Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2004-07-13
Barrón, Gilberto (Department: 2132)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
C713S152000, C380S257000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06763465
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized access to programs and non-executable files stored on a personal computer, in particular, dialer programs, such that rogue programs installed on the personal computer by someone other than the owner/user are disabled when executed.
2. Description of Related Art
Today's personal computer (PC) systems typically include a modem and corresponding software, such as a dialer program, so that the PC may access other computers or a telephone via the telephone line. Typically, upon initializing the modem by selecting the dialer program or a related program, the user is notified when a call is being made by the PC. However, this notification may be disabled without the PC user's consent or knowledge. When the modem has made an active connection to another computer, information may be exchanged with the other computer. Unauthorized access to the PC may be gained through the modem and rogue programs may be installed on the PC without the user's knowledge or active participation. A rogue dialer program surreptitiously installed on the PC may not only disable any notification to the user that the PC is dialing out but may also surreptitiously dial out when the computer is turned on. This may result in extremely high telephone charges for the unsuspecting PC owner. Thus, it would be highly desirable to find a way to prevent unauthorized access to the PC and, in addition, disable rogue programs which may have been surreptitiously installed on the PC.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus of preventing unauthorized access to a PC.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for disabling programs installed on a PC without the owner/user's authorization and knowledge.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for ensuring the PC is not used to make surreptitious telephone calls.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for disabling a rogue dialer program from making surreptitious telephone calls via the PC.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects and advantages, which will be apparent to one of skill in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to, in a first aspect, a method of protecting a dialer program on a personal computer from unauthorized access comprising the steps of: (a) creating a protected storage area on the personal computer; (b) installing the dialer program on the personal computer in the protected storage area; and (c) preventing modifications to the dialer program when unauthorized access to the dialer program is detected.
Preferably, the method of protecting a dialer program on a personal computer from unauthorized access further includes the steps of: (i) detecting access to the dialer program; (ii) requesting a password when access to the dialer program is detected; and (iii) validating the password prior to allowing a modification to the dialer program. Preferably, the method may further include the step of creating a protected memory area on the personal computer wherein the dialer program is loaded into the protected memory area from the protected storage area when the dialer program is initialized. The method may further include the step of creating a program storage table comprising entries of programs stored in the protected storage area and during step (b) an entry may be created for the dialer program in the program storage table. Preferably, during step (b) a dialer program without an entry in the program storage table may be disabled when engaged. During step (c), preferably, a user of the personal computer is notified when unauthorized access to the dialer program is detected.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of controlling a dialer program on a personal computer comprising the steps of: (a) creating a protected storage area on the personal computer; (b) storing the dialer program in the protected storage area; (c) requesting an acknowledgement when a modification to the dialer program is initiated; and (d) preventing access to the dialer program when the acknowledgement is invalid. The method may further include the step of .
Preferably, the method further includes the steps of validating the acknowledgement; the step of creating a protected memory area on the personal computer wherein the dialer program is loaded into the protected memory area when the dialer program is initialized; and the step of creating a program storage table comprising entries of programs which are stored in the protected storage area. After step (b), the step of creating an entry in the program storage table for the dialer program may be further included.
The step of creating a program function table comprising entries for each program stored in the protected storage area may also be included in the present method. Each entry in the program function table may comprise a program function for each program stored in the protected storage area. Thus, preferably, after step (b), the step of creating an entry in the program function table for the dialer program is included.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of protecting a dialer program on a personal computer from unauthorized access, the personal computer having a protected storage area and a program storage table comprising the steps of: (a) installing and storing the dialer program in the protected storage area; (b) creating an entry for the dialer program in the program storage table; detecting any attempts to modify the dialer program; (c) determining whether the dialer program has an entry in the program storage table when an attempt to modify the dialer program is detected; (d) requesting an acknowledgement when an attempt to modify the dialer program having an entry in the program storage table is detected; (e) preventing modification of the dialer program when an invalid acknowledgement is received; and (f) allowing modification of the dialer program when a valid acknowledgment has been received.
Preferably, the method may further include the step of creating a program function table wherein only programs having an entry in the program function table may be loaded into a random access memory of the personal computer; the step of disabling any programs which do not have an entry in the program function table; the step of creating an entry for the dialer program in the program function table; and the step of determining whether the dialer program has an entry in the program function table such that upon initializing the dialer program, the dialer program is loaded onto a protected memory area of the personal computer.
Preferably, step (e) comprises requesting a password when an attempt to modify the dialer program having an entry in the program storage table is detected. Most preferably, step (e) further includes validating the acknowledgement when an acknowledgement is received.
In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of ensuring that a personal computer is not used to make surreptitious telephone calls comprising the steps of: (a) storing a dialer program in a protected storage area on the personal computer; (b) providing a program storage table; (c) creating an entry for the dialer program in the program storage table; (d) providing a program function table; (e) creating an entry comprising a dialing function for the dialer program in the program function table wherein the personal computer may only use the dialer program to dial; and (f) disabling other dialer programs installed on the personal computer outside of the protected storage area having no entries in the program storage table and the program function ta
Kelley Edward E.
Sammons George P.
Barrón Gilberto
Cioffi James J.
DeLio & Peterson LLC
Peterson Peter W.
Zand K
LandOfFree
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