Protecting confidential information

• US 10,061,937 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hayashi, Daisuke, Nitta, Keisuke, Tamai, Sayaka, Terui, Fumihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Okeke, Izunna
• Application Number:
  US15/635,589
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes

Abstract

An approach using a computer, receives from a first computer, text generated by a user and identifies in the text generated by the user, confidential information registered in a dictionary that contains registered confidential information and substitute words corresponding to the registered confidential information. The approach includes retrieving, from the dictionary, substitute words corresponding to each identified registered confidential information and identifying, in the text generated by the user, potentially confidential words based on a text analysis of the text generated by the user. The approach includes sending to the first computer, a proposed protected text including the text generated by the user with each of the identified registered confidential information marked along with each of the retrieved substitute words to replace the identified confidential information, and each of the potentially confidential words marked along with each of one or more generated words to replace the potentially confidential words.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors, from a first computer, text generated by a user;

identifying, by one or more computer processors, in the text generated by the user, one or more confidential information registered in a dictionary, wherein the dictionary contains a plurality of registered confidential information and a plurality of substitute word corresponding to the plurality of registered confidential information;

retrieving, by one or more computer processors, from the dictionary, one or more substitute words corresponding to each identified registered confidential information of the one or more confidential information registered in the dictionary;

identifying, by one or more computer processors, in the text generated by the user, whether one or more words are potentially confidential based, at least in part, on a text analysis of the text generated by the user;

generating, by one or more computer processors, one or more words for each of the one or more potentially confidential words, wherein the generating comprises;

determining, by one or more computer processors, for each of the one or more potentially confidential words, the registered confidential information associated with a shortest edit distance;

retrieving, by one or more computer processors, from the dictionary, the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

determining, by one or more computer processors, a category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

retrieving, by one or more computer processors, a list of unused words in the category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

selecting, by one or more computer processors, one or more words from the list of unused words in the category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance based, at least in part, the text analysis identifying a highest topic index of the selected one or more words from the list of unused words; and

sending, by one or more computer processors, to the first computer, a proposed protected text, wherein the proposed protected text includes the text generated by the user with each of the identified registered confidential information included with each of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the identified confidential information and each of the one or more potentially confidential words included with each of the one or more generated words to replace the one or more potentially confidential words.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors, from the first computer, an indication of an approval by the user of the proposed protected text;

creating, by one or more computer processors, a user approved protected text, wherein the user approved protected text includes replacing each of the identified registered confidential information with the one or more retrieved substitute words in the proposed protected text and replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words with the one or more generated words to replace each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the proposed text, and

sending, by one or more computer processors, the user approved protected text to the first computer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying, by one or more computer processors, each of the one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text as registered confidential information with the one or more generated words replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the user approved protected text; and

updating, by one or more computers processors, the dictionary to include each of the one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text as registered confidential information with the one or more generated words replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the user approved protected text.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors, from the first computer, one or more edits to the proposed protected text input by the user;

performing, by one or more computer processors, the one or more edits input by the user; and

responsive to performing the one or more edits to the proposed protected text input by the user, sending, by one or more computer processors, the one or more edits to update the dictionary.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to a client program on the first computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is generated in an external web service and the client program is a browser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user input by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to the client program on the first computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is an email generated in the client program that is one of an email program or an email application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user input by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to the client program on the computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is a message generated in the client program that is one of a messaging program or a messaging application.

8. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising instructions to;

receive from a first computer, text generated by a user;

identify in the text generated by the user, one or more confidential information registered in a dictionary, wherein the dictionary contains a plurality of registered confidential information and a plurality of substitute words corresponding to the plurality of registered confidential information;

retrieve from the dictionary, one or more substitute words corresponding to each identified registered confidential information of the one or more confidential information registered in the dictionary;

identify in the text generated by the user, whether one or more words are potentially confidential based, at least in part, on a text analysis of the text generated by the user;

generate one or more words for each of the one or more potentially confidential words, comprising;

determine for each of the one or more potentially confidential words, the registered confidential information associated with a shortest edit distance;

retrieve from the dictionary, the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

determine a category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

retrieve a list of unused words in the category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

select one or more words from the list of unused words in the category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance based, at least in part, the text analysis identifying a highest topic index of the selected one or more words from the list of unused words; and

send to the first computer, a proposed protected text, wherein the proposed protected text includes the text generated by the user with each of the identified registered confidential information included with each of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the identified confidential information and each of the one or more potentially confidential words included with each of the one or more generated words to replace the one or more potentially confidential words.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

receive from the first computer, an indication of an approval by the user of the proposed protected text;

create a user approved protected text, wherein the user approved protected text includes replacing each of the identified registered confidential information with the one or more retrieved substitute words in the proposed protected text and replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words with the one or more generated words to replace each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the proposed text; and

send the user approved protected text to the first computer.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

identify one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text as registered confidential information with the one or more generated words replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text; and

update the dictionary to include each of the one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text as registered confidential information with the one or more generated words replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the user approved protected text.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

receive from the first computer, one or more edits to the proposed protected text input by the user;

perform the one or more edits input to the proposed protected text input by the user; and

responsive to performing the one or more edits to the proposed protected text input by the user, send the one or more edits to update the dictionary.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to a client program on the first computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is generated in an external web service and the client program is a browser.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user input by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to the client program on the first computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is an email generated in the client program that is one of an email program or an email application.

14. A computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising instructions to;

receive from a first computer, text generated by a user;

identify in the text generated by the user, one or more confidential information registered in a dictionary, wherein the dictionary contains a plurality of registered confidential information and a plurality of substitute words corresponding to the plurality of registered confidential information;

retrieve from the dictionary, one or more substitute words corresponding to each identified registered confidential information of the one or more confidential information registered in the dictionary;

identify in the text generated by the user, whether one or more words are potentially confidential based, at least in part, on a text analysis of the text generated by the user;

generate one or more words for each of the one or more potentially confidential words, wherein the generating comprises;

determine for each of the one or more potentially confidential words, the registered confidential information associated with a shortest edit distance;

retrieve from the dictionary, the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

determine a category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

retrieve a list of unused words in the category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance;

select one or more words from the list of unused words in the category of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the registered confidential information associated with the shortest edit distance based, at least in part, the text analysis identifying a highest topic index of the selected one or more words from the list of unused words; and

send to the first computer, a proposed protected text, wherein the proposed protected text includes the text generated by the user with each of the identified registered confidential information included with each of the one or more retrieved substitute words to replace the identified confidential information and each of the one or more potentially confidential words included with each of the one or more generated words to replace the one or more potentially confidential words.

15. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising:

receive from the first computer, an indication of an approval by the user of the proposed protected text;

create a user approved protected text, wherein the user approved protected text includes replacing each of the identified registered confidential information with the one or more retrieved substitute words in the proposed protected text and replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words with the one or more generated words to replace each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the proposed text; and

send the user approved protected text to the first computer.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

identify one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text as registered confidential information with the one or more generated words replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text; and

update the dictionary to include each of the one or more potentially confidential words replaced in the user approved protected text as registered confidential information with the one or more generated words replacing each of the one or more potentially confidential words in the user approved protected text.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to a client program on the first computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is generated in an external web service and the client program is a browser.

18. The computer system of claim 14, wherein receiving from the first computer, the text generated by the user input by the user includes receiving the text generated by the user from a plug-in to the client program on the computer, wherein, the text generated by the user is a message generated in the client program that is one of a messaging program or a messaging application.