Data processing systems for identifying whether cookies contain personally identifying information
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented data processing method for identifying personal data via a particular web beacon, the method comprising:
- scanning, by one or more processors, using a plurality of unique user profiles, a single website for one or more web beacons and one or more cookies;
scanning, by one or more processors, a plurality of websites using a first particular one of the plurality of unique user profiles that persists across the plurality of websites for the one or more web beacons and the one or more cookies;
identifying, by one or more processors, the particular web beacon from the one or more web beacons and a particular cookie of the one or more cookies;
determining, by one or more processors, a host of the particular web beacon;
determining, by one or more processors, a purpose of the particular web beacon;
determining, by one or more processors, a host of the particular cookie;
determining, by one or more processors, a purpose of the particular cookie;
determining, by one or more processors, based at least in part on the host of the particular web beacon, the purpose of the particular web beacon the host of the particular cookie, and the purpose of the particular cookie, whether a particular individual is likely to be identified by the particular web beacon and the particular cookie;
in response to determining that a particular individual is likely to be identified by the particular web beacon and the particular cookie, generating, by one or more processors, a report regarding a likelihood that the particular individual might be identified by the particular web beacon and the particular cookie; and
displaying, by one or more processors, the report to an individual associated with the single website, the report enabling the individual to make one or more changes to modify data collected and stored within the particular cookie.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for identifying and determining whether a particular cookie may include personal data, in various embodiments, is configured to analyze collected cookies to determine whether the collected cookies may be used to directly or indirectly identify a particular individual. The system may, for example: (1) generate one or more virtual profiles; (2) use the one or more virtual profiles to access a plurality of websites; (3) collect cookie data for the plurality of websites for the one or more virtual profiles; and (4) analyze the cookie data to determine whether a particular website of the plurality of websites utilizes one or more cookies which may potentially include personal data. The system may then generate a report of the analysis, and display the report to an administrator or other individual associated with the particular website.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented data processing method for identifying personal data via a particular web beacon, the method comprising:
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scanning, by one or more processors, using a plurality of unique user profiles, a single website for one or more web beacons and one or more cookies; scanning, by one or more processors, a plurality of websites using a first particular one of the plurality of unique user profiles that persists across the plurality of websites for the one or more web beacons and the one or more cookies; identifying, by one or more processors, the particular web beacon from the one or more web beacons and a particular cookie of the one or more cookies; determining, by one or more processors, a host of the particular web beacon; determining, by one or more processors, a purpose of the particular web beacon; determining, by one or more processors, a host of the particular cookie; determining, by one or more processors, a purpose of the particular cookie; determining, by one or more processors, based at least in part on the host of the particular web beacon, the purpose of the particular web beacon the host of the particular cookie, and the purpose of the particular cookie, whether a particular individual is likely to be identified by the particular web beacon and the particular cookie; in response to determining that a particular individual is likely to be identified by the particular web beacon and the particular cookie, generating, by one or more processors, a report regarding a likelihood that the particular individual might be identified by the particular web beacon and the particular cookie; and displaying, by one or more processors, the report to an individual associated with the single website, the report enabling the individual to make one or more changes to modify data collected and stored within the particular cookie. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented data-processing method of determining whether a particular website of a plurality of websites may track personally identifiable data, the method comprising:
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creating, by one or more processors, a plurality of unique user profiles; storing, by one or more processors, the plurality of unique user profiles in computer memory; using, by one or more processors, each of the plurality of unique user profiles to scan the plurality of websites for one or more canvas read attempts; gathering, by one or more processors, for each of the plurality of websites, canvas element data for each of the plurality of unique user profiles, the canvas element data comprising one or more canvas elements making the one or more canvas read attempts; gathering, by one or more processors, for each of the plurality of websites, cookie data for each of the plurality of unique user profiles, the cookie data comprising one or more cookies; determining, by one or more processors, for each of the one or more canvas elements, a respective canvas element host; determining, by one or more processors, for each of the one or more cookies, a respective cookie host; determining, by one or more processors, based on the respective canvas element host and the respective cookie host, whether the particular website of the plurality of websites may track personally identifiable data; and in response to determining that the particular website may track the personally identifiable data, transmitting a notification to an individual associated with the particular website comprising the canvas element data and the cookie data, the notification enabling the individual to make one or more changes to modify data collected and stored within the one or more cookies. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-implemented data-processing method of identifying one or more cookies of a plurality of cookies that may contain personal data, the method comprising:
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creating, by one or more processors, a first unique user profile; storing, by one or more processors, the first unique user profile in memory; using, by one or more processors, the first unique user profile to access one or more first webpages of a first website; collecting, by one or more processors, for each of the one or more first webpages, first cookie data for the first unique user profile, the first cookie data being associated with a first plurality of cookies; using, by one or more processors, the first unique user profile to access one or more second webpages of a second website; collecting, by one or more processors, for each of the one or more second webpages, second cookie data for the first unique user profile, the second cookie data being associated with a second plurality of cookies; scanning the one or more first webpages for one or more canvas read attempts; in response to scanning the one or more first webpages for the one or more canvas read attempts, identifying a first canvas read attempt by at least one of the one or more first webpages; determining, by one or more processors, based on the first cookie data, the second cookie data, and the first canvas read attempt, whether the first plurality of cookies contain one or more cookies that may contain personal data; in response to determining that the first plurality of cookies contain one or more cookies that may contain personal data, generating, by one or more processors, a report identifying the first plurality of cookies; and displaying, by one or more processors, the report to a site owner of the first website, the report enabling the site owner to make one or more changes to modify data collected and stored within the first plurality of cookies. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification