IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,348,681
Granted Patent B2
US 10,348,681 · App. 11/626,458 · Granted Jul 9, 2019

Centralized secure offload of security services for distributed security enforcement points

Inventors: Curtis M. Gearhart (Raleigh, NC); Christopher Meyer (Cary, NC); Linwood H. Overby, Jr. (Raleigh, NC); David J. Wierbowski (Owego, NY)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
H04L63/0209H04L63/04H04L63/0485H04L63/0823H04L63/1408H04L2209/76
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,348,681
App. No.
11/626,458
Granted
Jul 9, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems and computer program products for the centralized, secure offloading of security services for distributed security enforcement points. In an embodiment, a network data processing system can be configured for centralized secure offload of security services for distributed security enforcement points and can include a set of security enforcement points controlling communication flows between devices in different less trusted zones of protection. The system also can include a security server communicatively coupled to the security enforcement points and hosting security services logic disposed in a more trusted zone of protection. Each of the security enforcement points can include an interface to the security services logic and program code enabled to offload security related services processing through the interface to the security services logic disposed in the more trusted zone of protection.

Claims (66)

1. A security server, comprising

an interface connected to:

a first security enforcement point disposed between a public zone of protection and a demilitarized zone of protection that is more trusted than the public zone of protection,

a second security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between a content server, within the demilitarized zone of protection, and an application server in an application zone of protection,

a third security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between the application server and a data server in an enterprise zone of protection,

a fourth security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between the data server and an Intranet client disposed in an Intranet zone of protection; and

a hardware processor configured to execute the following executable operations:

obtaining, from access requests received via the interface from each of the security enforcement points, respective access parameters, and

performing respective security services using the respective access parameters to generate respective security results, and

forwarding, via the interface, the respective security results to the security enforcement points, wherein

the security server is disposed within the enterprise zone of protection,

each of the security enforcement points are configured to regulate communication flows between devices respectively disposed within zones of protection separated by a particular security enforcement point,

the security services are performed on the communication flows between the devices, and

the respective security results are forwarded to the security enforcement points to be used in performing the security services on the communications flows between the devices.

2. The security server of claim 1 , wherein

each of the security enforcement points includes security logic configured to generate an access request relating to a passage of data through a respective security enforcement point and between different zones of protection.

3. The security server of claim 2 , wherein

the access request relates to regulation of the data through the respective security enforcement point.

4. The security server of claim 2 , wherein

the access request relates to monitoring the data through the respective security enforcement point.

5. The security server of claim 1 , wherein

the security services include key public/private key services.

6. A computer-implemented method within a security server, comprising:

receiving, via an interface within the security server, information from:

a first security enforcement point disposed between a public zone of protection and a demilitarized zone of protection that is more trusted than the public zone of protection,

a second security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between a content server, within the demilitarized zone of protection, and an application server in an application zone of protection,

a third security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between the application server and a data server in an enterprise zone of protection,

a fourth security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between the data server and an Intranet client disposed in an Intranet zone of protection; and

obtaining, from access requests received via the interface from each of the security enforcement points, respective access parameters, and

performing respective security services using the respective access parameters to generate respective security results, and

forwarding, via the interface, the respective security results to the security enforcement points, wherein

the security server is disposed within the enterprise zone of protection,

each of the security enforcement points are configured to regulate communication flows between devices respectively disposed within zones of protection separated by a particular security enforcement point,

the security services are performed on the communication flows between the devices, and

the respective security results are forwarded to the security enforcement points to be used in performing the security services on the communications flows between the devices.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein

each of the security enforcement points includes security logic configured to generate an access request relating to a passage of data through a respective security enforcement point and between different zones of protection.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein

the access request relates to regulation of the data through the respective security enforcement point.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein

the access request relates to monitoring the data through the respective security enforcement point.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the security services include key public/private key services.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a hardware storage device having stored therein computer-readable program code,

the computer-readable program code, which when executed by a security server, causes the security server to perform:

receiving, via an interface within the security server, information from:

a first security enforcement point disposed between a public zone of protection and a demilitarized zone of protection that is more trusted than the public zone of protection,

a second security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between a content server, within the demilitarized zone of protection, and an application server in an application zone of protection,

a third security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between the application server and a data server in an enterprise zone of protection,

a fourth security enforcement point disposed in a communication path between the data server and an Intranet client disposed in an Intranet zone of protection; and

obtaining, from access requests received via the interface from each of the security enforcement points, respective access parameters, and

performing respective security services using the respective access parameters to generate respective security results, and

forwarding, via the interface, the respective security results to the security enforcement points, wherein

the security server is disposed within the enterprise zone of protection,

each of the security enforcement points are configured to regulate communication flows between devices respectively disposed within zones of protection separated by a particular security enforcement point,

the security services are performed on the communication flows between the devices, and

the respective security results are forwarded to the security enforcement points to be used in performing the security services on the communications flows between the devices.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein

each of the security enforcement points includes security logic configured to generate an access request relating to a passage of data through a respective security enforcement point and between different zones of protection.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the access request relates to regulation of the data through the respective security enforcement point.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the access request relates to monitoring the data through the respective security enforcement point.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein

the security services include key public/private key services.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INVENTOR LINWOOD H. OVERBY NAME MISSING SUFFIX PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 018796 FRAME 0152. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 13, 2019
From: GEARHART, CURTIS M.; MEYER, CHRISTOPHER; OVERBY, LINWOOD H., JR.; WIERBOWSKI, DAVID J.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050994/0551 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2007
From: GEARHART, CURTIS M.; MEYER, CHRISTOPHER; OVERBY, LINWOOD H.; WIERBOWSKI, DAVID J.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018796/0152 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080178254A1 · Jul 24, 2008
Cited By (1)
US 12,712,882