# US 12,223,067 B2 · Secure data collection from an air-gapped network

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- Number: US 12,223,067 B2
- Document ID: US12223067B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/600,245
- Filed: 2024-03-08
- Published: 2024-08-01
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-14
- Assignees: ServiceNow, Inc.
- Applicants: ServiceNow, Inc.
- Inventors: Cody Wolf; Sreenevas Subramaniam; Séverin Launiau; Luke Andrew Kasper; Evan Orgel; Ryan Craig Zulli
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223067B2

## CPC

- G06F 21/604: {Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems}
- G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files}
- G06F 21/105: {Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level}
- G06F 21/606: {by securing the transmission between two devices or processes}
- G06F 21/6218: {to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database}
- G06F 21/107: {License processing; Key processing}
- G06F 2221/2105: Dual mode as a secondary aspect
- G06F 2221/2141: Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Configuration item data from information technology resources of an air-gapped network are collected for an information technology configuration management database. The collected configuration item data is filtered using a specified item data property including by automatically identifying a collected information of interest about a discovered information technology asset among the collected configuration item data and irreversibly modifying the collected information of interest about the discovered information technology asset included in the collected configuration item data. Based on a type of content that has been modified in the collected information of interest, a new automatic rule indicating the type of content to be avoided during a future data collection is determined. At least a portion of the filtered collected configuration item data is stored on a portable physical storage medium within the air-gapped network.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
collecting configuration item data from information technology resources of an air-gapped network for an information technology configuration management database;
filtering the collected configuration item data using a specified item data property including by automatically identifying a collected information of interest about a discovered information technology asset among the collected configuration item data and irreversibly modifying the collected information of interest about the discovered information technology asset included in the collected configuration item data;
based on a type of content that has been modified in the collected information of interest, determining a new automatic rule indicating the type of content to be avoided during a future data collection; and
storing at least a portion of the filtered collected configuration item data on a portable physical storage medium within the air-gapped network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the portable physical storage medium is for physical transfer outside the air-gapped network into the information technology configuration management database.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information technology resources include computers in the air-gapped network and computer software installed on the computers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the portable physical storage medium includes one of the following: a Universal Serial Bus drive, a flash drive, a Digital Video Disc, a compact disc, or an external hard drive.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein information technology management services are received for the air-gapped network using at least a portion of the filtered collected configuration item data on the portable physical storage medium transferred outside the air-gapped network.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the information technology management services include software asset management services and the software asset management services include software license monitoring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein collecting configuration item data includes executing a received computer program component on hardware devices in the air-gapped network.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the received computer program component is configured to output the collected configuration item data to a software user interface that is configured to present the collected configuration item data for review.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the software user interface is configured to store settings associated with censorship of subsequently collected configuration item data based at least in part on review inputs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the collected configuration item data is reviewed by a human.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the air-gapped network includes security measures to prevent automated outflow of data via wired and wireless electronic communication channels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the filtered collected configuration item data on the portable physical storage medium is imported to a management, instrumentation, and discovery server of a non-air-gapped network.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the imported data is sent to the information technology configuration management database via the Internet.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein irreversibly modifying the collected information of interest includes altering of alphanumeric characters associated with the collected configuration item data.

### Claim 15

A system, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
collect configuration item data from information technology resources of an air-gapped network for an information technology configuration management database;
filter the collected configuration item data using a specified item data property including by being figured to automatically identify a collected information of interest about a discovered information technology asset among the collected configuration item data and irreversibly modify the collected information of interest about the discovered information technology asset included in the collected configuration item data;
based on a type of content that has been modified in the collected information of interest, determine a new automatic rule indicating the type of content to be avoided during a future data collection; and
store at least a portion of the filtered collected configuration item data on a portable physical storage medium within the air-gapped network; and
a memory coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and configured to provide at least one of the one or more processors with instructions.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the portable physical storage medium is for physical transfer outside the air-gapped network into the information technology configuration management database.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the information technology resources include computers in the air-gapped network and computer software installed on the computers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the portable physical storage medium includes one of the following: a Universal Serial Bus drive, a flash drive, a Digital Video Disc, a compact disc, or an external hard drive.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein information technology management services are received for the air-gapped network using at least a portion of the filtered collected configuration item data on the portable physical storage medium transferred outside the air-gapped network.

### Claim 20

A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
collecting configuration item data from information technology resources of an air-gapped network for an information technology configuration management database;
filtering the collected configuration item data using a specified item data property including by automatically identifying a collected information of interest about a discovered information technology asset among the collected configuration item data and irreversibly modifying the collected information of interest about the discovered information technology asset included in the collected configuration item data;
based on a type of content that has been modified in the collected information of interest, determining a new automatic rule indicating the type of content to be avoided during a future data collection; and
storing at least a portion of the filtered collected configuration item data on a portable physical storage medium within the air-gapped network.
