MANAGING THE CREATION, DETECTION, AND MAINTENANCE OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION

• US 20100011000A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gerken, John K. III, Chakra, Al, Lyle, Ruthie D., Henderson, Roderick C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• 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: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

A method, information processing system, and computer program storage product for managing information within an electronic file are provided. A plurality of information sets within an electronic file is analyzed. At least one of the information sets is compared to at least one statistical classification model. The statistical classification model includes one or more probabilities associated with a plurality of analyzed information sets that indicate a likelihood that a respective analyzed information set is classified sensitive information. The at least one information set is determined to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model. The probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is determined whether to be above a threshold. The at least one information set is classified as sensitive information in response to determining that the probability is above the threshold.

Claims

1. A method for managing information within an electronic file, the method comprising:

analyzing a plurality of information sets within an electronic file;

comparing at least one of the information sets in the plurality of information sets to at least one statistical classification model, wherein the statistical classification model includes one or more probabilities associated with a plurality of analyzed information sets that indicate a likelihood that a respective analyzed information set is classified sensitive information;

determining that the at least one information set substantially matches at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model;

determining that a probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is above a given threshold; and

classifying, in response to determining that the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is above a given threshold, the at least one information set as sensitive information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the at least one information set fails to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model; and

classifying, in response to determining that the at least one information set fails to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model, the at least one information set as non-sensitive information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is below a given threshold; and

classifying, in response to determining that the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is below a given threshold, the at least one information set as non-sensitive information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a user is currently creating the information classified as sensitive information in the electronic file; and

visually altering the information that has been classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering notifies the user that sensitive information has been created.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a user is requesting access to the electronic file;

determining that the electronic file includes the information classified as sensitive information; and

visually altering the information that has been classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering makes the information classified as sensitive incomprehensible to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a user is requesting access to the electronic file;

determining that the electronic file includes the information classified as sensitive information;

determining if the user is associated with an access right that allows access to the sensitive information;

preventing the user from accessing at least the sensitive information in response to determining that the user fails to be associated with an access right that allows access to the sensitive information; and

granting the user access to the sensitive information based on the access right in response to determining that the user is associated with an access right that allows access to the sensitive information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein preventing the user from accessing at least the sensitive information, further comprises:

visually altering the information that has been classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering makes the information classified as sensitive incomprehensible to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the at least one statistical classification model, wherein the generating comprises;

receiving a plurality of electronic files each comprising at least one information set designated as sensitive information;

determining a set of parameters and a set of contexts associated the at least one information set for each of the plurality of electronic files; and

storing each of the at least one information sets, the set of parameters, and the set of contexts in the at least one statistical classification model.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises:

determining at least one equivalent information set for each of the at least one information sets that substantially matches the respective at least one information set; and

storing at least one equivalent information set for each of the at least one information sets in the at least one statistical classification model.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a set of parameters and a set of contexts associated the at least one information set for each of the plurality of electronic files, further comprises:

analyzing each of the least one information sets at least one of;

a page level;

a paragraph level;

a sentence level;

a word level; and

a field level.

11. An information processing system for managing information within an electronic file, the information processing system comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

an information manager communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the information manager is adapted to;

analyze a plurality of information sets within an electronic file;

compare at least one of the information sets in the plurality of information sets to at least one statistical classification model, wherein the statistical classification model includes one or more probabilities associated with a plurality of analyzed information sets that indicate a likelihood that a respective analyzed information set is classified sensitive information;

determine that the at least one information set substantially matches at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model;

determine that a probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is above a given threshold; and

classify, in response the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set being above a given threshold, the at least one information set as sensitive information.

12. The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the information manager is further adapted to:

determine that the at least one information set fails to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model; and

classify, in response to the at least one information set failing to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model, the at least one information set as non-sensitive information.

13. The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the information manager is further adapted to:

determine that the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is below a given threshold; and

classify, in response to the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set being below a given threshold, the at least one information set as non-sensitive information.

14. The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the information manager is further adapted to:

determine that a user is currently creating the information classified as sensitive information in the electronic file; and

visually alter the information that has been classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering notifies the user that sensitive information has been created.

15. The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the information manager is further adapted to:

determine that a user is requesting access to the electronic file;

determine that the electronic file includes the information classified as sensitive information;

visually alter the information that has been classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering makes the information classified as sensitive incomprehensible to the user.

16. A computer program storage product for managing information within an electronic file, the computer program storage product comprising instructions for:

analyzing a plurality of information sets within an electronic file;

comparing at least one of the information sets in the plurality of information sets to at least one statistical classification model, wherein the statistical classification model includes one or more probabilities associated with a plurality of analyzed information sets that indicate a likelihood that a respective analyzed information set is classified sensitive information;

determining that the at least one information set substantially matches at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model;

determining that a probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is above a given threshold; and

classifying, in response to determining that the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is above a given threshold, the at least one information set as sensitive information.

17. The computer program storage product of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

determining if the at least one information set fails to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model; and

classifying, in response to determining that the at least one information set fails to substantially match at least one analyzed information set in the statistical classification model, the at least one information set as non-sensitive information;

determining if the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is below a given threshold; and

classifying, in response to determining that the probability associated with the at least one analyzed information set is below a given threshold, the at least one information set as non-sensitive information.

18. The computer program storage product of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

determining if a user is currently creating the information classified as sensitive information in the electronic file;

visually altering the information that has been classified as sensitive information in response to determining that the user is currently creating the information classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering notifies the user that sensitive information has been created;

determining if a user is requesting access to the electronic file;

determining, in response to the user requesting access to the electronic file, that the electronic file includes the information classified as sensitive information; and

visually altering the information that has been classified as sensitive information in response to determining that the electronic file includes the information classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering makes the information classified as sensitive incomprehensible to the user.

19. The computer program storage product of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

determining that a user is requesting access to the electronic file;

determining that the electronic file includes the information classified as sensitive information in the electronic file;

determining if the user is associated with an access right that allows access to the sensitive information;

preventing the user from accessing at least the sensitive information in response to determining that the user fails to be associated with an access right that allows access to the sensitive information; and

granting the user access to the sensitive information based on the access right in response to determining that the user is associated with an access right that allows access to the sensitive information.

20. The computer program storage product of claim 19, wherein the instructions for preventing the user from accessing at least the sensitive information, further comprises instructions for:

visually altering the information that has been classified as sensitive information, wherein the visually altering makes the information classified as sensitive incomprehensible to the user.