UNVEIL INFORMATION ON PROMPT

• US 20140173450A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: AKULA, Nagasravani
• Granted Patent: US 10,121,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/032 Protect output to user by software means

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for controlling presentation of sensitive information in a user interface of an application. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for masking the sensitive information when being entered by the user. However, if the user wants to verify the entry or display the sensitive information in readable text, the information can be displayed or unmasked upon request. For example, in response to the user clicking a button or other control of the user interface associated with the sensitive information or by another mouse or keyboard event, the requested sensitive information can be unmasked and displayed in the clear, for example as a tool tip or in the originally presented element of the user interface. The user can then close the tooltip or mask the information, e.g., after verification of what he/she typed.

Claims

1. A method for controlling presentation of sensitive information in a user interface of an application, the method comprising:

generating the user interface of the application, the user interface comprising a plurality of elements for displaying application information including at least one field of information identified as sensitive and wherein the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is masked;

presenting the generated user interface to a user of the application;

receiving a request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive;

in response to the request, determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive; and

in response to determining to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive, updating the user interface to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive and presenting the updated user interface to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the at least one field of information as sensitive; and

saving an indication of the at least one field of information being identified as sensitive, wherein generating the user interface is based on the saved indication of the at least one field of information being identified as sensitive.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising registering the user, wherein said registering includes saving information identifying the user and wherein said determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is based on the saved information identifying the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to said generating the user interface of the application:

receiving a request for the user interface of the application; and

initiating a user session of the application for the user with an initial authentication level for the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive further comprises determining whether the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is a first such request.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising in response to determining the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is the first such request, granting the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive based on the initial authentication level for the user and updating the authentication level for the user, wherein the updated authentication level for the user is less restrictive than the initial authentication level for the user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising in response to determining the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is not the first such request, granting the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive based on the updated authentication level for the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to re-mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive; and

in response to determining to re-mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive, updating the user interface to mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive and presenting the updated user interface to the user.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control presentation of sensitive information in a user interface of an application by;

generating the user interface of the application, the user interface comprising a plurality of elements for displaying application information including at least one field of information identified as sensitive and wherein the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is masked;

presenting the generated user interface to a user of the application;

receiving a request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive;

in response to the request, determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive; and

in response to determining to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive, updating the user interface to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive and presenting the updated user interface to the user.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying the at least one field of information as sensitive; and

saving an indication of the at least one field of information being identified as sensitive, wherein generating the user interface is based on the saved indication of the at least one field of information being identified as sensitive.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising registering the user, wherein said registering includes saving information identifying the user and wherein said determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is based on the saved information identifying the user.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising prior to said generating the user interface of the application:

receiving a request for the user interface of the application; and

initiating a user session of the application for the user with an initial authentication level for the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive further comprises determining whether the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is a first such request.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising in response to determining the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is the first such request, granting the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive based on the initial authentication level for the user and updating the authentication level for the user, wherein the updated authentication level for the user is less restrictive than the initial authentication level for the user.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising in response to determining the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is not the first such request, granting the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive based on the updated authentication level for the user.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether to re-mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive; and

in response to determining to re-mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive, updating the user interface to mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive and presenting the updated user interface to the user.

17. A computer-readable memory storing a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control presentation of sensitive information in a user interface of an application by:

generating the user interface of the application, the user interface comprising a plurality of elements for displaying application information including at least one field of information identified as sensitive and wherein the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is masked;

presenting the generated user interface to a user of the application;

receiving a request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive;

in response to the request, determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive; and

in response to determining to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive, updating the user interface to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive and presenting the updated user interface to the user.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 17, further comprising prior to said generating the user interface of the application:

receiving a request for the user interface of the application; and

initiating a user session of the application for the user with an initial authentication level for the user.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 18, wherein determining whether to grant the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive further comprises:

determining whether the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is a first such request;

in response to determining the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is the first such request, granting the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive based on the initial authentication level for the user and updating the authentication level for the user, wherein the updated authentication level for the user is less restrictive than the initial authentication level for the user; and

in response to determining the request from the user to unmask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive is not the first such request, granting the user access to the at least one field of information identified as sensitive based on the updated authentication level for the user.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 19, further comprising:

determining whether to re-mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive; and

in response to determining to re-mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive, updating the user interface to mask the element displaying the at least one field of information identified as sensitive and presenting the updated user interface to the user.