Systems, apparatuses and methods for computer security in a computer network

Abstract

A computer network includes a server and client electronic devices. Registration with a security server permits security operations to be performed on a client electronic device. Security operations may include disabling functionality of the client electronic device or other operations to prevent illegitimate access to or use of the device or data stored thereon. Security operations may be performed in various modes, e.g., remotely, subject to a condition, or on the basis of user instruction. Other embodiments, including systems, apparatuses, and methods, are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of causing an action to be performed on a client electronic device, comprising:
 registering with a service;   upon completion of registration with the service, periodically communicating with the service;   receiving an instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device; and   upon receipt of the instruction, performing the specified action with respect to the client electronic device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specified action comprises disabling at least some functionality of the client electronic device, and   wherein the method further comprises:
 upon receipt of an instruction from a user to perform a function, refraining from performing the function, wherein the function is included in the at least some functionality. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified action comprises deleting at least some data that is stored on the client electronic device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified action comprises denying access to at least some data that is stored on the client electronic device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified action comprises keeping encrypted at least some data that is stored on the client electronic device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified action comprises backing up at least some data that is stored on the client electronic device, by transmitting the at least some data to another device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the other device is a remote server associated with the service, and   wherein the at least some data comprises data previously designated as critical data or as data to be backed up.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified action comprises restoring at least some data to the client electronic device, the restoring at least some data to the client electronic device comprising receiving, by the client electronic device, the at least some data, the at least some data having been previously (i) stored on the client electronic device, (ii) transmitted to another device, and (iii) deleted from the client electronic device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specified action comprises restoring at least some data to the client electronic device, the restoring at least some data to the client electronic device comprising receiving, by the client electronic device, the at least some data, the at least some data having been previously (i) stored on a second client electronic device, (ii) transmitted to a third device, and (iii) deleted from the second client electronic device,   wherein the second client electronic device is not the same device as the third device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specified action comprises being tracked, wherein the being tracked comprises having a location of the client electronic device be tracked, and   wherein the method further comprises:
 disabling at least some functionality of the client electronic device. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specified action is overridden by authentication, on the client electronic device, of a user of the client electronic device, the user having previously inputted authentication credentials in the client electronic device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the instruction is caused to be transmitted to the client electronic device from a remote location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the instruction is caused to be transmitted to the client electronic device by the service.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the causing of transmission of the instruction is triggered by an act of a user of the client electronic device, the user having previously inputted authentication credentials in the client electronic device, and   wherein the act of the user of the client electronic device comprises issuing a user instruction to perform the action with respect to the client electronic device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the user instruction to perform the action with respect to the client electronic device is conditioned on the client electronic device having been reported lost or stolen.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the periodically communicating with the service comprises periodically communicating with a server associated with the service.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the server is remote from the client electronic device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the periodically communicating with the service comprises periodic transmission of data between the service and the client electronic device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the periodic transmission comprises multiple transmissions of data at different respective times, and   wherein the data is updated between a given one of the transmissions and a subsequent one of the transmissions.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the periodic transmission comprises multiple transmissions of data at different respective times, and   wherein a given one of the transmissions of data causes given data to be transmitted to and stored on one of (i) the client electronic device and (ii) a server associated with the service, and   wherein the given data, prior to a time of the given one of the transmissions, was not stored on the one of (i) the client electronic device and (ii) the server associated with the service, and was stored on the other one of (i) the client electronic device and (ii) the server associated with the service.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the periodically communicating with the service comprises periodically sending, to the service, a message.   wherein the message comprises one or more of the following: (i) a request for information; (ii) a query; and (iii) a request to check a status.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 in response to the periodically sending the message to the service, receiving a message from the service.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 ,
 wherein the receiving of the instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device occurs in response to an instance of the periodically sending of the message to the service.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the periodically communicating with the service comprises periodically receiving, from the service, a message, and   wherein the message comprises one or more of the following: (i) a request for information; and (ii) updated information.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 preventing a first given user from accessing the client electronic device, the first given user having previously been assigned to or authenticated on the client electronic device;   permitting an administrator user to access the client electronic device upon receipt by the client electronic device of credentials of the administrator user, the client electronic device being assigned to a different user; and   permitting a second given user to access additional functionality of the client electronic device, the second given user having previously been assigned to or authenticated on the client electronic device, but not having previously been permitted access to the additional functionality of the client electronic device.   
     
     
         26 . A method of causing an action to be performed on a client electronic device, comprising:
 registering a client electronic device with a service;   upon completion of registration with the service, periodically communicating with the client electronic device; and   sending an instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device.   
     
     
         27 . A client electronic device, comprising:
 a processor;   a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium responsive to the processor; and   instructions in the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium which, when executed by the client electronic device, cause the client electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 registering with a service; 
 upon completion of registration with the service, periodically communicating with the service; 
 receiving an instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device; and 
 upon receipt of the instruction, performing the specified action with respect to the client electronic device. 
   
     
     
         28 . A system, comprising:
 a server comprising:
 a processor configured for executing software; 
 a network interface configured for communicating with a plurality of client devices via a communication network; 
 a memory configured for storing software and information; and 
 software, wherein the software, when executed by the processor, is operable to perform operations comprising:
 registering a client electronic device with a service; 
 upon completion of registration with the service, periodically communicating with the client electronic device; and 
 sending an instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device. 
 
   
     
     
         29 . An article of manufacture, comprising:
 a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium; and   instructions in the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium which, when executed by a client electronic device, cause the client electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 registering with a service; 
 upon completion of registration with the service, periodically communicating with the service; 
 receiving an instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device; and 
 upon receipt of the instruction, performing the specified action with respect to the client electronic device. 
   
     
     
         30 . An article of manufacture, comprising:
 a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium; and   instructions in the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium which, when executed by a server, cause the server to perform operations comprising:
 registering a client electronic device with a service; 
 upon completion of registration with the service, periodically communicating with the client electronic device; and 
 sending an instruction to perform a specified action with respect to the client electronic device.