Abstract

A method and system of remotely monitoring and controlling machines and business office devices such as copiers, printers, and facsimile machines. Outgoing messages, such as Internet e-mail messages containing information describing the business office device are monitored by a security center. The security center either receives an unencrypted form of the message, or alternatively receives an encrypted form of the message. If the message is encrypted, it will be necessary for the security center to first decrypt the message. The contents of the message are monitored by the security center to assure that only authorized information is transmitted from an authorized business office device, over the Internet, to a data center which monitors the status of and/or controls the business office device. A log of messages passing through a firewall to the Internet is maintained and compared with messages received by the security center to assure that only messages which have been received by the security center and checked are transmitted through the firewall over the Internet.