Patent ID: 7178166

Claim:
A computer-implemented process for assessing the vulnerability of a workstation to a security compromise, comprising the steps: issuing a request for a scanner from a browser operating, on the workstation to a network server via a computer network; transmitting the scanner from the network server to the workstation via the computer network, the scanner installable within the browser and operative to complete a vulnerability assessment of the workstation to identify security vulnerabilities of the workstation that can compromise secure operation of the workstation on the computer network; completing a repair operation by the scanner to address a security vulnerability identified by the scanner in response to completing the vulnerability assessment of the workstation; generating workstation credentials derived from the scanner conducting the vulnerability assessment of the workstation, the workstation credentials comprising at least one of information about integrity of the workstation and a security posture of the workstation; comparing the workstation credentials to a workstation policy; authenticating a workstation for access to the network server by granting the workstation access to one or more services available on the network server if the workstation credentials derived from the scanner are in compliance with the workstation policy; if access to the one or more services available on the network server is granted to the workstation because the workstation credentials are in compliance with the workstation policy, issuing a request for credentials associated with a user; receiving credentials associated with a user; and authenticating a user of the workstation for access to the network server after said authenticating the workstation for access to the network server by determining if the user is authorized to access the one or more services available on the network server through evaluating the credentials associated with the user; and if the workstation credentials do not match the workstation security policy, then denying access to the one or more network services.