DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to the application filed on September 19, 2023 where Claims 1 – 6, of which Claims 1 and 6 are in independent form, are presented for examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on September 19, 2023 and April 12, 2024 were filed before the mailing date of the current action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
101 Analysis
Claims 1 and 6 are directed to using access control rules to determine if an access request for a particular file requires additional authentication form the user, which may include biometric authentication. The claims do not recite an abstract idea, law of nature, or natural phenomenon. Therefore, the claims satisfy Step 2A, Prong One of the 2019 Revised 101 Patent Eligibility Guidelines as patent eligible subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by PGPub. 2018/0336336 (hereinafter “Elovici”).
1. Regarding Claims 1 and 6, Elovici discloses of an unauthorized access detection system [Figs. 1 and 2; Para. 0065-68] comprising:
a storage apparatus configured to store data indicating an access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected [Figs. 2 and 3; Para. 0032, 0038, 0065-66; policy state]; and
a control apparatus configured to execute access request detection processing to detect an access request [Figs. 1 and 2; Para. 0031-33, 0065-68; PED],
access suspension processing to
determine whether an access source indicated by the access request matches an access source stored in advance and also whether an access destination indicated by the access request matches the data stored in the storage apparatus [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0041, 0059-61; determine if policy allows execution context to make the requested I/O operation; permits of the execution object are retrieved] and
suspend access to the access destination requested by the access request if it is determined that the access source indicated by the access request matches data on the access source stored in advance and also that the access destination indicated by the access request matches the data stored in the storage apparatus [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61; policy requires a user challenge for the current execution context and requested I/O operation; permits of the execution object are retrieved],
authentication processing to receive an input of biometric information from a user [Fig. 4; Para. 0036, 0049, 0059-61], and
access control processing to perform authentication based on the biometric information inputted and control the suspended access according to a result of the authentication [Fig. 5B; Para. 0036, 0042-44, 0059-61].
2. Regarding Claim 2, Elovici discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Elovici further discloses that in the access control processing, the control apparatus permits the access to the access destination requested by the detected access request if the authentication is successful [Fig. 5B; Para. 0036, 0059-61] and prohibits the access to the access destination requested by the detected access request if the authentication is unsuccessful [Fig. 5B; Para. 0036, 0059-61].
3. Regarding Claim 3, Elovici discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Elovici further discloses that the storage apparatus stores information on a file or folder which is the access destination as the data indicating an access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected [Fig. 3; Para. 0039-41], and
in the access suspension processing, the control apparatus determines whether a process requesting the detected access request matches a process being the access source stored in advance [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61] and also whether the file or folder being the access destination indicated by the detected access request matches the file or folder related to the data stored in the storage apparatus [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61], and suspends the access to the file or folder requested by the detected access request if it is determined that the process requesting the detected access request matches the process being the access source stored in advance and also that the file or folder as the access destination indicated by the detected access request matches the file or folder related to the data stored in the storage apparatus [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61].
4. Regarding Claim 4, Elovici discloses the limitations of Claim 3. Elovici further discloses that as the data indicating an access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected, information indicating that the file or folder is the access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected is set and attached to the file or folder being the access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61], and
in the access suspension processing, the control apparatus determines whether a process requesting the detected access request matches the process being the access source stored in advance and also whether the file or folder as the access destination indicated by the detected access request matches the file or folder to which the information indicating that the file or folder is the access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected is set [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61], and suspends the access to the file or folder requested by the detected access request if it is determined that the process requesting the detected access request matches the process being the access source stored in advance and also that the file or folder as the access destination indicated by the detected access request matches the file or folder to which the information indicating that the file or folder is the access destination of an unauthorized access to be detected is set [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61].
5. Regarding Claim 5, Elovici discloses the limitations of Claim 2. Elovici further discloses that if the authentication is successful, in the access suspension processing, upon detection of a new access request to a same access destination as the access destination related to the detected access request, the control apparatus permits access requested by the new access request [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61; if execution object has permit that allows the new request, it is allowed], and
if the authentication is unsuccessful, in the access suspension processing, upon detection of a new access request to a same access destination as the access destination related to the detected access request, the control apparatus prohibits access requested by the new access request [Figs 3 and 4; Para. 0032-39, 0059-61; deny].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. PGPub. 2014/0033271.
Contacts
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tae K. Kim, whose telephone number is (571) 270-1979. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday (10:00 AM - 6:30 PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jorge Ortiz-Criado, can be reached on (571) 272-7624. The fax phone number for submitting all Official communications is (703) 872-9306. The fax phone number for submitting informal communications such as drafts, proposed amendments, etc., may be faxed directly to the examiner at (571) 270-2979.
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/TAE K KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2496