Preset security levels

Abstract

A preset security level system and a method for utilizing the preset security level system. The system includes a plurality of security levels, each of which enables a different level of security. Each of the security levels has associated therewith security features, such that low security level features are associated with a low security level, etc. The system and method enable a system administrator to select a desired security level, which selection automatically results in the activation of the associated security features, rather than manually activate each desired security feature.

1 . A preset security level system for a document processing system comprising:
 a memory, the memory configured for storing security level data representative of a plurality of nested security levels selectively available to multiple classes of users of an associated document processing system having a plurality of device functions, including copying, scanning and printing, the document processing system including security features adapted to provide secure operation thereof, wherein the security levels are hierarchically oriented from a lower security level to a higher security level, wherein each higher security level incorporates all security features of each security level lower thereto, and wherein,
 a lower security level including at least one of the group consisting of a selective enablement of the device functions feature, a selective encryption of electronic data feature, a Telnet functionality feature, a port management feature, a device feature activation feature, and a video transmission feature; 
 an intermediate security level including at least one of the group consisting of a user authentication security feature, a role-based access control feature, a data encryption feature, a job log protection security feature, a cryptographic communication protocol usage feature, shared folder security feature, and a secure data erasure feature, and 
 a higher security level including at least one of the group consisting of a secure fax security feature, a secure print security feature, a session logging security feature, at least one ISO 15408 compatible security feature, and an antiviral procedure activation feature; 
   association means configured for associating each selectable security level with feature data representative of a plurality of security features, such that an activation of each security level causes activation of the plurality of security features associated therewith;   means configured for receiving, from an administrator, data representative of a selected security level for selective association with each of a plurality of users of the document processing system;   means, responsive to the received security level selection, configured for activating the selected security level;   means configured for receiving, from a user, operation instructions for operation of the document processing system;   means configured for limiting operation of the associated document processing system in accordance with a security level of each associated user;   means configured for receiving event data corresponding to completion of a preselected event, wherein the preselected event is at least one of completion of a document processing operation and passage of a selected time period; and   means configured for altering the selected security level in accordance with received event data.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected security level comprises a first security level, and wherein the first security level has associated therewith at least one of a Telnet deactivation security feature, a keyboard deactivation security feature and a video services deactivation feature. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a second security level, and wherein the second security level has associated therewith at least one of an SSL activation security feature, an authentication activation security feature, a role-based access control activation security feature, a shared folders minimizing security feature, a job log protection activation security feature, a secure erase enabling security feature, an overwrite data secure erase security feature, and a user data encryption security feature. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a third security level, and wherein the third security level has associated therewith at least one of a secure print security feature, a secure fax security feature, a secure scan security feature, a secure copy security feature and a PDF security feature. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a fourth security level, and wherein the fourth security level has associated therewith at least one of a logging and auditing security feature, an antivirus protection enabling security feature, and an intrusion detection system activation security feature. 
   
   
       6 . A method for using preset security levels in a document processing system comprising the steps of:
 storing, in a document processing system having a plurality of device features, including copying, scanning, and printing, and including security features adapted to provide secure operation thereof, security level data representative of a plurality of nested security levels selectively available to multiple classes of users of an associated document processing system in an associated memory, wherein the security levels are hierarchically oriented from a lower security level to a higher security level, wherein each higher security level incorporates all security features of each security level lower thereto, and wherein
 a lower security level including at least one of the group consisting of a selective enablement of the device functions feature, a selective encryption of electronic data feature, a Telnet functionality feature, a port management feature, a device feature activation feature, and a video transmission feature; 
 an intermediate security level including at least one of the group consisting of a user authentication security feature, a role-based access control feature, a data encryption feature, a job log protection security feature, a cryptographic communication protocol usage feature, shared folder security feature, and a secure data erasure feature, and 
 a higher security level including at least one of the group consisting of a secure fax security feature, a secure print security feature, a session logging security feature, at least one ISO 15408 compatible security feature, and an antiviral procedure activation feature; 
   associating each selectable security level with feature data representative of a plurality of security features, such that an activation of each security level causes activation of the plurality of security features associated therewith;   receiving, from an administrator, data representative of a selected security level for selective association with each of a plurality of users of the document processing system;   responsive to the received security level selection, activating the selected security level;   receiving, from a user, operation instructions for operation of the document processing system;   controlling operation of the associated document processing system in accordance with a security level of each associated user; and   receiving event data corresponding to completion of a preselected event, wherein the preselected event is at least one of completion of a document processing operation and passage of a selected time period; and   altering the selected security level in accordance with received event data.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the selected security level comprises a first security level, and wherein the first security level has associated therewith at least one of a Telnet deactivation security feature, a keyboard deactivation security feature and a video services deactivation feature. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a second security level, and wherein the second security level has associated therewith at least one of a SSL activation security feature, an authentication activation security feature, a role-based access control activation security feature, a shared folders minimizing security feature, a job log protection activation security feature, a secure erase enabling security feature, an overwrite data secure erase security feature, and a user data encryption security feature. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a third security level, and wherein the third security level has associated therewith at least one of a secure print security feature, a secure fax security feature, a secure scan security feature, a secure copy security feature and a PDF security feature. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a fourth security level, and wherein the fourth security level has associated therewith at least one of a logging and auditing security feature, an antivirus protection enabling security feature, and an intrusion detection system activation security feature. 
   
