METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION THROUGH A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• US 20060259873A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entrust Corp.
• Original Assignee: Entrust Incorporated (Entrust Corp.)
• Inventors: Mister, Serge Jean Maurice
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof

Abstract

A method and apparatus for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface displays a graphical user interface that includes a trusted interaction window. In one example, the method includes continuously determining whether information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window and then disabling an operation being requested when an overlay condition has been determined. In one example, the trusted interaction window is maintained to be the top most window when it is called by an application, for example, during an online transaction, or any other suitable action. The trusted interaction window may be generated via a browser, or operating system, or any other suitable application. As such, the trusted interaction window detects when another window is overlayed on top of it, such as a chromeless window, thereby preventing an unscrupulous party from tricking the user or obtaining sensitive information. A user may be notified via any suitable notification that the trusted interaction window has been overlayed so that the user may take the appropriate action if desired.

Claims

1. A method for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:

displaying a GUI that includes a trusted interaction window;

continuously determining whether information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window; and

taking desired action when an overlay condition has been determined.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein taking desired action includes at least one of:

generating a user notification in response to determining that information has been overlayed on top of the displayed trusted interaction window and disabling an operation being requested via the trusted interaction window when an overlay condition has been determined.

3. The method of claim 1 including keeping the trusted interaction window as a top most window in a display area in response to determining that an overlay condition has occurred.

4. The method of claim 1 including selecting a first graphic for display with the trusted interaction window and changing the graphic to a second graphic in response to a detection that a user is about to take action that is available through the trusted interaction window.

5. The method of claim 1 including notifying an application of the detected overlay condition.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein continuously determining whether information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window includes:

determining a dimension of the trusted interaction window and a location of the trusted interaction window;

selecting an area within the trusted interaction window; and

determining which of a plurality of windows is visible at the selected area within the trusted interaction window.

7. The method of claim 1 including, receiving a call from a calling application to present the trusted interaction window as part of a secure on-line transaction and in response thereto, performing the step of displaying a GUI that includes a trusted interaction window.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory containing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

display a GUI that includes a trusted interaction window;

continuously determine whether information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window; and

take desired action when an overlay condition has been determined.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the memory includes executable instructions that cause the processor to at least one of:

generate a user notification in response to determining that information has been overlayed on top of the displayed trusted interaction window and disable an operation being requested via the trusted interaction window when an overlay condition has been determined.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the memory includes executable instructions that cause the processor to keep the trusted interaction window as a top most window in a display area in response to determining that an overlay condition has occurred.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the memory includes executable instructions that cause the processor to select a first graphic for display with the trusted interaction window and changing the graphic in response to a detection that a user is about to take action.