Secure access supersession on shared workstations
View Patent ↗Transitions between users at shared workstations that permit access to private health information or other secure data may be handled, without incurring unnecessary delays due to shut-down of all applications used by the departing user, by selectively hiding applications with sensitive information on a shared desktop while allowing temporary system access for the interrupting user.
1. A workstation configured for transitioning access to a shared desktop, the workstation comprising:
a user-authentication device for electronically detecting and obtaining data from an authentication token;
a network interface;
at least one user interface device; and
a computer processor in electronic communication with the user-authentication device and the at least one user interface device and which:
(i) runs at least one application launched at a request of a first user and visible on the at least one user interface device;
(ii) determines that at least one application launched by the first user is sensitive based on data accessed thereby;
(iii) recognizes a signal from the user-authentication device indicative of a use request by a second user, the use request including an identifier associated with the second user;
(iv) transmits, via the network interface, the identifier associated with the second user to a server;
(v) receives, via the network interface, an authorization from the server for the second user to access the shared desktop on the workstation;
(vi) launches a screen saver before allowing the second user to log on;
(vii) hides on the at least one user interface device, without shutting down and while the screen saver is active, the at least one sensitive application launched by the first user;
(viii) allows the second user to log on to the workstation via the at least one user interface device and the network interface to thereby access the shared desktop;
(ix) launches at least one application requested by the second user;
(x) allows the second user to log off the workstation via the at least one user interface device and the network interface, and following log-off of the second user,
(xi) unhides the at least one sensitive application launched at the request of the first user.
2. The workstation of claim 1 , wherein the computer processor selectively hides only applications that have access to secure data and which the second user is not authorized to view.
3. The workstation of claim 1 , wherein the computer processor requires a secondary form of authentication from the second user prior to allowing the second user to log on to the workstation.
4. The workstation of claim 1 , wherein the computer processor automatically launches, following log-on of the second user, at least one application.
5. The workstation of claim 4 , wherein the at least one automatically launched application is specified by a database record of the second user accessed by the server.
6. The workstation of claim 4 , wherein the at least one automatically launched application is determined at least in part based on activity logs of the second user.
7. The workstation of claim 1 , wherein the computer processor prevents the second user from unhiding the at least one application launched at the request of the first user.