System or method to assist and automate an information security classification and marking process for government and non-government organizations for information of an electronic document

• US 8,713,054 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Luke Turner, Robert Edward Turner
• Original Assignee: James Luke Turner, Robert Edward Turner
• Inventors: Turner, James Luke, Turner, Robert Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US13/153,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 707/669, 707/770, 707/802, 707/803, 707/804, 707/783, 707/784, 707/694, 709/203, 709/223, 726/27
• US Class Current: 707/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A software engine runs in a compatible mode with off-the-shelf word processors, e-mail programs and presentation development software and other document development software. The software engine is used for the security classification of sensitive or national security classified information in electronic and resultant hard copy document formats. The software engine ensures that the individual considers all informational portions of a document, that appropriate document marks are employed, that document marks in their electronic format are persistent and that all necessary information, such as classification guides, standards and security regulations, provided by the organization to classify information is at hand and immediately available. In addition to the document sensitivity or classification determination and marking support, the software engine tracks and controls documents and the electronic media storing documents. It also provides warnings and alarms, ad hoc document security analysis and reporting capability to system security administrators with respect to document or network events or captured information that may be indicative of risk to the information requiring protection. The software also provides the ability for an organization to centrally establish and control a security classification or sensitivity marking hierarchy for automated security classification support.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method to automate an overall document classification mark determination for information of an electronic document in accordance with an information security classification process, said method comprising:

a. executing on at least one computer system,

b. establishing an electronic document security regimen comprising of at least one criterion of an information security classification process,

c. establishing a hierarchal algorithm associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen,

d. establishing an overall document mark for information of an electronic document from said hierarchal algorithm, where said hierarchal algorithm uses at least one classification mark existing for at least one informational portion of said electronic document, and

e. inserting said overall document mark into said electronic document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one requirement for a final classification mark and wherein said overall document mark is established as said final classification mark where said at least one requirement is met, and wherein said overall document mark is established as an interim mark where said at least one requirement is not met.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one requirement for an interim mark and wherein said overall document mark is established as said interim mark when said at least one requirement is met.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a. identifying a change to said electronic document,

b. re-establishing said overall document mark for said electronic document, and

c. re-inserting said overall document mark in said electronic document.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a. establishing a document identification string comprising said overall document mark, and

b. inserting said document identification string into a visible display space of a document development application for said electronic document.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing said overall document mark before said electronic document is transferred.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic document is transferred comprising at least one of:

sending said electronic document as email, or printing said electronic document.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing said overall document mark before said electronic document is saved to an electronic storage medium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said electronic document is saved before an output action of a document development application is performed on said electronic document.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said output action comprising at least one of printing, or displaying a slide show.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said inserting said overall document mark into said electronic document, said overall document mark is embedded into an electronic shell of said electronic document.

12. A computer-implemented method to assist an information security classification process of an organization for security classification and marking of an electronic document on a computer system, said method comprising:

a. performing on at least one computer system,

b. establishing an electronic document security regimen comprising at least one criterion of an information security classification process,

c. displaying a user classification dialogue for at least one informational portion of an electronic document, where said user classification dialogue comprising a menu of choices, where said menu of choices comprising at least one element for selection, and where said at least one element is associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen,

d. retrieving said at least one element where said at least one element is selected,

e. establishing a classification mark from said at least one criterion associated with the retrieved said at least one element, and

f. inserting said classification mark into said electronic document.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing an administrative interface for establishing said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

a. establishing a unique code for said electronic document security regimen for an organization, and

b. embedding said unique code into said electronic document,

whereby said unique code establishes for said electronic document an identification of ownership for said organization.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising inserting a location storage path for said electronic document into said electronic document.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said location storage path comprising of a unique identification code assigned to a storage medium on said computer system.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising associating a second electronic document that is derived from a first electronic document, wherein said associating said second electronic document that is derived from said first electronic document comprising:

a. generating a unique code,

b. embedding said unique code into said second electronic document, and

c. embedding said unique code into said first electronic document.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said inserting said classification mark into said electronic document, said classification mark identifies said at least one informational portion as national security classified information, sensitive information, or unclassified information.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising establishing said classification mark before said electronic document is saved to an electronic storage medium.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

establishing a hierarchal algorithm associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen, establishing an overall document mark for said electronic document from said hierarchal algorithm, where said hierarchal algorithm uses said classification mark existing for said at least one informational portion of said electronic document and inserting said overall document mark into said electronic document.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said establishing said overall document mark, where said overall document mark is established before said electronic document is transferred.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said electronic document is transferred comprising:

