US 7,680,822 B1 · Method and system for automatically creating and updating access controls lists

Abstract

A method and system are provided for inserting access control rules into an access control list. The access control list may be configured to contain independent rule blocks having ordered access rules. In one example, the method includes creating a new independent rule block and inserting a new access rule into the block if the list is empty. If the list is not empty, a set of mapped independent rule blocks may be created from the list. For each block in the set, the method may attempt to determine a position for the new access rule. Those blocks for which a position cannot be determined may be removed from the set, and the blocks in the set may be merged to form a new independent rule block with the new access rule.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A computer implemented method for inserting a new access rule into an access control list for enforcing policies and permissions for controlling access to various network resources, the list configured to contain independent rule blocks having ordered access rules, the method comprising:

if the list is empty, creating a new independent rule block and inserting the new access rule therein;
if the list is not empty, creating from the list a set of mapped independent rule blocks;
for each block in the set, attempting to determine a position for the new access rule;
removing from the set those blocks for which a position cannot be determined;
and
merging the blocks in the set to form a new independent rule block and inserting the new access rule therein;
and applying the access rules in the list to enforce policies and permissions to control access to various network resources.

4 more elements

A system comprising:

a computer system including a processor;
a rule base, stored on a computer-readable medium, containing an access control list configured to hold independent rule blocks having ordered access rules, the rules for enforcing policies and permissions for controlling access to various network resources;
a rule enforcing engine, executed by the processor, for enforcing the rules in the access control list to control access to various network resources;
and
a rule insertion engine, executed by the processor, configured to execute instructions for inserting a new access rule into the access control list, the instructions comprising:
if the access control list is empty, creating a new independent rule block and inserting the new access rule therein;
and
if the access control list is not empty, creating from the access control list a set of mapped independent rule blocks;
if the set is empty, creating a new independent rule block and inserting the new access rule therein;
and
merging the blocks in a subset of the set comprising those blocks for which a position for the new access rule can be determined, and inserting the new access rule therein.

8 more elements

A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for inserting a new access rule into an access control list containing independent rule blocks having ordered access rules for enforcing policies and permissions for controlling access to various network resources, the instructions comprising:

creating a new independent rule block and inserting the rule therein if the list is empty;
creating from the list a set of mapped independent rule blocks if the list is not empty;
determining a position for the new access rule for each block in the set and removing from the set those blocks for which a position cannot be determined;
and
merging the blocks in the set to form a new independent rule block and inserting the rule therein;
and
applying the rules to enforce policies and permissions regarding access to various network resources.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for automatically creating and updating access controls lists

Life of this patent

Method and system for automatically creating and updating access controls lists

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25