Hardware access and monitoring control

#Data security is an important issue for many companies that develop and maintain proprietary and confidential data in electronic form. Users of computers that have access to such data can typically connect any hardware they desire to their computers and use it. As a result, users may connect devices to their computers and copy data or provide others access the data. For example, a user may connect a wireless networking card to a computer and connect to an outside network to provide unauthorized access to systems and data. Though such actions may be caught by surveillance, there currently are no mechanisms to prevent such actions.

#One embodiment in the form of a method includes obtaining device property data from each device coupled to a system and determining if each device is a device authorized for use with the system. Such embodiments further include allowing only devices authorized for use with the system to be accessed by processes of the system.

#Another embodiment includes maintaining a list of devices coupled to a computer and determining if each device in the list is communicatively coupled to the computer. Upon determining a device in the list is not physically coupled to the computer, such embodiments send a notice that the device is not communicatively coupled to the computer.

#FIG. 1 is a logical schematic diagram of a system according to an example embodiment.

#FIG. 2 is a logical block diagram of a networked system according to an example embodiment.

#FIG. 3 is a block flow diagram of a method according to an example embodiment.

#Various embodiments described and illustrated here include one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures that may be used to implement policies for hardware access and monitoring control. Some embodiments may be implemented to limit devices which may be used with computing devices within an organization. These and other embodiments may also be used to monitor what hardware is connected to computers within an organization and to determine if and when hardware policies have been violated. Some embodiments may be operably interconnected with premises security systems to help prevent removal of hardware devices from a premises secured by such a system. These and other embodiments are described herein with reference to the drawings.

#In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventive subject matter may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive subject matter. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to, individually and/or collectively, herein by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed.

#The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by the appended claims.