sending said electronic document as email, or printing said electronic document.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one requirement for a final classification mark and wherein said overall document mark is established as said final classification mark where said at least one requirement is met, and where said overall document mark is established as an interim mark where said at least one requirement is not met.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one requirement comprising said electronic document does not have an unresolved tracked change to information of said electronic document.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one requirement comprising a classification block exists within said electronic document.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one requirement comprising all informational portions of said electronic document have a portion mark or a code indicating said portion mark is not required.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

a. establishing a document identification string that incorporates said overall document mark, and

b. inserting said document identification string into a visible display space of a document development application for said electronic document.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one requirement for an interim classification mark, and wherein said overall document mark is established as said interim classification mark where said at least one requirement is met.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said at least one requirement comprising said at least one informational portion without a portion mark and without a code, where said code indicates said portion mark is not required for said at least one informational portion.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

a. identifying a change to said electronic document,

b. re-establishing said overall document mark for said electronic document, and

c. re-inserting said overall document mark in said electronic document.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising establishing said overall document mark before said electronic document is saved to an electronic storage medium.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said electronic document is saved before an output action of said computer system is performed for said electronic document.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said output action comprising at least one of:

printing, or displaying a presentation.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein said inserting said overall document mark into said electronic document, said overall document mark is embedded into an electronic shell of said electronic document.

35. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one unique code that is associated with said at least one criterion, and wherein said method further comprising embedding said at least one unique code into said electronic document where said at least one unique code is associated with said classification mark.

36. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one criterion comprising at least one designator, where said at least one designator comprising at least one of:

a. a national security classification,

b. a sensitive classification, or

c. an unclassified classification.

37. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one informational portion in said electronic document is a single said at least one informational portion, and wherein said classification mark is established as a portion mark.

38. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one informational portion of said electronic document is more than one said at least one informational portion of said electronic document, and wherein said classification mark is established as an overall document mark.

39. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one element is pre-selected to represent a pre-existing said classification mark.

40. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising a need-to-know access profile assigned to a user of said computer system, and wherein said at least one element, of said menu of choices, is limited to said need-to-know access profile assigned to said user of said computer system.

41. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one classification guidance document registered in said electronic document security regimen, and wherein said method further comprising displaying said classification guidance document to a user of said computer system.

42. The method of claim 12, further comprising setting focus to said at least one informational portion of said electronic document within a document development application.

43. The method of claim 12, further comprising highlighting said at least one informational portion of said electronic document within a document development application.

44. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one criterion comprising of at least one high-level classification designator, and wherein said at least one element comprising of at least one high-level element.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least one criterion further comprising of at least one caveat, and wherein said at least one element further comprising of at least one caveat element.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said at least one caveat element is associated with said at least one high-level element.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said at least one caveat element is associated with a second said at least one caveat element.

48. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

a. providing a central service server comprising a relational structure,

b. assigning a unique identification code to at least one element of said at least one computer system, and

c. registering said at least one element of said at least one computer system with the assigned said unique identification code in said relational structure.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said at least one element of said at least one computer system comprising at least one of:

a. a user of said at least one computer system,

b. said electronic document, or

c. an electronic storage medium.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

a. assigning a unique identification code to said at least one computer system,

b. assigning a unique identification code to a network of said at least one computer system,

c. registering said at least one computer system with the assigned said unique identification code in said relational structure, and

d. registering said network with the assigned said unique identification code in said relational structure.

51. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

a. providing a central service server comprising a relational structure, and

b. registering a storage location and an overall document mark for said electronic document in said relational structure.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein said storage location comprising:

a. a computer identification,

b. a drive identification, and

c. a file path on said drive for said electronic document.

53. The method of claim 12, wherein said menu of choices further comprising a mark not required selection, and wherein said method further comprising retrieving said mark not required selection where said mark not required selection is selected, whereby said mark not required selection establishes that no visible said classification mark is required for said at least one informational portion.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the retrieved said mark not required selection is represented by a code, and wherein said method further comprising inserting said code into said electronic document.

55. The method of claim 12, wherein said inserting said classification mark into said electronic document, said classification mark is embedded into an electronic shell of said electronic document.

56. The method of claim 12, wherein said inserting said classification mark into said electronic document, said classification mark is embedded into said at least one informational portion of said electronic document.

57. The method of claim 12, wherein said inserting said classification mark into said electronic document, where said classification mark is inserted as being associated with said at least one informational portion of said electronic document.

58. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one computer system comprising at least two computer systems communicating over a network.

