US Patent 7293291 System and method for detecting computer port inactivity

A system and method for detecting an idle or inactive data port connection on a personal computer (PC) and blocking external access, e.g., Wide Area Network (WAN) access to an end-user PC is presented. The system provides for added security for unattended PCs having broadband connections. The idle time period for detection/blocking logic initiation of a blocking signal to disable communications, e.g., Ethernet port access to the PC, may be for a fixed time period or may be determined by a user of the end-user PC.