Microsoft patents cloud security filter that blocks specific servers from remote fixes
This patent describes a method for cloud providers to control which specific servers or assets can be accessed by third-party support teams. It uses exclusion lists to prevent automated security tools from modifying certain critical assets during remote maintenance.
In the filing’s own words
In a cloud computing environment, a cross-tenant access security measure monitors conditional access policies for changes or additions that hamper or threaten an authorized access from an assistant tenant user to a focus tenant. Some cross-tenant access security tracks role assignments to detect rogue roles, or detect hampering role changes. In some cases, focus tenant events and assistant tenant events are correlated in an audit. In some cases, the authorized access is a zero standing time bound access. In some cases, the authorized access is constrained to an IP address range, or constrained to login from a managed device, or both. In some cases, assets are excluded from managed response remediation actions. In some, managed response is modulated by product-specific Role Based Access Control. In some, repeated logins are avoided, to permit faster managed responses.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A cybersecurity method for focused secure cross-tenant access, the method comprising computationally, by a processor: granting a first tenant permission to perform at least one remediation action on one or more second assets of a second tenant; identifying an attempted cross-tenant access from the first tenant to a particular second asset of the second tenant, the attempted cross-tenant access requesting to perform a particular remediation action relating to the particular second asset; and computationally restricting the attempted cross-tenant access based on at least an exclusion group including the particular second asset, wherein the exclusion group specifies that the particular second asset is excluded, as opposed to included, based on at least one of: a membership in the exclusion group, an exclusion flag, an exclusion property, or an exclusion tag which is stored in the particular second asset or stored in association with the particular second asset.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Cross-tenant access focus
- Patent number
- US12732507B2
- Application number
- 18518777
- Filed
- Nov 24, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 11
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04L 63/105 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/104 Electricity & electronicsMore from Microsoft in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.