed device that is disabled by the secure configuration comprises formatting a disk, encrypting the disk, copying files via system ports, and taking screenshots;
deploy, by the administrative system, the secure configuration to the managed device;
cause the secure configuration to be applied to the managed device;
in response to the secure configuration being applied to the managed device, receive by the administrative system, a status message from the managed device indicating that the managed device is in a secure mode that allows the user of the managed device to at least view files on the managed device; and
wherein the administrative system waits to detect an event that indicates that the secure configuration is no longer necessary, causing the secure configuration to be released from the managed device and the managed device to send to the administrative system a normal status message.
11. The administrative system of claim 10 , wherein the functionality of the managed device that is disabled by the secure configuration further comprises at least one of modifying, deleting, renaming, transferring, and copying the sensitive data.
12. The administrative system of claim 10 , wherein the secure configuration changes settings of the managed device when the secure configuration is applied to the managed device, and wherein the settings comprise at least one of file settings, directory settings, function settings, port settings, device settings, and application settings.
13. The administrative system of claim 10 , wherein the secure configuration changes user permissions of the managed device when the secure configuration is applied to the managed device.
14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for securing data on a managed device connected to an administrative system over a network, the computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for:
detecting an event related to the managed device that triggers application of a secure configuration, wherein the event comprises determining that a user of the managed device is an employee whose employment has been or will be terminated;
in response to detecting the event, searching the data on the managed device and determining whether the data is sensitive without any prior knowledge of the data and dynamically creating, by the administrative system, the secure configuration based on the event;
wherein the secure configuration, when applied, disables functionality of the managed device that compromises sensitive data but does not prevent all user access to the managed device, wherein the secure configuration, when applied, restricts functionality of the managed device to read-only while allowing writes initiated by an operating system to a memory page file, wherein the functionality of the managed device that is disabled by the secure configuration comprises formatting a disk, encrypting the disk, copying files via system ports, and taking screenshots;
deploying, by the administrative system, the secure configuration to the managed device;
causing the secure configuration to be applied to the managed device;
in response to the secure configuration being applied to the managed device, receiving by the administrative system, a status message from the managed device indicating that the managed device is in a secure mode that allows the user of the managed device to at least view files on the managed device; and
wherein the administrative system waits to detect an event that indicates that the secure configuration is no longer necessary, causing the secure configuration to be released from the managed device and the managed device to send to the administrative system a normal status message.