Patent ID: 7503067

Claim:
A preset security level system for a document processing system comprising: a memory, the memory configured for storing security level data representative of a plurality of nested security levels selectively available to multiple classes of users of an associated document processing system having a plurality of device functions, including copying, scanning and printing, the document processing system including security features adapted to provide secure operation thereof, wherein the security levels are hierarchically oriented from a lower security level to a higher security level, wherein each higher security level incorporates all security features of each security level lower thereto, and wherein, a lower security level including selective enablement of the device functions, selective encryption of electronic data, and at least one of open ports, Telnet functionality, device feature activation and video transmission, an intermediate security level including cryptographic communication protocol usage, user authentication, role-based access control, shared folder control, job logging, and secure data erasure, and a higher security level including enabling at least one of session logging, activation of antiviral procedures, and auditing; association means configured for associating each selectable security level with feature data representative of a plurality of security features, such that an activation of each security level causes activation of the plurality of security features associated therewith; means configured for receiving, from an administrator, data representative of a selected security level for selective association with each of a plurality of users of the document processing system; means, responsive to the received security level selection, configured for activating the selected security level; means configured for receiving, from a user, operation instructions for operation of the document processing system; means configured for limiting operation of the associated document processing system in accordance with a security level of each associated user; means configured for receiving event data corresponding to completion of a preselected event, wherein the preselected event is at least one of completion of a document processing operation and passage of a selected time period; and means configured for altering the selected security level in accordance with received event data.