JP2012032846A - Print control program, diagnostic program, information processing device, printing system and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print control program for preventing leakage of information on a print document during print request, and to provide a diagnostic program, an information processing device, a printing system and a recording medium.SOLUTION: A print computer program causes a computer to function as storage means that stores diagnostic information for diagnosing whether an unintended change has occurred therein; diagnostic means for making a diagnosis on the basis of the diagnostic information when a print request is received from an application; and processing execution means for executing processing in response to the print request. The processing execution means executes processing in response to the print request only when the diagnostic means diagnoses that no unintended change has occurred.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for diagnosing viral infection.

  The widespread use of printing devices makes it easy to print many documents at companies, research institutions, schools, and even at home. These documents often contain confidential business or research information or personal information. Against this background, it can be said that the entry of a virus into the printing system exposes the user to a great risk of leakage of important confidential information and personal information.

  Therefore, for example, verification of program size, verification of checksum, verification of revision information such as date of creation, verification of disk address, verification of object program itself, verification of object program itself using compression / decompression etc. Thus, there is a technology that makes it possible to diagnose virus infection or unintended modification by an object program executed as an OS or program of an information processing apparatus.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, the object program itself verifies the program size, checks the checksum, verifies the revision information such as the creation date, etc. for the purpose of detecting an unintended change caused by the entry of a virus by the object program. A configuration for performing verification of the disk address, verification of the object program itself, verification of the object program itself using compression / decompression, and the like is disclosed.

  However, in the conventional virus diagnosis methods, a diagnosis test is executed periodically or according to a user's intentional execution instruction. For this reason, if a virus is already mixed in the printing system at the time of the user's print request, the printing system containing the virus is used, and there is a risk that the document information of the user will be leaked. There was a problem of having.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and includes a print control program, a diagnostic program, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, a printing apparatus, and a recording medium that suppress the risk of information leakage of a printed document when a print request is made. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems, a print control program according to the present invention receives a print request from a storage means for storing diagnosis information for diagnosing whether or not an unintended change has occurred in a computer and an application. Based on the diagnostic information, function as diagnostic means for performing the diagnosis and processing execution means for executing processing for the print request, and the processing execution means has caused an unintended change by the diagnostic means. Only when it is diagnosed that there is no print, the process for the print request is executed.

  Further, the diagnostic program according to the present invention provides an information processing apparatus for storing diagnostic information for diagnosing whether an unintended change has occurred in the information processing apparatus when the information processing apparatus receives a print request from an application. Based on the diagnostic information, it is made to function as a diagnostic means for performing the diagnosis.

  An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores diagnosis information for diagnosing whether an unintended change has occurred in a printer driver that performs print control, and the printer driver receives a print request from an application. A diagnostic means for performing the diagnosis based on the diagnostic information when received, and a processing execution means for executing a process for the print request. The processing execution means is unintentionally changed by the diagnostic means. The processing for the print request is executed only when it is diagnosed that no occurrence has occurred.

  A printing system according to the present invention includes the printing control program according to the present invention that can be executed by a computer, and a printing apparatus.

  A printing apparatus according to the present invention includes storage means for storing the print control program according to the present invention.

  The recording medium in the present invention is recorded with the printing control program in the present invention, and is readable by a computer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the risk of information leakage of a printed document at the time of a print request.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing operation performed by a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the process operation example in the self-diagnosis process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of information of a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows the process operation example in the self-diagnosis process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of information of a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing operation performed by a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing operation performed by a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present invention has the following features in printing processing. In short, at the timing when a print request is received, the system that performs the print process itself detects the occurrence of an unintended change in its own module, and if a change is detected, the print process is terminated before the contents of the document are received. It is a feature. The features of the present invention described above will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.

<Configuration Example of Image Processing System 100>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing system 100 according to the present embodiment is a system that performs a printing process by a printing apparatus with the following configuration. For example, it is possible to configure a printing system that performs a printing procedure with an information processing apparatus including the image processing system 100 according to the present embodiment and a printing apparatus.

