IP Library Granted Patent US 9,460,276
Granted Patent B2
US 9,460,276 · App. 14/008,785 · Granted Oct 4, 2016

Virtual machine system, confidential information protection method, and confidential information protection program

Inventors: Tadao Tanikawa (Osaka, JP); Masahiko Saito (Osaka, JP); Katsushige Amano (Kyoto, JP); Toshiaki Takeuchi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
G06F21/30G06F21/31G06F21/62G06F21/6245
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,460,276
App. No.
14/008,785
Granted
Oct 4, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A virtual machine system that restricts use of confidential information only to the case where an authentication has resulted in success. The virtual machine system includes first virtual machine, second virtual machine, and hypervisor. The first virtual machine includes: storage unit storing confidential information; and authentication unit configured to perform authentication and notify the hypervisor of result of the authentication. The second virtual machine uses virtual device that is virtualized storage device. When having received authentication result indicating authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as substance of the virtual device, storage area storing the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor disables the second virtual machine from accessing the storage area storing the confidential information.

Claims (32)

1. A virtual machine system comprising a computer that functions as a first virtual machine, a second virtual machine, and a hypervisor while a program is executed, the hypervisor controlling execution of the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine,

the first virtual machine being embodied as a first operating system, and including:

a storage unit storing confidential information; and

an authentication unit configured to perform an authentication and notify the hypervisor of a result of the authentication, wherein

the second virtual machine is embodied as a second operating system having a lower security function than the first operating system, and uses a virtual device that is a virtualized storage device, and

when having received an authentication result indicating an authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as an input and output of the virtual device, a storage area storing the confidential information and a storage area not storing the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor disables the second virtual machine from accessing, as the input and output of the virtual device, the storage area storing the confidential information, and enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, the storage area not storing the confidential information.

2. The virtual machine system of claim 1 , wherein

when having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor makes the virtual device correspond to the storage area storing the confidential information and then enables the second virtual machine to access the storage area storing the confidential information.

3. The virtual machine system of claim 1 , wherein

the authentication unit performs a user authentication as the authentication, and when the user authentication results in success, the authentication unit notifies the hypervisor of user identification information that identifies a user who has been authenticated successfully, in addition to the authentication result indicating the authentication success,

the storage unit stores, as the confidential information, first user information and second user information, the first user information corresponding to first user identification information, the second user information corresponding to second user identification information,

when having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success and the first user identification information from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, a storage area storing the first user information, and when having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success and the second user identification information from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, a storage area storing the second user information.

4. The virtual machine system of claim 1 , wherein

the confidential information is a file, and

when having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, the file that is the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor disables the second virtual machine from accessing the file that is the confidential information.

5. The virtual machine system of claim 1 , wherein

the confidential information is partial data that is part of data stored in a database, and

when having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, the partial data that is the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor disables the second virtual machine from accessing the partial data that is the confidential information.

6. The virtual machine system of claim 1 , wherein

the confidential information is data of one or more emails corresponding to one account, and

when having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, the data of the one or more emails that is the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor disables the second virtual machine from accessing the data of the one or more emails that is the confidential information.

7. A confidential information protection method for use in a virtual machine system including a computer that functions as a first virtual machine, a second virtual machine, and a hypervisor while a program is executed, the hypervisor controlling execution of the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine,

the method comprising:

a storage step in which a storage unit of the first virtual machine stores confidential information, the first virtual machine being embodied as a first operating system;

an authentication step in which an authentication unit of the first virtual machine performs an authentication and notify the hypervisor of a result of the authentication;

a usage step in which the second virtual machine, which is embodied as a second operating system having a lower security function than the first operating system, uses a virtual device that is a virtualized storage device; and

a control step in which, when having received an authentication result indicating an authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor enables the second virtual machine to access, as an input and output of the virtual device, a storage area storing the confidential information and a storage area not storing the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, the hypervisor disables the second virtual machine from accessing, as the input and output of the virtual device, the storage area storing the confidential information, and enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, the storage area not storing the confidential information.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a confidential information protection program for causing a computer to function as a virtual machine system including a virtual machine and a hypervisor that controls execution of the virtual machine and another virtual machine that uses a virtual device,

the confidential information protection program causing the computer to function as:

a storage unit storing confidential information;

the virtual machine including an authentication unit configured to perform an authentication and notify the hypervisor of a result of the authentication, the virtual machine being embodied as a first operating system and the another virtual machine being embodied as a second operating system having a lower security function than the first operating system; and

the hypervisor that, when having received an authentication result indicating an authentication success from the authentication unit, enables the another virtual machine to access, as an input and output of the virtual device, a storage area storing the confidential information and a storage area not storing the confidential information, and when not having received the authentication result indicating the authentication success from the authentication unit, disables the another virtual machine from accessing, as the input and output of the virtual device, the storage area storing the confidential information, and enables the second virtual machine to access, as the input and output of the virtual device, the storage area not storing the confidential information.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2018
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
To: SOVEREIGN PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047914/0784 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 033033/0163 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2014
From: TANIKAWA, TADAO; SAITO, MASAHIKO; AMANO, KATSUSHIGE; TAKEUCHI, TOSHIAKI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032297/0719 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-036010 · Feb 22, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140020086A1 · Jan 16, 2014