Device reporting and protection systems and methods using a secure distributed transactional ledger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965628-B2
Application number	US-201514702321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2015
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide systems and methods that allow for a generic, decentralized system that is independent of a centralized resource and allows for the reporting and protecting of all types of smart devices including smart phones, laptop, tablets, or smart packages, and the like. In embodiments, the device comprises a security module or modules that interface with a decentralized network that maintains a secure distributed transactional ledger, or block chain, in order to send and/or receive data via the block chain. In embodiments, the device may not operate when its ability to access a communication channel provided via secure distributed transactional ledger has been impeded or otherwise hindered.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method to provide protection for an information handling system, the method comprising:
gathering data, using the information handling system, about the information handling system;
attempting to access a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of decentralized nodes that maintain a publicly available block chain, the block chain comprising a plurality of cryptographically linked data blocks;
responsive to being able to access the peer-to-peer network, submitting data related to a potential security risk about the information handling system to one or more nodes in the peer-to-peer network for inclusion in a block in the block chain;
responsive to not being able to access the peer-to-peer network, determining whether a threshold number of consecutive attempts to access the peer-to-peer network has been exceeded; and
responsive to the threshold number of consecutive attempts to access the peer-to-peer network having been exceeded, taking one or more actions related to securing the information handling system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the information handling system is a mobile device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the submitted data related to a potential security risk about the information handling system comprises:
at least some of the data gathered about the information handling system; and
a request for a node to analyze the data to identify whether a security risk exists for the information handling system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising:
receiving an updated block chain from one or more node of the peer-to-peer network;
analyzing at least part of the updated block chain to identify a message directed to the information handling system; and
responsive to identify a message in a block of the updated block chain that is directed to the information handling system, taking one or more actions related to the message.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein the message is a response from a node in the peer-to-peer network that has analyzed the submitted data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein the message identifies a security risk and the one or more actions comprises at least one of:
disabling access to, operation of, or both of one or more functions of the information handing system;
presenting one or more notifications to a user of the information handling system that access to, operation of, or both of one or more user functions of the information handing system have been disabled; and
sending an alert to at least one of an owner of the system and a security organization.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the step of submitting data related to a potential security risk about the information handling system to one or more nodes in the peer-to-peer network for inclusion in a block in the block chain comprises the steps of:
encrypting at least some of the data gathered about the information handling system; and
submitted the encrypted data as the submitted data related to a potential security risk about the information handling system, wherein the submitted encrypted data may be accessed by an authorized entity to track the information handling system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
wherein at least some of the gathered data is analyzed by the information handling system to identify whether a security risk or risks exist for the information handling system according to one or more rules; and
responsive identifying one or more security risks, generating a message alerting of the security risk, wherein the submitted data comprises the message alerting of the security risk.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to the threshold number of consecutive attempts to access the peer-to-peer network not having been exceeded:
waiting until a condition has been met; and
retrying to access the peer-to-peer network.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the step of taking one or more actions related to securing the information handling system comprises:
disabling access to, operation of, or both of one or more functions of the information handing system;
presenting one or more notifications to a user of the information handling system that access to, operation of, or both of one or more user functions of the information handing system have been disabled; and
sending an alert to at least one of an owner of the system and a security organization.

11. A computing device comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memory components communicatively coupled to the processor;
one or more network interfaces, communicatively coupled to the processor, that provides access to one or more networks;
one or more sensors for capturing sensor data related to the computing device; and
a security subsystem that provides one or more security-related services, the security subsystem comprising:
a peer interface, communicatively coupled to the network interface, that interfaces with one or more decentralized nodes of a peer-to-peer network, the peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of nodes that maintain a cryptographically secure and public block chain;
a rules database that comprises a set of rules related to security of the device, the set of rules comprising:
responsive to not being able to access the peer-to-peer network, determining whether a threshold number of consecutive attempts to access the peer-to-peer network has been exceeded; and
responsive to the threshold number of consecutive attempts to access the peer-to-peer network having been exceeded, taking one or more actions related to securing the computing device;

a system interface module that interfaces with the one or more system components to gather data related to security of the device and that, responsive to a perceived security risk, disables access to, operation of, or both of one or more functions of the device; and
a criteria monitor engine, communicatively coupled to the rules module, that analyzes at some of the gathered data based upon one or more rules in the rules database to detect a security issue.

12. The computing device of claim 11 further comprising:
an encryption module that encrypts at least some data submitted to one or more decentralized nodes of the peer-to-peer network, wherein the submitted data is intended for inclusion in a block in the block chain.

13. The computing device of claim 11 wherein:
the peer interface is further configured to receive at least a portion of the block chain from one or more nodes of the peer-to-peer network; and
the criteria monitor engine is further configured to cause a specified action or actions to be taken responsive to one or more instructions identified in a message directed to the computing device in a block of the block chain.

14. The computing device of claim 11 wherein the rule database comprising one or more rules comprising:
responsive to the threshold number of consecutive attempts to access the peer-to-peer network not having been exceeded:
waiting until a condition has been met; and
retrying to access the peer-to-peer network.

15. The computing device of claim 11 wherein the system interface module is configured to cause the step of taking one or more actions related to securing the computing device by causing one or more of the following steps comprises:
disabling access to, operation of, or both of one or more functions of the computing device;
prese

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp
• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Ford Daniel A
• Chen Yuling

Classifications

• H04L67/1046

  Joining mechanisms · CPC title

• G06F2221/2143

  Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen · CPC title

• G06F21/554 Primary

  involving event detection and direct action · CPC title

• G06F21/57

  Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities · CPC title

• G06F21/64

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title