  The application 110 is software that reads a document 150 to be printed through the operating system 140 or the like, and requests the printing apparatus to print through the printer driver 120.

  The printer driver 120 is software that prints the contents of the document 150 by a printing apparatus through the operating system 140 or the like based on a request from the application 20 through the operating system 140 or the like. The printer driver 120 is software that reads a document 150 to be printed and requests the printing apparatus to print.

  Further, as will be described in detail below, the printer driver 120 performs a self-diagnosis as to whether or not an unintended change has occurred in itself. Further, the printer driver 120 has a self-diagnosis result flag indicating the result of self-determination. As will be described in detail below, the initial setting of the self-diagnosis result flag is set to OK, and the printer driver 120 determines that the self-diagnosis result flag indicates that an unintended change has occurred. Is set to NG. Thus, when the self-diagnosis result flag is OK, it indicates that an unintended change has not occurred, and when it is NG, it indicates that an unintended change has occurred. .

  The printer driver 100 program is stored in a storage medium such as an HDD provided in the printing apparatus. The client terminal downloads the program from the printing apparatus, so that the printer driver 100 program is installed in the client terminal. You may be made to do.

  The network access management 130 manages a predetermined network access status, and manages time information and the like when the image processing system 100 last accessed the network under a predetermined condition. The network access management 130 manages the time when the image processing system 100 last accessed the network as the last Internet access time.

  The operating system 140 is software that provides basic functions.

  The document 150 is a document processed by the application 110 or the like, and is data representing printable information.

  The installation information 160 is information required by the operating system 20 or the like in order for the printer driver 120 to be installed in the system and become usable. For example, it is information such as a list of file names constituting the printer driver 120, a printer driver name, and a printer driver version.

<Example of Processing Operation by Printer Driver 120 (1)>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing operation performed by the printer driver 120 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S110, a print request is received from the application 110.

  In step S120, the self-diagnosis result flag is initially set to OK as described in detail below.

  In step S130, the self-diagnosis process 1 described in detail below is performed. This self-diagnosis process 1 is a process for determining whether or not an unintended change has occurred in the information of the files constituting the printer driver 120. As will be described in detail below, if it is diagnosed by the self-diagnosis process 1 that an unintended change has occurred in the printer driver 120, in this step S130, the self-diagnosis flag is set to NG.

  In step S140, the self-diagnosis process 2 is performed. The self-diagnosis process 2 is a process for determining whether an unintended change has occurred in the information of the printer driver 120 itself. As will be described in detail below, if it is diagnosed by the self-diagnosis process 2 that an unintended change has occurred in the printer driver 120, the self-diagnosis flag is set to NG in step S140.

  In step S150, it is checked whether the self-diagnosis result flag is OK. In the case of OK, the process proceeds to step S160, and the printing process requested from the application 110 is performed. In the case of NG, the print processing requested from the application 110 is not executed and the process is terminated.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the printer driver 120 receives a print request, the printer driver 120 performs a self-diagnosis as to whether an unintended change has occurred. If an unintended change has occurred, the printer driver 120 does not perform print processing. . As a result, when the printer driver 120 is infected with a virus, the printing process is not performed, and the risk of information leakage of the printed document can be suppressed.

<Example of processing operation in self-diagnosis processing>
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing operation example in the self-diagnosis processing 1 performed in step S130 of FIG.

  In step S210, based on the printer driver information 1 shown in FIG. 4, a self-diagnosis check is performed to determine whether there is a discrepancy between the own information and the printer driver information 1.

  The printer driver information 1 is diagnostic information used by the printer driver 120 to detect an unintended change (such as tampering or destruction).

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, for a file having a fixed file name among the files constituting the printer driver 120, the file name and an incidental attribute that does not change are handled by the printer information 1. Specific examples of the incidental attributes are a file size, a file checksum value, a file version, and a file time stamp (such as the last update time).

