Electronic devices having adaptive security profiles and methods for selecting the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10574667-B2
Application number	US-201816181113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2018
Priority date	May 4, 2011
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

Adaptive security profiles are supported on an electronic device. One or more security profiles may be automatically or selectively applied to the device based on the device's location and one or more geographic zone definitions. The security profiles may be used to determine the level of authentication or number of invalid authentication attempts for a particular feature or application or set of features or applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by an electronic device with one or more processors and memory:
detecting a request to initiate a respective security profile on the electronic device;
in response to detecting the request to initiate the respective security profile on the electronic device, enforcing the respective security profile on the electronic device;
while the respective security profile is enforced on the electronic device, detecting a request to access a first function or feature of the electronic device; and
in response to detecting the request to access the first function or feature of the electronic device:
in accordance with a determination that the respective security profile is a first security profile, controlling access to the first function or feature using a first set of restrictions that defines access control for a plurality of functions or features of the electronic device, including the first function or feature; and
in accordance with a determination that the respective security profile is a second security profile, controlling access to the first function or feature using a second set of restrictions, different than the first set of restrictions, that defines access control for the plurality of functions or features of the electronic device, including the first function or feature;
wherein the first set of restrictions requires authentication to access the first function or feature, and the second set of restrictions does not require authentication to access the first function or feature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first function or feature of the electronic device is a function of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first function or feature of the electronic device is an application of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first function or feature of the electronic device is a file stored on the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of restrictions allows a first number of authentication attempts when accessing the first function or feature, and the second set of restrictions allows a second number of authentication attempts, different than the first number of authentication attempts, when accessing the first function or feature.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first security profile is enforced on the electronic device, wherein access to functions or features of the electronic device is controlled using the first set of restrictions, detecting a request to initiate the second security profile on the electronic device; and
in response to detecting the request to initiate the second security profile on the electronic device, enforcing the second security profile on the electronic device, wherein access to functions or features of the electronic device is controlled using the second set of restrictions.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first security profile and the second security profile are user-defined.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first security profile is enforced on the electronic device, wherein access to functions or features of the electronic device is controlled using the first set of restrictions:
detecting a request to access a respective function or feature of the electronic device;
in response to detecting the request to access the respective function or feature of the electronic device:
in accordance with a determination that the respective function or feature is a second function or feature, allowing access to the second function or feature without requiring authentication; and
in accordance with a determination that the respective function or feature is the first function or feature, requiring authentication before allowing access to the first function or feature.

9. An electronic device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to:
detect a request to initiate a respective security profile on the electronic device;
in response to detecting the request to initiate the respective security profile on the electronic device, enforce the respective security profile on the electronic device;
while the respective security profile is enforced on the electronic device, detect a request to access a first function or feature of the electronic device; and
in response to detecting the request to access the first function or feature of the electronic device:
in accordance with a determination that the respective security profile is a first security profile, control access to the first function or feature using a first set of restrictions that defines access control for a plurality of functions or features of the electronic device, including the first function or feature; and
in accordance with a determination that the respective security profile is a second security profile, control access to the first function or feature using a second set of restrictions, different than the first set of restrictions, that defines access control for the plurality of functions or features of the electronic device, including the first function or feature,
wherein the first set of restrictions requires authentication to access the first function or feature, and the second set of restrictions does not require authentication to access the first function or feature.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first function or feature of the electronic device is a function of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first function or feature of the electronic device is an application of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first function or feature of the electronic device is a file stored on the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first set of restrictions allows a first number of authentication attempts when accessing the first function or feature, and the second set of restrictions allows a second number of authentication attempts, different than the first number of authentication attempts, when accessing the first function or feature.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 , the instructions further causing the electronic device to:
while the first security profile is enforced on the electronic device, wherein access to functions or features of the electronic device is controlled using the first set of restrictions, detect a request to initiate the second security profile on the electronic device; and
in response to detecting the request to initiate the second security profile on the electronic device, enforce the second security profile on the electronic device, wherein access to functions or features of the electronic device is controlled using the second set of restrictions.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first security profile and the second security profile are user-defined.

16. The electronic device of claim 9 , the instructions further causing the electronic device to:
while the first security profile is enforced on the electronic device, wherein access to functions or features of the electronic device is controlled using the first set of restrictions:
detect a request to access a respective function or feature of the electronic device;
in response to detecting the request to access the respective function or feature of the electronic device:
in accordance with a determination that the respective function or feature is a second function or feature, allow a

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Ingrassia Jr Michael I
• Lee Jeffery T

Classifications

• H04L63/108

  when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time · CPC title

• H04L63/205

  involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved (negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24) · CPC title

• H04L63/107 Primary

  wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals · CPC title

• G06F2221/2113

  Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control · CPC title

• H04W4/21

  for social networking applications · CPC title