FILE-BASED APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACE PROVIDING SSH-SECURED COMMUNICATION

1 . A data communication security system comprising:

a network interface configured for transport layer protocol communications at a communication port, the network interface including a security module configured to provide secure shell (SSH) data security on a transport layer data path, the security module communicatively connected to the transport layer data path;

a file-based application programming interface defining a plurality of attributes of the network interface and including at least one attribute configured for selection of the security module and accessible for use in logical I/O operations.

2 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , wherein at least one attribute specifies that the connection be secure or unsecure.

3 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , further comprising a second security module configured to provide secure socket layer (SSL) security on the transport layer data path.

4 . The data communication security system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one attribute configured for selection of the security module allows selection from among the security module and the second security module.

5 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , wherein the security module is configured to receive inbound connection requests.

6 . The data communication security system of claim 5 , wherein one or more inbound connection requests received at a predetermined port of the network interface are routed to the security module.

7 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , wherein outbound connection requests bypass the security module.

8 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , wherein the security module is communicatively connected to a support module via a port file interface.

9 . The data communication security system of claim 8 , wherein the support module is configured to route requests received at the communication interface between an application program and the transport layer data path.

10 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , wherein the security module is configured to respond to an inbound connection request received at the communication port.

11 . The data communication security system of claim 10 , wherein the security module is communicatively connected to an encryption engine, the encryption engine configured to encrypt data according to a secure shell (SSH) encryption protocol.

12 . The data communication security system of claim 11 , wherein the encryption engine is configured to encrypt data according to one or more of a plurality of encryption algorithms.

13 . The data communication security system of claim 1 , further comprising an encryption engine configured to execute one or more encryption algorithms according to a secure shell (SSH) protocol, the encryption engine located within a security library and communicatively connected to the security module.

14 . A method of securing data at a communication port of a computing system, the method comprising:

issuing an open command to a communication port, the open command included in a file-based application programming interface defining a plurality of attributes including at least one attribute associated with data encryption;

setting at least one attribute of the communication port associated with data encryption at the communication port, wherein setting the at least one attribute o the communication port selects a security module configured to provide secure shell (SSH) security of data written to the communication port; and

issuing a write command to the communication port, the write command included in the file-based application programming interface, wherein data associated with the write command is secured by a security engine interfaced to the security module and according to the at least one attribute.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one attribute specifies that the connection be secure or unsecure.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one attribute selects from among a plurality of available security modules, each of the plurality of security modules providing different types of encryption of data written to the communication port via the file-based application programming interface.

17 . A computing system comprising:

a communication interface including a data communication security system, the communication interface comprising:

a network interface configured for transport layer protocol communications at a communication port, the network interface including a security module configured to provide secure shell (SSH) data security on a transport layer data path, the security module communicatively connected to the transport layer data path;

a file-based application programming interface defining a plurality of attributes of the network interface and including at least one attribute configured for selection of the security module and accessible for use in logical I/O operations;

a support module communicatively connected to the security module via a port file interface defined by the application programing interface; and

a security engine configured to execute one or more encryption algorithms according to a secure shell (SSH) protocol, the security engine located within a security library and communicatively connected to the security module.

18 . The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the security engine is configured to encrypt data according to one or more of a plurality of encryption algorithms.

19 . The computing system of claim 17 , wherein one or more inbound connection requests received at a predetermined port of the network interface are routed to the security module.

20 . The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the support module is configured to route requests received at the communication interface between an application program and the transport layer data path.