JP2009053807A - Information processor, authentication information management method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To comply with a defined confidentiality preservation condition (security policy), even when an exclusive password is set for a specific person such as a maintenance manager. <P>SOLUTION: A security policy setting section sets a security policy (confidentiality preservation condition) with which password information must comply, such as a minimum digit number, complexity, presence/absence of change from an initial value. A security policy determination section determines whether or not a password (CE password) set for the maintenance manager meets the set security policy. If determined that the CE password does not meet the security policy, authentication of an apparatus manager is requested, and if the apparatus manager is successfully authenticated, the CE can perform maintenance work. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an authentication information management method, and a program.

  An image forming apparatus called a so-called multi-function machine such as a printer having a facsimile function and a scanner function requires maintenance work by a maintenance worker having specialized knowledge called a customer engineer (hereinafter referred to as CE). Since such a CE is dispatched from an external organization different from the user who uses the image forming apparatus, it is possible to freely browse image data such as confidential documents stored in the image forming apparatus. This is not desirable for security.

  Therefore, an operation mode called a maintenance mode is provided so that specific processing such as browsing of image data stored in the image forming apparatus cannot be performed. When the CE performs maintenance work, the operation mode is set to the maintenance mode. Various maintenance operations are performed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  In this patent document 1, when the setting operation by the CE is not permitted, the device manager (KO) authentication is requested, and when the device administrator authentication is OK, the setting operation by the CE is permitted. An information processing apparatus configured as described above is disclosed.

  When such a maintenance mode is provided, when the password (CE password) given to the CE is input to the image forming apparatus and the authentication result of the CE authentication is OK, the operation mode shifts to the maintenance mode. Thus, document access and various setting changes can be performed with the authority of the CE.

  The CE password required for such CE authentication is usually a fixed password preset in the image forming apparatus or a variable password that can be freely changed. When a variable password is used, a default password is set when the image forming apparatus is shipped from the factory, and a CE performing maintenance work sets a new password at the time of installation.

  In recent years, leakage of various information from companies has become a problem. For this reason, the user who uses the image forming apparatus has rules for managing confidential documents, password information, taking out data, and the like so as to establish an office security policy and comply with the established security policy.

  In such a security policy, there are cases where conditions such as the minimum number of digits of a password for preventing leakage of document information and the like are defined.

  Since the password set by the user (device manager or general user) is managed by the device administrator who is familiar with the security policy, it is set so as to satisfy the defined security policy. However, since the CE password is set without the device administrator's knowledge, whether or not the security policy is satisfied is not always considered.

  This is because the CE basically does not perform unauthorized access by the maintenance contract between the user and the manufacturer and the employment contract between the manufacturer and the CE.

  For example, if the rule stipulates that the user uses a password of 8 digits or more as an office security policy, the password of the user (device administrator or general user) registered in the image forming apparatus is 8 digits or more. Even when the CE password is less than 8 digits, the security policy is not satisfied. Also, when the CE sets the CE password, the user's security policy was satisfied, but the user changed the security policy and the CE password no longer satisfies the user's security policy. The CE password does not satisfy the user's security policy.

  As described above, when the strength of the CE password set in the image forming apparatus is weaker than the strength of the user password, the CE password becomes an unauthorized access attack point from a malicious third party and is stored in the image forming apparatus. There is a possibility that the unauthorized access to the document being changed or the change of the security setting of the image forming apparatus is changed.

JP 2005-222464 A

  The conventional technology described above has a problem in that it is impossible to confirm whether or not the password set for the maintenance manager is in compliance with a predetermined security policy.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing terminal and authentication information management capable of complying with a defined confidentiality condition (security policy) even when a dedicated password is set for a specific person such as a maintenance manager. It is to provide a method and program.

[Information processing device]
In order to achieve the above object, the information processing apparatus of the present invention includes a setting means for setting a confidentiality condition that the password information should comply with;
First authentication means for authenticating the first operator;
Determination means for determining whether or not the password information of the first operator input in the first authentication means satisfies a confidentiality condition set by the setting means;
And a notification means for notifying that when the determination means determines that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition.

  According to the present invention, it is determined whether or not the password information set for the first operator satisfies a preset confidentiality condition, and if not satisfied, the fact is notified. Therefore, it is possible to grasp that the password information set for the first operator does not satisfy the predetermined confidentiality condition.