  The printer driver information 1 can be stored in the printer driver 120 itself, or can be stored in a predetermined external manner.

  In step S220, the result of step S210 is determined. If there is a discrepancy, the process proceeds to step S230, and the self-diagnosis result flag is set to NG. Otherwise, this process is terminated.

  Thus, when an unintended change occurs in the printer driver 120, the self-diagnosis result flag is set to NG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing operation example in the self-diagnosis processing 2 performed in step S140 of FIG.

  In step S310, based on the printer driver information 2 shown in FIG. 6, a self-diagnosis check is performed to determine whether or not there is a discrepancy between the own information and the printer driver information 2.

  The printer driver information 2 is diagnostic information used by the printer driver 120 to detect an unintended change (such as tampering or destruction).

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, a driver name, a list of files constituting the printer driver 120, and driver version information are held.

  The printer driver information 2 may be stored in the printer driver 120 itself, or may be stored in a predetermined outside.

  In step S320, the result of step S310 is determined. If there is a discrepancy, the process proceeds to step S330, and the self-diagnosis result flag is set to NG. Otherwise, this process is terminated.

  Thus, when an unintended change occurs in the printer driver 120, the self-diagnosis result flag is set to NG.

  Note that the program for the self-diagnosis process (self-diagnosis process 1, self-diagnosis process 2) may be included in the printer driver 20, or may be prepared as a separate program.

<Example of Processing Operation by Printer Driver 120 (2)>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a processing operation example by the printer driver 120 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S410, a print request is received from the application 110.

  In step S420, the last Internet access time managed by the network access management 130 is acquired, and the time is compared with the last self-diagnosis time.

  The last self-diagnosis time is the time when the self-diagnosis process, which is a diagnosis of whether or not an unintended change has occurred in the printer driver 120, is the last. When the printer driver is executed, initialization processing is performed, and the final self-diagnosis time is set to 0 by this initialization processing. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of processing operation in this initialization process. In step S510, the final self-diagnosis time is set to 0 as initialization processing. Here, 0 is set as an example, but the set time is not always 0. The time set in step S510 may be any value as long as it is a value that is reliably smaller than these times when actually compared with the self-diagnosis time and the last network access time.

  If it is determined in step S430 that the last Internet access time is newer (recent) for the comparison result in step S420, the process proceeds to step S440. If not, the process moves to step S490, and the printing process requested by the application 110 is performed.

  In step S440, the final self-diagnosis time is set to the current time.

  In step S450, the self-diagnosis result flag is initially set to OK.

  In step S460, the above-described self-diagnosis process 1 is performed. If an unintended change has occurred in the printer driver 120 by the self-diagnosis process 1, the self-diagnosis flag is set to NG in step S460.

  In step S470, the above-described self-diagnosis process 2 is performed. If an unintended change has occurred in the printer driver 120 by the self-diagnosis process 2, the self-diagnosis flag is set to NG in step S470.

  In step S480, it is checked whether the self-diagnosis result flag is OK. If OK, the process moves to step S490, and the printing process requested by the application 110 is performed. In the case of NG, the print processing requested from the application 110 is not executed and the process is terminated.

  By doing so, further self-diagnosis is performed only when there is network access after self-diagnosis. If there is no network access after self-diagnosis, the virus will not be infected after self-diagnosis. Therefore, there is no need to perform further self-diagnosis without a new unintended change in the printer driver 120. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent an extra self-diagnosis from being performed, it is possible to reduce processing in the system, and it is possible to reduce the load on the system.

<Action and effect>
Since the printing system processes document data to be printed at the time of printing, there is a risk such as security at the time of the processing. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the risk is reduced by detecting an unintended change and not performing document data processing before executing the data processing.

  As a method of sneaking in by a virus, there are a possibility of sneaking by changing a file constituting the printing system and a method of adding a file having a virus code by rewriting a list of files constituting the printing system. Therefore, an effect is obtained for each of the configuration file check (self-diagnosis process 1) and the configuration information check (self-diagnosis process 2).

