Patent ID: 7519826

Claim:
A method of securing access to computer system resources by requiring authorized user requesters requesting access to the resources to undergo one or more additional authorization before access to the resources is granted, the method comprising the steps of: providing a networked computer system comprising an authorization agent with an operatively associated requestor interface wherein the authorization agent is adapted to control access to one or more resources operatively associated with a protected device, providing an authorization server communicatively associated with the authorization agent, providing a policy engine communicatively associated with the authorization server, wherein the policy engine determines what resources operatively associated with protected device require additional authorization for access and requirements for the access; and for each request from an authorized user requester to the authorization agent for access to a resource that the policy engine has predetermined will require additional authorization for access, performing the steps of; the requester interface communicating, in near real time, to the authorization agent a request for access by an authorized user requestor to the resource; the authorization agent communicating, in near real time, to the authorization server the request for additional authorization; the authorization server selecting, from a group of authorizers, one or more authorizers, to make an additional authorization decision; the authorization server communicating in near real time the request for additional authorization to the one or more authorizers; the authorizer deciding the additional authorization to be granted; the authorizer communicating, in near real time, the authorization decision to the authorization server; the authorization server communication in near real time the authorization decision to the authorization agent; and the authorization agent controlling the authorized user requestor's access to the resource based upon the additional authorization decision from the authorizer.