  Preferably, in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the determination unit determines that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition, the second authentication is performed to authenticate the second operator. It further has means.

  According to the present invention, when the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition, authentication for the second operator is performed, so that a predetermined security policy can be observed. It becomes.

  Preferably, the confidentiality condition set by the setting means is any one or a combination of two or more of the minimum number of digits of password information, complexity, and whether or not there is a change from the initial value.

  Preferably, the first operator is a maintenance worker who performs maintenance work on the information processing apparatus.

  Preferably, the second operator is a device manager who manages the information processing apparatus.

[Authentication Information Management Method]
Further, the authentication information management method of the present invention performs authentication of the first operator,
Determining whether the input password information of the first operator satisfies a confidentiality condition that the preset password information should comply with;
When it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition, the fact is notified.

  Preferably, the authentication information management method of the present invention authenticates the second operator when it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition.

[program]
The program of the present invention includes a step of authenticating the first operator,
Determining whether the input password information of the first operator satisfies a confidentiality condition that the preset password information should comply with;
If it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition, the computer is caused to execute a step of notifying the fact.

  Preferably, the program of the present invention further causes the computer to execute a step of authenticating the second operator when it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition.

  As described above, according to the present invention, even when a dedicated password is set for the first operator such as the maintenance manager, an effect that the defined security policy can be observed is obtained. be able to.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image forming system according to the present embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 10 and a terminal device 20 connected via a network 30. The terminal device 20 generates print data such as a print job and transmits it to the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 receives the print data transmitted from the terminal device 20 and outputs an image corresponding to the print data on the printing paper.

  Next, FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 transmits and receives data with a CPU 11, a memory 12, a storage device 13 such as a hard disk drive (HDD), and an external terminal device 20 via a network 30. It has an interface (IF) 14, a user interface (UI) device 15 including a touch panel or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, a scanner 16, and a printing device 17. These components are connected to each other via a control bus 18.

  The CPU 11 executes predetermined processing based on a control program stored in the memory 12 or the storage device 13 and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 10.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 realized by executing the control program.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a security policy setting unit 31, a security policy determination unit 32, an authentication processing unit 33, an authentication information storage unit 34, and a notification unit 35. Have.

  The security policy setting unit 31 sets a security policy (confidentiality holding condition) that the password information should comply with.

  Here, examples of the security policy set by the security policy setting unit 31 include the minimum number of digits of the password information, the complexity of the password information, whether or not the password information is changed from the default value (initial value), and the like. be able to. Here, when the complexity of the password information is set as the security policy, for example, a simple password consisting of the same characters such as “999999” and “000000” is prohibited.

  The security policy setting unit 31 sets any one or a combination of two or more of the above conditions as a security policy.

  The security policy determination unit 32 determines whether or not the password (CE password) set for the maintenance worker input in the authentication processing unit 33 satisfies the security policy set by the security policy setting unit 31.

  The authentication processing unit 33 authenticates the device manager when the security password determination unit 32 determines that the CE password does not satisfy the security policy and the first authentication unit that performs authentication of the maintenance worker (CE). A second authenticating means for performing;

  The authentication information storage unit 34 stores authentication information such as a CE password, a device administrator ID, and a password.

  When the security policy determination unit 31 determines that the CE password does not satisfy the security policy, the notification unit 35 notifies the UI device 15 that the CE password does not satisfy the security policy. For the notification, for example, a warning is displayed on the management screen of the device manager, or the warning is notified to the device manager by e-mail.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation during the CE authentication process of the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment. FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are examples of screen displays when the CE password input by the CE satisfies the security policy. FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, and FIG. (C) is an example of a screen display when the CE password input by the CE does not satisfy the security policy. By notifying not only the device administrator but also the CE itself that the CE password does not satisfy the security policy, the CE itself can be prompted to change the password.

  When the CE attempts to perform maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 10 and inputs the CE password to the authentication processing unit 33 from the screen display as shown in FIG. 5A, the security policy determination unit 32 performs the authentication information storage unit. It is determined whether the CE password registered in 34 satisfies the security policy set by the security policy setting unit 32 (step S101).

When the security policy determination unit 32 determines that the registered CE password satisfies the security policy (Yes in step S102), the notification unit 35 performs a notification as illustrated in FIG. . Then, the authentication processing unit 33 authenticates the CE with reference to the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 34 (step S108).
The notification may be displayed not on the password input but on the CE authentication screen in FIG.