   
       11 . A preset security level system for a document processing system comprising:
 a memory, the memory configured for storing security level data representative of a plurality of nested security levels selectively available to multiple classes of users of an associated document processing system having a plurality of device functions, including copying, scanning and printing, the document processing system including security features adapted to provide secure operation thereof, wherein the security levels are hierarchically oriented from a lower security level to a higher security level, wherein each higher security level incorporates all security features of each security level lower thereto, and wherein,
 a lower security level including at least one of the group consisting of a secure printing feature, a network address filtering feature, a medium access control filtering feature, and a port management feature, 
 an intermediate security level including at least one of the group consisting of a secure erasure security feature, a user authentication access control feature, a document encryption feature, a network data encryption feature, network traffic encryption feature, and a job log file audit security feature, and 
 a higher security level including at least one of the group consisting of at least one ISO 15408 compatible security feature, a fax security feature, a secure PDF security feature, and a secure socket layer digital certificate security feature; 
   association means configured for associating each selectable security level with feature data representative of a plurality of security features, such that an activation of each security level causes activation of the plurality of security features associated therewith;   means configured for receiving, from an administrator, data representative of a selected security level for selective association with each of a plurality of users of the document processing system;   means, responsive to the received security level selection, configured for activating the selected security level;   means configured for receiving, from a user, operation instructions for operation of the document processing system;   means configured for limiting operation of the associated document processing system in accordance with a security level of each associated user;   means configured for receiving event data corresponding to completion of a preselected event, wherein the preselected event is at least one of completion of a document processing operation and passage of a selected time period; and   means configured for altering the selected security level in accordance with received event data.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the selected security level comprises a first security level, and wherein the first security level has associated therewith at least one of a Telnet deactivation security feature, a keyboard deactivation security feature and a video services deactivation feature. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a second security level, and wherein the second security level has associated therewith at least one of an SSL activation security feature, an authentication activation security feature, a role-based access control activation security feature, a shared folders minimizing security feature, a job log protection activation security feature, a secure erase enabling security feature, an overwrite data secure erase security feature, and a user data encryption security feature. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a third security level, and wherein the third security level has associated therewith at least one of a secure print security feature, a secure fax security feature, a secure scan security feature, a secure copy security feature and a PDF security feature. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a fourth security level, and wherein the fourth security level has associated therewith at least one of a logging and auditing security feature, an antivirus protection enabling security feature, and an intrusion detection system activation security feature. 
   
   
       16 . A method for using preset security levels in a document processing system comprising the steps of:
 storing, in a document processing system having a plurality of device features, including copying, scanning, and printing, and including security features adapted to provide secure operation thereof, security level data representative of a plurality of nested security levels selectively available to multiple classes of users of an associated document processing system in an associated memory, wherein the security levels are hierarchically oriented from a lower security level to a higher security level, wherein each higher security level incorporates all security features of each security level lower thereto, and wherein
 a lower security level including at least one of the group consisting of a secure printing feature, a network address filtering feature, a medium access control filtering feature, and a port management feature, 
 an intermediate security level including at least one of the group consisting of a secure erasure security feature, a user authentication access control feature, a document encryption feature, a network data encryption feature, network traffic encryption feature, and a job log file audit security feature, and 
 a higher security level including at least one of the group consisting of at least one ISO 15408 compatible security feature, a fax security feature, a secure PDF security feature, and a secure socket layer digital certificate security feature; 
   associating each selectable security level with feature data representative of a plurality of security features, such that an activation of each security level causes activation of the plurality of security features associated therewith;   receiving, from an administrator, data representative of a selected security level for selective association with each of a plurality of users of the document processing system;   responsive to the received security level selection, activating the selected security level;   receiving, from a user, operation instructions for operation of the document processing system;   controlling operation of the associated document processing system in accordance with a security level of each associated user; and   receiving event data corresponding to completion of a preselected event, wherein the preselected event is at least one of completion of a document processing operation and passage of a selected time period; and   altering the selected security level in accordance with received event data.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the selected security level comprises a first security level, and wherein the first security level has associated therewith at least one of a Telnet deactivation security feature, a keyboard deactivation security feature and a video services deactivation feature. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a second security level, and wherein the second security level has associated therewith at least one of a SSL activation security feature, an authentication activation security feature, a role-based access control activation security feature, a shared folders minimizing security feature, a job log protection activation security feature, a secure erase enabling security feature, an overwrite data secure erase security feature, and a user data encryption security feature. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a third security level, and wherein the third security level has associated therewith at least one of a secure print security feature, a secure fax security feature, a secure scan security feature, a secure copy security feature and a PDF security feature. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the selected security level further comprises a fourth security level, and wherein the fourth security level has associated therewith at least one of a logging and auditing security feature, an antivirus protection enabling security feature, and an intrusion detection system activation security feature.