IP Library Granted Patent US 9,537,882
Granted Patent B2
US 9,537,882 · App. 14/577,405 · Granted Jan 3, 2017

Methods, systems, and devices for detecting and isolating device posing security threat

Inventors: Christopher Perry Patteson (Germantown, TN); Edward Michael Maier (Collierville, TN); Michael Jesse Mings (Cordova, TN)
Assignee: FEDEX CORPORATED SERVICES, INC.
H04L63/1433G06F21/56H04L63/1441
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,537,882
App. No.
14/577,405
Granted
Jan 3, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a security threat. The methods and systems comprise detecting that a first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, responsive to the detection that the first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, temporarily disabling data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces, acquiring a file from the detected first device via the first I/O interface, determining whether the acquired file poses a security threat, and responsive to a determination that the acquired file does not pose a security threat, enabling the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

Claims (66)

1. An apparatus for detecting a security threat, the apparatus comprising:

a first input/output (I/O) interface and a second I/O interface;

a memory device that stores a set of instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the set of instructions to:

detect that a first device is coupled with the first I/O interface;

responsive to the detection that the first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, temporarily disable data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces;

acquire a file from the detected first device via the first I/O interface;

monitor for a request to communicate data to the second I/O interface;

if the request to communicate data to the second I/O interface is detected, determine that the first device poses a security threat;

responsive to a determination that the acquired file does not pose a security threat, enable the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to:

detect that a second device is coupled with the second I/O interface;

determine whether the detected second device sends data to the apparatus via the second I/O interface before the data communication is enabled between the first and second I/O interfaces; and

responsive to a determination that the detected second device sends data to the apparatus via the second I/O interface before the data communication is enabled between the first and second I/O interfaces, determine that the second device poses a security threat.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to:

store first configuration data for determining whether the acquired file poses a security threat, the first configuration data being associated with a first timestamp;

based on the first timestamp, determine whether the first configuration data is up-to-date; and

responsive to a determination that the first configuration data is not up-to-date, acquire second configuration data associated with a second timestamp, the second configuration data being acquired to replace the first configuration data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first and second configuration data includes attributes of one or more computer viruses and malwares.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to:

acquire information about a directory structure of one or more files stored in the first device;

determine whether all the files stored in the first device have been acquired, based on the acquired information about the directory structure; and

responsive to a determination that all the files stored in the first device have been acquired, and that none of the acquired files poses a security threat, enable the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first connector and a second connector, the first connector and the second connector being coupled with the first I/O interface and with the second I/O interface respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more output devices to indicate that the apparatus enables the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces, and/or to indicate that a device coupled with the first or the second I/O interfaces poses a security threat.

8. A computer-implemented method of detecting a security threat, comprising:

detecting that a first device is coupled with a first input/output (I/O) interface;

responsive to detecting that the first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, temporarily disabling data communication between the first I/O interface and a second I/O interface;

acquiring a file from the detected first device via the first I/O interface;

monitoring for a request to communicate data to the second I/O interface;

if the request to communicate data to the second I/O interface is detected, determine that the first device poses a security threat;

responsive to determining that the acquired file does not pose a security threat, enabling the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

detecting that a second device is coupled with the second I/O interface;

determining whether the detected second device sends data to the second I/O interface before the data communication is enabled between the first and second I/O interfaces; and

responsive to determining that the detected second device sends data to the second I/O interface before data communication is enabled between the first and second I/O interfaces, determining that the second device poses a security threat.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

storing first configuration data for determining that the acquired file poses a security threat, the first configuration data being associated with a first timestamp;

based on the first timestamp, determining whether the first configuration data is up-to-date; and

responsive to determining that the first configuration data is not up-to-date, acquiring second configuration data associated with a second timestamp, the second configuration data being acquired to replace the first configuration data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second configuration data includes attributes of one or more computer viruses and malwares.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring information about a directory structure of one or more files stored in the first device;

determining whether all the files stored in the first device have been acquired, based on the acquired information about the directory structure; and

responsive to determining that all the files stored in the first device have been acquired, and that none of the acquired files poses a security threat, enabling data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions that are executable by at least one processor of an electronic device to cause the electronic device to perform a method of detecting a security threat, the method comprising:

detecting that a first device is coupled with a first input/output (I/O) interface;

responsive to detecting that the first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, temporarily disabling data communication between the first I/O interface and a second I/O interface;

acquiring a file from the detected first device via the first I/O interface;

monitoring for a request to communicate data to the second I/O interface;

if the request to communicate data to the second I/O interface is detected, determine that the first device poses a security threat;

and

responsive to determining that the acquired file does not pose a security threat, enabling the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting that a second device is coupled with the second I/O interface;

determining whether the detected second device sends data to the second I/O interface before the data communication is enabled between the first and second I/O interfaces; and

responsive to determining that the detected second device sends data to the second I/O interface before the data communication is enabled between the first and second I/O interfaces, determining that the second device poses a security threat.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

storing first configuration data for determining that the acquired file poses a security threat, the first configuration data being associated with a first timestamp;

based on the first timestamp, determining whether the first configuration data is up-to-date; and

responsive to determining that the first configuration data is not up-to-date, acquiring second configuration data associated with a second timestamp, the second configuration data being acquired to replace the first configuration data.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first and second configuration data includes attributes of one or more computer viruses and malwares.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

acquiring information about a directory structure of one or more files stored in the first device;

determining whether all the files stored in the first device have been acquired, based on the acquired information about the directory structure; and

responsive to determining that all the files stored in the first device have been acquired, and that none of the acquired files poses a security threat, enabling the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jul 24, 2024
From: FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
To: FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068065/0101 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2015
From: PATTESON, CHRISTOPHER PERRY; MAIER, EDWARD MICHAEL; MINGS, MICHAEL JESSE
To: FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 035314/0123 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160182554A1 · Jun 23, 2016