METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

• US 20120144449A1
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forcepoint LLC
• Original Assignee: PortAuthority Technologies, Inc. (Forcepoint LLC)
• Inventors: Peled, Ariel, Troyansky, Lidror, Carny, Ofir
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control

Abstract

A method for computer workstation based information protection is presented, the method comprises: a) monitoring user'"'"'s actions on the computer workstation, b) analysis of the actions in respect to a pre-defined policy to determine whether the actions prejudice information to which the policy applies, and c) executing the policy in accordance with the results of the analysis to prevent or modify or restrict or monitor or log the actions.

Claims

1. A method for information protection, said information comprising information items, said information being for presentation on a computer screen, comprising:

a) defining an information protection policy with respect to certain information item b) determining the measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy c) allowing presentation of information comprising items for which an information protection policy is defined on said computer screen only while said required measures are being applied.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise requiring typing a key-combination that forces the user to keep both hands on a keyboard.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise:

a) attaching and connecting a digital video camera to said computer, said digital camera photographing the user;

b) analyzing the output of said camera in order to determine that the user is looking at said computer screen; and

c) presenting said protected information on said computer screen only while the user is looking at said computer screen.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said analysis of the output of said camera further allows to determine the part of said screen on which the eyes of said user are focused and said protected information appears only on the part of said screen on which the eyes of said user are focused.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said analysis further allows to verify the identity of said user and said protected information is presented on said computer screen only after the identity of said user has been verified to be an identity of a user authorized to access said information.

6. A method according to claim 3, comprising storing the video sequence that is produced by said camera while the user is viewing said information.

7. A method according to claim 6, comprising storing said video sequence in a secure storage.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising setting the frame-rate of the screen in a manner that is not synchronized with standard frame-rates of video cameras.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising dynamically changing the frame-rate of the screen.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise viewing said information being allowed only using a head-mounted display.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise a sensor operable to detect that said user is wearing said head-mounted display, and wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that said user is wearing said head-mounted display.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said head-mounted display is equipped with a device operable to identify said user using a biometric feature.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said protected information is presented on said head-mounted display only after said sensor has verified that said user identity is an identity of an user authorized to use said information.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said measures comprise requiring usage of special glasses for viewing said information on said computer screen.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said special glasses are equipped with shutters, said shutters being opened only when said information is displayed.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein at least part of said information is presented on said screen in certain, very short, time intervals, while other visual information is presented on said screen during other time intervals, in a manner operable to interfere with viewing said information without said glasses or with photographing the screen.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein said information is presented on said screen in a manner that can substantially be viewed only while using glasses operable to present 3-dimensional image of said information presented on said screen.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said measures comprise a sensor operable to detect that said user is wearing said glasses, and wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that said user is wearing said glasses.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein said glasses are equipped with a device operable to identify said user using a biometric feature.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only after said sensor has verified that said user identity is an identity of an user authorized to use said information.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise at least one camera-detection sensor, operable to detect the presence of camera.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only after said sensor has substantially verified that no camera capable of taking screenshots of said screen exists in a position that allows taking screenshots of said screen.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise verifying that the screen on which said information is to be displayed is a screen that restricts the viewing angle.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise constantly moving the protected information.

25. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise displaying the text against a background that is designed in a manner that effectively reduces the quality of a picture taken by a standard camera.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise requiring the usage of a LCD screen.

27. A system for information protection, said information comprising information items, said information being for presented presentation on a computer screen, comprising:

a) a policy reference monitor for defining an information protection policy with respect to an certain information item and determining the measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy b) a policy execution module for allowing presentation of information comprising items for which an information protection policy is defined on said computer screen only while said required measures are being applied.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise requiring typing a key-combination that forces the user to keep both hands on a keyboard.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise:

attaching and connecting a digital video camera to said computer, said digital camera photographing the user;

analyzing the output of said camera in order to determine that the user is looking at said computer screen; and

presenting said protected information on said computer screen only while the user is looking at said computer screen.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein said analysis further allows to verify the identity of said user and said protected information is presented on said computer screen only after the identity of said user has been verified to be an identity of a user authorized to access said information.

31. A system according to claim 29, comprising storing the video sequence that is produced by said camera while the user is viewing said information.

32. A system according to claim 27, comprising setting the frame-rate of the screen in a manner that is not synchronized with standard frame-rates of video cameras.

33. A system according to claim 27, comprising dynamically changing the frame-rate of the screen.

34. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise viewing said information being allowed only using a head-mounted display.

35. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures further comprise a sensor operable to detect that said user is wearing said head-mounted display, and wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that said user is wearing said head-mounted display.

36. A system according to claim 35, wherein said head-mounted display is equipped with a device operable to identify said user using a biometric feature.

37. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise requiring usage of special glasses for viewing said information on said computer screen.

38. A system according to claim 37, wherein at least part of said information is presented on said screen in certain, very short, time intervals, while other visual information is presented on said screen during other time intervals, in a manner operable to interfere with viewing said information without said glasses or with photographing the screen.

39. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise at least one camera-detection sensor, operable to detect the presence of camera.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only after said sensor has substantially verified that no camera capable of taking screenshots of said screen exists in a position that allows taking screenshots of said screen.

41. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise constantly moving the protected information.

42. A system according to claim 27, wherein said measures comprise displaying the text against a background that is designed in a manner that effectively reduces the quality of a picture taken by a standard camera.