  If the authentication result is OK in step S108, document access / setting or the like for the CE is permitted (step S107), and the CE can perform maintenance work. If the authentication result is NG in step S108, document access / setting, etc. to the CE is prohibited (step S109).

If it is determined in step S102 that the registered CE password does not satisfy the security policy (No in step S102), the notification unit 35 displays the warning as shown in FIG. It is notified that the password does not satisfy the security policy (step S103).
The warning display may be displayed not on the password input but on the CE authentication screen of FIG.

  Then, the authentication processing unit 33 authenticates the CE with reference to the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage unit 34 (step S104). If the authentication result is NG in step S104, document access / setting for the CE is prohibited (step S109).

  If the authentication result is OK in step S104, the authentication processing unit 33 requests authentication of the device manager by performing a display as shown in FIG. 6C (step S105). If authentication of the device manager is OK in step S105, document access / setting, etc. to the CE is permitted (step S107), and the CE can perform maintenance work. If the authentication result of the device manager is NG in step S106, document access / setting, etc. to the CE is prohibited (step S109).

  In FIG. 6, the screen for device administrator authentication is displayed when the CE password does not satisfy the preset security policy. However, as shown in FIG. 7, CE authentication and device administrator are displayed. It is also possible to perform authentication on the same screen.

  According to the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not the CE password set for the CE satisfies a preset security policy. If the CE password is not satisfied, the fact is notified. Since it is notified by the unit 35, it is possible to grasp that the CE password does not satisfy the predetermined security policy. If the CE password does not satisfy the security policy, the device administrator is authenticated. The CE can perform maintenance work only when the authentication of the device manager is OK.

  In other words, if the CE password does not satisfy the security policy, the maintenance operation of the image forming apparatus 10 is not permitted as compared to the CE unless the device administrator is authenticated. The security policy is complied with the authentication of the device manager. As a result, according to the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to comply with a predetermined security policy even when the CE password does not satisfy the security policy.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the image forming apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the maintenance mode is set by setting a password for the maintenance worker. The present invention can be similarly applied to other information processing apparatuses provided.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, it is determined whether or not the CE password set for the maintenance worker satisfies the security policy, but the present invention is not limited to such a case. For example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where it is determined whether or not a password set for a general user satisfies a security policy.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation during authentication processing of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a screen display when the CE password input by CE satisfy | fills a security policy. It is a figure which shows an example of a screen display when the CE password input by CE does not satisfy | fill security policy. It is a figure which shows the example of a display in case CE authentication and apparatus administrator authentication are performed on the same screen.

Explanation of symbols

10 Image forming apparatus 11 CPU
12 Memory 13 Storage Device 14 Communication Interface (IF)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 User interface (UI) apparatus 16 Scanner 17 Printing apparatus 18 Control bus 20 Terminal apparatus 30 Network 31 Security policy setting part 32 Security policy determination part 33 Authentication processing part 34 Authentication information storage part 35 Notification part S101-S109 Step

Claims (9)

Setting means for setting confidentiality conditions that password information should comply with;
First authentication means for authenticating the first operator;
Determination means for determining whether or not the password information of the first operator input in the first authentication means satisfies a confidentiality condition set by the setting means;
A notification means for notifying that when the determination means determines that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition;
An information processing apparatus.   The information according to claim 1, further comprising: a second authenticating unit configured to authenticate the second operator when the determining unit determines that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition. Processing equipment.   3. The confidentiality condition set by the setting means is any one or a combination of two or more of the minimum number of digits of password information, complexity, and whether or not there is a change from an initial value. The information processing apparatus described.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first operator is a maintenance worker who performs maintenance work on the information processing apparatus.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second operator is a device manager who manages the information processing apparatus. Authenticate the first operator,
Determining whether the input password information of the first operator satisfies a confidentiality condition that the preset password information should comply with;
An authentication information management method for notifying that when it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition.   The authentication information management method according to claim 6, wherein authentication of the second operator is performed when it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition. Authenticating the first operator;
Determining whether the input password information of the first operator satisfies a confidentiality condition that the preset password information should comply with;
A program for causing a computer to execute a step of notifying that when it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition.   The program according to claim 8, further causing the computer to execute a step of authenticating the second operator when it is determined that the password information of the first operator does not satisfy the confidentiality condition.

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