  As a method of detecting changes before processing the print document data, it is certain to check each time a print request is received. However, in the case of a low-speed system or a huge printing system, the burden of the check is required. May be frustrated by a large print and slow print response. In general, viruses enter from the outside. A prominent case is access to the network and the Internet in the usage system. As a method of reducing frustration that is checked every time printing is performed, a method of performing self-diagnosis only when such network access or Internet access is performed between printings is a significant frustration reduction effect for the user. .

  The processing operation in the above-described embodiment can be executed by hardware, software, or a combined configuration of both.

  When processing by software is executed, the program is loaded from a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing a program recording a processing sequence to a memory (RAM) in a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware. The program can be read and executed, or the program can be installed and executed on a general-purpose computer capable of executing various processes.

  For example, the program can be recorded in advance on a hard disk or ROM as a recording medium. Alternatively, the program is stored on a removable recording medium such as a magnetic disk such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, an optical disk such as a CD (Compact Disc) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a magneto-optical disk such as an MO (Magneto Optical) disk. It is possible to store (record) temporarily or permanently.

  Such a removable recording medium can be provided as so-called package software.

  The program is installed on the computer from the above-described removable recording medium, transferred wirelessly from the download site to the computer, or transferred to the computer via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. On the other hand, the computer can receive the transferred program and install it on a recording medium such as a built-in hard disk.

  In addition to being executed in time series in accordance with the processing operations described in the above embodiment, the processing capability of the apparatus that executes the processing, or a configuration to execute in parallel or individually as necessary Is also possible.

  In addition, the system described in the above embodiment can be configured to have a logical set configuration of a plurality of devices or to mix the functions of each device.

  The present invention has been described above by the preferred embodiments of the present invention. While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. is there.

  In the print control program according to the present invention, when the diagnosis unit receives a print request from an application, the diagnosis unit performs the diagnosis only when the computer accesses via a network after the previous diagnosis. When the diagnosis by the diagnosis unit is performed, the process execution unit executes the process for the print request only when the diagnosis unit determines that no unintended change has occurred. Also good.

  In the printing control program according to the present invention, the diagnostic information is information on a file constituting the file, and the file information includes a size, a checksum, a version, and a time stamp of each file. The diagnosis unit may perform the diagnosis based on the size, checksum, version, and time stamp of each file.

  In the printing control program according to the present invention, the diagnostic information is attribute information about itself, the attribute information includes an own name, a configuration file name, and a version. You may make it perform the said diagnosis based on the said own name, a structure file name, and a version.

  In the diagnosis program according to the present invention, when the information processing apparatus receives a print request from an application, the diagnosis unit performs an access via the network after the previous diagnosis. Only the diagnosis may be performed.

  In the diagnosis program according to the present invention, the diagnosis information is information on a file constituting a printer driver that performs print control in the information processing apparatus, and the file information includes the size of each file, a checksum, A version and a time stamp may be included, and the diagnosis unit may perform the diagnosis based on the size, checksum, version, and time stamp of each file.

  In the diagnosis program of the present invention, the diagnosis information is attribute information related to a printer driver that performs print control in the information processing apparatus, and the attribute information includes the name of the printer driver, a configuration file name, a version, and the like. The diagnosis unit may perform the diagnosis based on the name of the printer driver, the configuration file name, and the version.

  In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the printer driver receives a print request from an application, the diagnosis unit performs the diagnosis only when access is made via the network after the previous diagnosis. When the diagnosis by the diagnosis unit is performed, the process execution unit executes the process for the print request only when the diagnosis unit determines that no unintended change has occurred. May be.

  In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, the diagnostic information is information on a file constituting the printer driver, and the information on the file includes a size, a checksum, a version, a time stamp of each file, The diagnosis unit may perform the diagnosis based on the size, checksum, version, and time stamp of each file.

