Instant messaging private tags

• US 9,037,862 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kent, Larry G. Jr., Daniell, W. Todd, Davis, Joel A., Daigle, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parthasarathy, Pramila
• Application Number:
  US13/909,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• 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 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Systems for instant messaging private tags preferably comprise a parser for parsing an instant message for sensitive data and an encryption engine for encrypting the sensitive data. A modified uuencoder is also preferably included for converting the encrypted sensitive data into a data stream that complies with an XML format. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

parsing a message for sensitive data;

encrypting the sensitive data;

generating private tags; and

tagging the sensitive data by inserting the private tags at a beginning of the sensitive data and at an end of the sensitive data,

wherein information in the private tags comprises a name and value pair identifying a decryption method to utilize in decrypting the sensitive data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the name and value pair is associated with a key for decrypting the sensitive data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the private tags include a start tag and an end tag.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the parsing a message for sensitive data comprises identifying the sensitive data using user defined rules.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the parsing a message for sensitive data comprises determining whether the message includes strings that contain one of numbers, hyphens, and a symbol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensitive data comprises one of bank account information, credit card information, and social security information.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the hardware processor cause the hardware processor to perform operations comprising;

parsing a message for sensitive data;

encrypting the sensitive data;

generating private tags; and

tagging the sensitive by inserting the private tags at a beginning of the sensitive data and at an end of the sensitive data,

wherein information in the private tags comprises a name and value pair identifying a decryption method to utilize in decrypting the sensitive data.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the name and value pair is associated with a key for decrypting the sensitive data.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the private tags includes a start tag and an end tag.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the parsing a message for sensitive data comprises identifying the sensitive data using user defined rules.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the parsing a message for sensitive data comprises determining whether the message includes strings that contain one of numbers, hyphens, and a symbol.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the sensitive data comprises one of bank account information, credit card information, and social security information.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer program instructions which, when executed on a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations comprising:

parsing a message for sensitive data;

encrypting the sensitive data;

generating private tags; and

tagging the sensitive data by inserting the private tags at a beginning of the sensitive data and at an end of the sensitive data,

wherein information in the private tags comprises a name and value pair identifying a decryption method to utilize in decrypting the sensitive data.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the name and value pair is associated with a key for decrypting the sensitive data.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the private tags include a start tag and an end tag.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the parsing a message for sensitive data comprises identifying the sensitive data using user defined rules.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the parsing a message for sensitive data comprises determining whether the message includes strings that contain one of numbers, hyphens, and a symbol.