Patent ID: 8407763
Filing Date: 2013-03-26
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A network interface device for providing a desired level of security for a protected host or workstation on a multi-level secure network, the device comprising: a network interface configured to connect operatively with a multi-level secure network over which data is exchanged among a number of hosts, and the network interface has a first Ethernet or medium access control (MAC) address corresponding to a guard control port of the interface, and a second Ethernet or MAC address corresponding to a guard data port of the interface; and a transport guard having (i) a control component coupled to the guard control port of the network interface for processing configuration data addressed to the first MAC address and for producing a corresponding security configuration output, (ii) a guard component coupled to the output of the control component and to the guard data port of the network interface, and (iii) a host interface coupled to the guard component and configured for exchanging data with the protected host; wherein the guard component of the transport guard is operative to pass inbound data addressed to the second MAC address from the guard data port of the network interface to the host interface of the transport guard, and to pass outbound data at the host interface to the guard data port of the network interface, according to the security configuration output from the control component of the transport guard.