METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO IMPLEMENT FINGERPRINT LOOKUPS ACROSS REMOTE AGENTS

• US 20100064372A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freedom Solutions Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Workshare Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Beyer, Ilya, More, Scott, Sweeting, Daniel Christopher John
• Granted Patent: US 9,473,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• 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 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems to protect an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure. The present system uses protect agents installed across various egress points (e.g., email server, user'"'"'s computer, etc.) to monitor information disclosed by a user. The present system also provides the use of fingerprint servers to remotely maintain a database of fingerprints associated with the organization'"'"'s secure data. In one embodiment, the protect agents transmit fingerprints associated with the user'"'"'s information to the fingerprint server utilizing a local network or the public internet. The protect agents then receive a comparison analysis from the fingerprint servers and execute appropriate security action based on the analysis. In one embodiment, a combination of the local network and public internet is utilized to achieve remote agent lookups.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure, the computer implemented method comprising:

implementing a first protect agent at a first egress point, wherein the first protect agent receives input information that a user desires to transmit outside of a given organization, and wherein the first egress point represents means by which the input information is transmitted outside of the given organization;

transmitting the input information from the first protect agent to a remote fingerprint server utilizing a network, wherein the remote fingerprint server includes a database of registered fingerprints; and

generating a comparison analysis by comparing a set of client fingerprints associated with the input information transmitted by the first protect agent against the database of registered fingerprints included in the remote fingerprint server.

2. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, the computer implemented method further comprising:

transmitting the comparison analysis back to the first protect agent utilizing the network.

3. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first egress point includes a printer.

4. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first egress point includes a removable data storage medium.

5. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first egress point includes an email server connected to the network.

6. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first egress point includes a print server connected to the network.

7. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first egress point includes a network appliance connected to the network.

8. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first egress point includes a clipboard associated with a local operating system.

9. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the input information that the user desires to transmit outside of the given organization includes digital data.

10. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of client fingerprints is generated at the location of the first protect agent such that the input information transmitted to the remote fingerprint server includes the set of client fingerprints.

11. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of client fingerprints is generated at the remote fingerprint server.

12. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 11, wherein a security feature is included in the input information transmitted to the remote fingerprint server.

13. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 12, wherein the security feature includes encrypting the input information before transmission.

14. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the network includes a local network.

15. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 14, wherein the local network is inherent to the given organization such that the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the local network.

16. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the network includes a public internet.

17. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 16, wherein the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the public internet.

18. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 17, wherein the remote fingerprint server is hosted and maintained by a hosted fingerprint service provider.

19. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 18, wherein the hosted fingerprint service provider is not inherent to the given organization, and wherein the hosted fingerprint service provider maintains distinct databases of registered fingerprints for one or more organizations.

20. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the network includes a local network and a public internet, such that:

the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the local network when the first protect agent is connected to the local network;

or

the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the public internet when the first protect agent is disconnected from the local network.

21. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, the computer implemented method further comprising:

maintaining a plurality of remote fingerprint servers, wherein each of the plurality of the remote fingerprint servers includes the database of registered fingerprints.

22. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of remote fingerprint servers are connected to the network.

23. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 21, wherein requests from the plurality of protect agents is routed to a specific remote fingerprint server based on a load distribution.

24. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 21, wherein one or more of the plurality of remote fingerprint servers are located in geographically diverse locations.

25. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein communication between the first protect agent and the remote fingerprint server is by means of web service calls.

26. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more client fingerprints from the set of client fingerprints is cached at the location of the first protect agent.

27. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure, the computer implemented method comprising:

storing a plurality of original fingerprints in a remote fingerprint server connected to a network, wherein the plurality of original fingerprints represents secure information of a given organization;

using a protect agent associated with an egress point to receive a first data that a user desires to transmit outside of a given organization, wherein the egress point represents the means by which the user desires to transmit the first data outside of the given organization;

generating a first set of client fingerprints for the first data;

transmitting the first set of client fingerprints to the remote fingerprint server utilizing the network; and

performing a lookup analysis in the remote fingerprint server, wherein the lookup analysis determines whether any of the first set of client fingerprints is identical to any of the plurality of original fingerprints stored in the remote fingerprint server.

28. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein the computer implemented method further comprises:

transmitting results of the lookup analysis back to the protect agent.

29. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein the egress point includes at least one of:

a printer;

a removable data storage medium;

a clipboard associated with a local operating system;

an email server connected to the network;

a print server connected to the network;

or

a network appliance connected to the network.

30. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein the first data includes digital data.

31. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, the computer implemented method further comprising:

taking a security action in response to the lookup analysis indicating that at least one of the first set of client fingerprints is identical to one of the plurality of original fingerprints stored in the remote fingerprint server.

32. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 31, wherein the security action includes at least one of:

preventing the first data from being disclosed;

logging the event as a security violation;

requiring a password from the user to allow the first data to be disclosed;

blocking the user'"'"'s access to the first data;

sending out a security alert;

or

integration of first data with rights management information.

33. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein the network includes a local network.

34. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 33, wherein the local network is inherent to the given organization such that the remote fingerprint server communicates with the protect agent utilizing the local network.

35. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein the network includes public internet.

36. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 35, wherein the remote fingerprint server communicates with the protect agent utilizing the public internet.

37. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 36, wherein the remote fingerprint server is hosted and maintained by a hosted fingerprint service provider.

38. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 37, wherein the hosted fingerprint service provider is not inherent to the given organization, and wherein the hosted fingerprint service provider maintains distinct databases of registered fingerprints for one or more organizations.

39. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein the network includes a local network and a public internet, such that:

the remote fingerprint server communicates with the protect agent utilizing the local network when the protect agent is connected to the local network;

or

the remote fingerprint server communicates with the protect agent utilizing the public internet when the protect agent is disconnected from the local network.

40. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, the computer implemented method further comprising:

maintaining a plurality of remote fingerprint servers, wherein each of the plurality of the remote fingerprint servers stores the plurality of original fingerprints.

41. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 40, wherein the plurality of remote fingerprint servers are connected to the network.

42. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 40, wherein requests from a specific protect agent is routed to a specific remote fingerprint server based on a load distribution.

43. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 40, wherein one or more of the plurality of remote fingerprint servers are located in geographically diverse locations.

44. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein communication between the protect agent and the remote fingerprint server is by means of web service calls.

45. A computer implemented method for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 27, wherein one or more client fingerprints from the first set of client fingerprints is cached at the location of the protect agent.

46. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure, the computer implemented system comprising:

means for implementing a first protect agent at a first egress point, wherein the first protect agent receives input information that a user desires to transmit outside of a given organization, and wherein the first egress point represents means by which the information is transmitted outside of the given organization;

means for transmitting the input information from the first protect agent to a remote fingerprint server utilizing a network, wherein the remote fingerprint server includes a database of registered fingerprints; and

means for generating a comparison analysis by comparing a set of client fingerprints associated with the input information transmitted by the first protect agent against the database of registered fingerprints included in the remote fingerprint server.

47. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, the system further comprising:

means for transmitting the comparison analysis back to the given protect agent utilizing the network.

48. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the first egress point includes at least one of:

a printer;

a removable data storage medium;

a clipboard associated with a local operating system;

an email server connected to the network;

a print server connected to the network;

or

a network appliance connected to the network.

49. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the input information includes digital data.

50. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the set of client fingerprints is generated at the location of the first protect agent such that the input information transmitted to the remote fingerprint server includes the set of client fingerprints.

51. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the set of client fingerprints is generated at the remote fingerprint server.

52. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 51, wherein a security feature is included in the input information transmitted to the remote fingerprint server.

53. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 52, wherein the security feature includes encrypting the input information before transmission.

54. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the network includes a local network.

55. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 54, wherein the local network is inherent to the given organization such that the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the local network.

56. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the network includes public internet.

57. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 56, wherein the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the public internet.

58. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 56, wherein the remote fingerprint server is hosted and maintained by a hosted fingerprint service provider.

59. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 58, wherein the hosted fingerprint service provider is not inherent to the given organization, and wherein the hosted fingerprint service provider maintains distinct databases of registered fingerprints for one or more organizations.

60. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein the network includes a local network and a public internet, such that:

the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the local network when the first protect agent is connected to the local network;

or

the remote fingerprint server communicates with the first protect agent utilizing the public internet when the first protect agent is disconnected from the local network.

61. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, the computer implemented system further comprising:

a plurality of remote fingerprint servers, wherein each of the plurality of the remote fingerprint servers includes the database of registered fingerprints.

62. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 61, wherein the plurality of remote fingerprint servers are connected to the network.

63. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 61, wherein requests from the given protect agent is routed to a specific remote fingerprint server based on a load distribution.

64. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 61, wherein one or more of the plurality of remote fingerprint servers are located in geographically diverse locations.

65. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein communication between the first protect agent and the remote fingerprint server is by means of web service calls.

66. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure as recited in claim 46, wherein one or more client fingerprints from the set of client fingerprints is cached at the location of the first protect agent.

67. A computer implemented system for protecting an organization'"'"'s secure information from unauthorized disclosure, the computer implemented system comprising:

a remote fingerprint server to store a plurality of original fingerprints, wherein the plurality of original fingerprints represents secure information of a given organization;

means for implementing a protect agent that is associated with an egress point, wherein the protect agent receives a first data that a user desires to transmit outside of a given organization, and wherein the egress point represents means by which the user desires to transmit the first data outside of the given organization;

means for generating a first set of client fingerprints for the first data;

means for transmitting the first set of client fingerprints to the remote fingerprint server utilizing the network; and

means for performing a lookup analysis in the remote fingerprint server, wherein the lookup analysis determines whether any of the first set of client fingerprints is identical to any of the plurality of original fingerprints stored in the remote fingerprint server.