  In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, the diagnosis information is attribute information related to the printer driver, and the attribute information includes its name, a configuration file name, and a version, and the diagnosis means May perform the diagnosis based on its own name, configuration file name, and version.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image processing system 110 Application 120 Printer driver 130 Network access management 140 Operating system 150 Document 160 Installation information

JP-A-7-146788

Claims (15)

Computer
Storage means for storing diagnostic information for diagnosing whether an unintended change has occurred in itself;
A diagnostic means for performing the diagnosis based on the diagnostic information when a print request is received from an application;
Function as processing execution means for executing processing for the print request;
The process execution means includes
A print control program that executes a process for the print request only when it is diagnosed by the diagnosis means that an unintended change has not occurred. The diagnostic means includes
When the print request is received from the application, the diagnosis is performed only when the computer accesses via the network after the previous diagnosis,
The process execution means includes
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein when the diagnosis by the diagnosis unit is performed, the process for the print request is executed only when it is diagnosed by the diagnosis unit that an unintended change has not occurred. Print control program. The diagnostic information is
Information about the files that make up the device
The file information is:
Includes the size, checksum, version, and timestamp of each file,
The diagnostic means includes
The print control program according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the diagnosis is performed based on a size, a checksum, a version, and a time stamp of each file. The diagnostic information is
Attribute information about itself,
The attribute information is
Includes its own name, configuration file name, and version,
The diagnostic means includes
The print control program according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the diagnosis is performed based on the own name, a configuration file name, and a version. An information processing apparatus for storing diagnostic information for diagnosing whether an unintended change has occurred in itself,
A diagnostic program for causing the information processing apparatus to function as a diagnostic unit that performs the diagnosis based on the diagnostic information when a print request is received from an application. The diagnostic means includes
6. The diagnosis is performed only when the information processing apparatus accesses via a network after the previous diagnosis when the information processing apparatus receives a print request from an application. The diagnostic program described in 1. The diagnostic information is
Information of a file constituting a printer driver that performs print control in the information processing apparatus;
The file information is:
Includes the size, checksum, version, and timestamp of each file,
The diagnostic means includes
The diagnosis program according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the diagnosis is performed based on a size, a checksum, a version, and a time stamp of each file. The diagnostic information is
Attribute information relating to a printer driver that performs print control in the information processing apparatus;
The attribute information is
Including the name of the printer driver, the configuration file name, and the version,
The diagnostic means includes
The diagnosis program according to claim 5, wherein the diagnosis is performed based on a name of the printer driver, a configuration file name, and a version. Storage means for storing diagnostic information for diagnosing whether or not an unintended change has occurred in a printer driver that performs print control;
When the printer driver receives a print request from an application, based on the diagnosis information, a diagnosis unit that performs the diagnosis;
Processing execution means for executing processing for the print request,
The process execution means includes
An information processing apparatus that executes processing for the print request only when it is diagnosed by the diagnosis means that an unintended change has not occurred. The diagnostic means includes
When the printer driver receives a print request from an application, the diagnosis is performed only when access is made via a network after the previous diagnosis,
The process execution means includes
10. The process according to claim 9, wherein when the diagnosis by the diagnosis unit is performed, the process for the print request is executed only when it is diagnosed by the diagnosis unit that an unintended change has not occurred. Information processing device. The diagnostic information is
It is information of the file that constitutes the printer driver,
The file information is:
Includes the size, checksum, version, and timestamp of each file,
The diagnostic means includes
11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the diagnosis is performed based on a size, a checksum, a version, and a time stamp of each file. The diagnostic information is
Attribute information about the printer driver;
The attribute information is
Includes its own name, configuration file name, and version,
The diagnostic means includes
The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the diagnosis is performed based on the own name, the configuration file name, and the version.   5. A printing system comprising: the printing control program according to claim 1, which can be executed by a computer; and a printing apparatus.   5. A printing apparatus comprising storage means for storing the print control program according to claim 1.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the print control program according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is recorded.

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