59. The method of claim 12, wherein said menu of choices further comprising an unknown selection, and wherein said method further comprising retrieving said unknown selection where said unknown selection is selected, whereby said unknown selection establishes that a classification for said at least one informational portion is not known and will need further consideration at a later time.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the retrieved said unknown selection is represented by a code, and wherein said method further comprising inserting said code into said electronic document.

61. The method of claim 12, further comprising running in a compatible mode with a document development application on said computer system.

62. The method of claim 12, further comprising establishing a button within a document development application to initiate a classification marking process for said at least one informational portion.

63. The method of claim 12, further comprising embedding at least one item of information into an electronic shell of said electronic document, where said at least one item of information comprising:

a. a classification criterion for said electronic document, and

b. a network identification for a network of said at least one computer system where said electronic document is developed.

64. A system to automate an overall document classification mark determination, for information of an electronic document in accordance with an information security classification process, said system comprising at least one computer system, where said at least one computer system comprising at least one computer readable electronic storage medium, where said at least one computer readable electronic storage medium comprising at least one software engine, where said at least one software engine comprising:

a. establish an electronic document security regimen comprising of at least one criterion of an information security classification and marking process on said computer system,

b. establish a hierarchal algorithm associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen,

c. establish an overall document mark for security classification of information of an electronic document from said hierarchal algorithm, where said hierarchal algorithm uses at least one classification mark existing for at least one informational portion of said electronic document, and

d. insert said overall document mark into said electronic document.

65. A system to assist an information security classification process of an organization for security classification and marking of an electronic document, said system comprising at least one computer system, where said at least one computer system comprising at least one electronic storage medium, where said at least one electronic storage medium comprising at least one software engine, where said at least one software engine comprising:

a. establish an electronic document security regimen comprising at least one criterion of an information security classification process,

b. display a user classification dialogue for at least one informational portion of an electronic document, where said user classification dialogue comprising a menu of choices, where said menu of choices comprising at least one element for selection, and where said at least one element is associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen,

c. retrieve said at least one element, where said at least one element is selected,

d. establish a classification mark from said at least one criterion associated with the retrieved said at least one element, and

e. insert said classification mark into said electronic document.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising provide an administrative interface to establish said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

a. establish a unique code for said electronic document security regimen for an organization, and

b. embed said unique code into said electronic document,

whereby said unique code establishes for said electronic document an identification of ownership for said organization.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising insert a location storage path for said electronic document into said electronic document.

69. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising associate a second electronic document that is derived from a first electronic document, wherein said associate said second electronic document that is derived from said first electronic document comprising:

a. generate a unique code,

b. embed said unique code into said second electronic document, and

c. embed said unique code into said first electronic document.

70. The system of claim 65, wherein said insert said classification mark into said electronic document, said classification mark identifies said at least one informational portion as national security classified information, sensitive information, or unclassified information.

71. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising establish said classification mark before said electronic document is saved to said at least one electronic storage medium.

72. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

establish a hierarchal algorithm associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen, establish an overall document mark for said electronic document from said hierarchal algorithm, where said hierarchal algorithm uses said classification mark existing for said at least one portion of said electronic document, and insert said overall document mark into said electronic document.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one requirement for a final classification mark and wherein said overall document mark is established as said final classification mark where said at least one requirement is met, and where said overall document mark is established as an interim mark where said at least one requirement is not met.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein said at least one requirement comprising all informational portions of said electronic document have a portion mark or a code indicating said portion mark is not required for said at least one informational portion.

75. The system of claim 72, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

a. establish a document identification string that incorporates said overall document mark, and

b. insert said document identification string into a visible display space of a document development application for said electronic document.

76. The system of claim 72, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one requirement for an interim classification mark, and wherein said overall document mark is established as said interim classification mark where said at least one requirement is met.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein said at least one requirement comprising said at least one informational portion without a portion mark and without a code, where said code indicates said portion mark is not required for said at least one informational portion.

78. The system of claim 72, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

a. identify a change to said electronic document,

b. re-establish said overall document mark for said electronic document, and

c. re-insert said overall document mark in said electronic document.

79. The system of claim 72, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising establish said overall document mark before said electronic document is saved to an electronic storage medium.

80. The system of claim 65, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one unique code that is associated with said at least one criterion, and wherein said at least one software engine further comprising embed said at least one unique code into said electronic document, where said at least one unique code is associated with said classification mark.

81. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one criterion comprising at least one designator, where said at least one designator comprising at least one of:

a. a national security classification,

b. a sensitive classification, or

c. an unclassified classification.

82. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one informational portion in said electronic document is a single said at least one informational portion, and wherein said classification mark is established as a portion mark.

83. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one informational portion of said electronic document is more than one said at least one informational portion of said electronic document, and wherein said classification mark is established as an overall document mark.

84. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one element is pre-selected to represent a pre-existing said classification mark.

85. The system of claim 65, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising a need-to-know access profile assigned to a user of said computer system, and where said at least one element, of said menu of choices, is limited to said need-to-know access profile assigned to said user of said computer.

86. The system of claim 65, wherein said electronic document security regimen further comprising at least one classification guidance document registered in said electronic document security regimen, and wherein said at least one software engine further comprising display said classification guidance document to a user of said computer system.

87. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising set focus to said at least one informational portion of said electronic document within a document development application.

88. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising highlight said at least one informational portion of said electronic document within a document development application.

89. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one criterion comprising of at least one high-level classification designator, and wherein said at least one element comprising of at least one high-level element.

90. The system of claim 89, wherein said at least one criterion further comprising of at least one caveat, and wherein said at least one element further comprising of at least one caveat element.

91. The system of claim 90, wherein said at least one caveat element is associated with said at least one high-level element.

92. The system of claim 90, wherein said at least one caveat element is associated with a second said at least one caveat element.

93. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

a. provide a central service server comprising a relational structure,

b. assign a unique identification code to at least one element of said at least one computer system, and

c. register said at least one element of said at least one computer system with the assigned said unique identification code in said relational structure.

94. The system of claim 93, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

a. assign a unique identification code to said at least one computer system,

b. assign a unique identification code to a network of said at least one computer system,

c. register said at least one computer system with the assigned said unique identification code in said relational structure, and

d. register said network with the assigned said unique identification code in said relational structure.

95. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising:

a. provide a central service server comprising a relational structure, and

b. register a storage location and an overall document mark for said electronic document in said relational structure.

96. The system of claim 65, wherein said menu of choices further comprising a mark not required selection, and wherein said at least one software engine further comprising retrieving said mark not required selection where said mark not required selection is selected, whereby said mark not required selection establishes that no visible said classification mark is required for said at least one informational portion.

97. The system of claim 96, wherein the retrieved said mark not required selection is represented by a code, and wherein said at least one software engine further comprising inserting said code into said electronic document.

98. The system of claim 65, wherein said insert said classification mark into said electronic document, said classification mark is associated with said at least one informational portion of said electronic document.

99. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one computer system comprising at least two computer systems communicating over a network.

100. The system of claim 65, wherein said menu of choices further comprising an unknown selection, and wherein said at least one software engine further comprising retrieving said unknown selection where said unknown selection is selected, whereby said unknown selection establishes that a classification for said at least one informational portion is not known and will need further consideration at a later time.

101. The system of claim 100, wherein the retrieved said unknown selection is represented by a code, and wherein said at least one software engine further comprising inserting said code into said electronic document.

102. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine runs in a compatible mode with a document development application on said computer system.

103. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising establish a button within a document development application to initiate a classification marking process for said at least one informational portion.

104. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one software engine further comprising embed at least one item of information in an electronic shell of said electronic document, where said at least one item of information comprising:

a. a classification criterion for said electronic document, and

b. a network identification for a network of said at least one computer system where said electronic document is developed.

105. A computer program product to assist an information security classification process of an organization for security classification and marking of an electronic document, where said computer program product comprising at least one computer readable electronic storage medium, where said at least one computer readable electronic storage medium comprising at least one software engine, where said at least one software engine comprising:

a. establish an electronic document security regimen comprising at least one criterion of an information security classification process,

b. display a user classification dialogue for at least one informational portion of an electronic document, where said user classification dialogue comprising a menu of choices, where said menu of choices comprising at least one element for selection, and where said at least one element is associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen,

c. retrieve said at least one element where said at least one element is selected,

d. establish a classification mark from said at least one criterion associated with the retrieved said at least one element, and

e. insert said classification mark into said electronic document.

106. A computer program product to automate an overall document classification mark determination, for information of an electronic document, in accordance with an information security classification process, the computer program product comprising at least one computer readable electronic storage medium, where said at least one computer readable electronic storage medium comprising at least one software engine, where said at least one software engine comprising:

a. establish an electronic document security regimen comprising of at least one criterion of an information security classification process,

b. establish a hierarchal algorithm associated with said at least one criterion of said electronic document security regimen,

c. establish an overall document mark for information of an electronic document from said hierarchal algorithm, where said hierarchal algorithm uses at least one classification mark existing for at least one informational portion of said electronic document, and

d. insert said overall document mark into said electronic document.