Computer Device and Method for Controlling Access to a Printer

摘要

Content files are isolated in a sandbox as a content isolation environment formed by a secondary user account. Printing is controlled by an agent via a staging file of a secure file type. The agent intercepts print requests (e.g. print start requests and print end requests) in a printing sub-system of an operating system in order to coordinate and securely control printing of the untrusted content file via the intermediate staging file.

主权项

1. A computer device coupled to a printer, the computer device comprising:
a hardware layer including a processor and a memory; an operating system and an agent which are executed by the hardware layer to: provide printer services accessible from a primary user account, wherein the printer services are configured to print user files accessible from the primary user account on the printer connected to the computer device in response to print requests for the user files; create a secondary user account derived from the primary user account and which isolates a content file therein; and provision a printer service accessible from the secondary user account, wherein the printer service is isolated from the printer connected to the computer device; and intercept a print request from the secondary user account for printing of the content file; arrange the printer service to print the content file to a staging file in a staging location in response to the print request; receive a notification that the content file has been printed to the staging file; and satisfy the print request for the file from the secondary user account by printing the staging file on the printer connected to the computer device using the printer services accessible from the primary user account, in response to the notification that the file has been printed to the staging file.