Security management device and method

Abstract

In a case where a master virtual machine, which is constructed on the basis of master information for configuring either part or all of a virtual machine, and an individual virtual machine, which is constructed on the basis of individual information that is configured partially or entirely in accordance with the master information, exist as the types of virtual machines that a physical client provides to a user terminal, a security check of a plurality of virtual machines is selectively executed, with respect to each check item, for a virtual machine of the type corresponding to the contents of the check item.

1 . A security management device for managing the security of a virtual machine on a physical machine, the security management device comprising:
 a storage device storing resource information about the virtual machine; and   a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to:
 (A) determine whether the virtual machine is running or suspended; 
 (B) if the virtual machine is suspended, determine whether it is possible to start up the virtual machine or not, by comparing the resource information and a free resource capacity of the physical machine; and 
 (C) if it is possible to start up, start-up the virtual machine on the physical server and execute a security check on the virtual machine start-upped. 
   
     
     
         2 . A security management device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein as the execution of the security check on the virtual machine in (C), the CPU is configured to select an item to be checked based on the free resource capacity of the physical machine.   
     
     
         3 . A security management device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the item to be checked is selected further based on a priority of the item.   
     
     
         4 . A security management device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the CPU is configured to:
 (D) if the virtual machine is running, execute the security check about a high priority item. 
   
     
     
         5 . A security management device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the item to be checked is selected further based on a period of the item.   
     
     
         6 . A security management method for managing the security of a virtual machine on a physical machine, the method comprising a step of:
 (A) determining whether the virtual machine is running or suspended;   (B) if the virtual machine is suspended, determining whether it is possible to start up the virtual machine or not, by comparing resource information about the virtual machine and a free resource capacity of the physical machine; and   (C) if it is possible to start up, starting up the virtual machine on the physical server and executing a security check on the virtual machine start-upped.   
     
     
         7 . A security management method according to  claim 6 ,
 the execution of the security check on the virtual machine in (C) includes a step of selecting an item to be checked based on the free resource capacity of the physical machine.   
     
     
         8 . A security management device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the item to be checked is selected further based on a priority of the item.   
     
     
         9 . A security management device according to  claim 8 ,
 the method further comprising a step of:
 (D) if the virtual machine is running, executing the security check about a high priority item. 
   
     
     
         10 . A security management device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the item to be checked is selected further based on a period of the item.   
     
     
         11 . A computer system comprising:
 a physical machine running a virtual machine; and   a security management device for managing the security of the virtual machine, configured to:
 (A) determine whether the virtual machine is running or suspended; 
 (B) if the virtual machine is suspended, determine whether it is possible to start up the virtual machine or not, by comparing resource information about the virtual machine and a free resource capacity of the physical machine; and 
 (C) if it is possible to start up, start-up the virtual machine on the physical server and execute a security check on the virtual machine start-upped. 
   
     
     
         12 . A computer system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein as the execution of the security check on the virtual machine in (C), the CPU is configured to select an item to be checked based on the free resource capacity of the physical machine.   
     
     
         13 . A computer system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the item to be checked is selected further based on a priority of the item.   
     
     
         14 . A computer system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the CPU is configured to:
 (D) if the virtual machine is running, execute the security check about a high priority item. 
   
     
     
         15 . A computer system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the item to be checked is selected further based on a period of the item.