Apparatus and method for assuring communications of corporate users

Abstract

A secure communication capability is disclosed. The secure communication capability is adapted to assure communications by or otherwise associated with a corporate user. The communications by or associated with the corporate user may be supported using a corporate user device(s) and/or a personal user device(s). The communications by or associated with the corporate user may be assured regardless of various elements or factors (e.g., regardless of one or more of a user device used for the communication, a communication channel used for the communication, a communication medium used for the communication, a communication mode used for the communication, and the like). In this manner, a secure blanket is imposed over all communication mechanisms used to support communication by or otherwise associated with the corporate user regarding corporate matters and/or personal matters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor configured to:
 receive, from a user device of a corporate user, communication request information associated with a communication request initiated via the user device, the communication request information specifying a context of the requested communication 
 select a communication context-based security profile for the requested communication based on the communication request information; and 
 propagate an indication of the selected communication context-based security profile toward at least one of the user device and a network device for use in applying at least one security mechanism to the requested communication. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communication request information comprises at least one of a type of communication of the requested communication, an identity of the corporate user, a role of the corporate user, relationship-based information associated with the corporate user, a device type of the user device used by the corporate user, a network type of a network to be used to support the requested communication, an identifier identifying the user device being used by the corporate user for the requested communication, a recipient type of an intended recipient of the requested communication, an identity of an intended recipient of the requested communication, a subject of the requested communication, and one or more details of the requested communication. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the relationship-based information associated with the corporate user comprises at least one of an indication of a relationship of the corporate user to at least one of a corporation employing the corporate user, an organization within the corporation, a group within the corporation, a project of the corporation, a supplier of the corporation, and a customer of the corporation. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communication context-based security profile specifies at least one security mechanism, the at least one security mechanism comprising at least one of an encryption/decryption mechanism, a secure tunneling mechanism, and a Virtual Private Networking (VPN) mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the requested communication comprises at least one of a voice call, an e-mail message, a text message, a video communication, and a web-related communication. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the user device is a corporate user device or a personal user device, wherein the requested communication is a corporate-related communication of the corporate user or a personal communication of the corporate user. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine, from the selected communication context-based security profile, a security grade to be applied for the requested communication; and   propagate the indication of the selected communication context-based security profile toward the user device via propagation of an indication of the security grade.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 update the communication context-based security profile based on application of the at least one security mechanism to the requested communication.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 detect initiation of a derived instance of the requested communication.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the derived instance of the requested communication comprises a service or a communication. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 initiate application of the at least one security mechanism to the derived instance of the requested communication.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the communication context-based security profile is a first communication context-based security profile, wherein the processor is configured to:
 select a second communication context-based security profile for the derived instance of the requested communication; and   propagate an indication of the selected second communication context-based security profile toward at least one of the user device and a network device for use in applying at least one security mechanism to the derived instance of the requested communication.   
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 using a processor for:
 receiving, from a user device of a corporate user, communication request information associated with a communication request initiated via the user device, the communication request information specifying a context of the requested communication 
 selecting a communication context-based security profile for the requested communication based on the communication request information; and 
 propagating an indication of the selected communication context-based security profile toward at least one of the user device and a network device for use in applying at least one security mechanism to the requested communication. 
   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor configured to:
 detect initiation of a communication request at a user device; 
 determine communication request information associated with the communication request; 
 propagate the communication request information toward a communication assurance agent; and 
 receive, from the communication assurance agent, an indication of a communication context-based security profile selected by the communication assurance agent for use by the user device in applying at least one security mechanism to the requested communication. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the communication request information comprises at least one of a type of communication of the requested communication, an identity of the corporate user, a role of the corporate user, relationship-based information associated with the corporate user, a device type of the user device used by the corporate user, a network type of a network to be used to support the requested communication, an identifier identifying the user device being used by the corporate user for the requested communication, a recipient type of an intended recipient of the requested communication, an identity of an intended recipient of the requested communication, a subject of the requested communication, and one or more details of the requested communication 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the communication context-based security profile specifies at least one security mechanism, the at least one security mechanism comprising at least one of an encryption/decryption mechanism, a secure tunneling mechanism, and a Virtual Private Networking (VPN) mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the requested communication comprises at least one of a voice call, an e-mail message, a text message, a video communication, and a web-related communication. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the user device is a corporate user device or a personal user device, wherein the requested communication is a corporate-related communication of the corporate user or a personal communication of the corporate user. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 initiate the requested communication using the at least one security mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 using a processor for:
 detecting initiation of a communication request at a user device; 
 determining communication request information associated with the communication request; 
 propagating the communication request information toward a communication assurance agent; and 
 receiving, from the communication assurance agent, an indication of a communication context-based security profile selected by the communication assurance agent for use by the user device in applying at least one security mechanism to the requested communication.