Methods and systems for securing data by providing continuous user-system binding authentication

• US 9,069,980 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSS Lab Works LLC
• Original Assignee: NSS Lab Works LLC
• Inventors: Sambamurthy, Namakkal S., Krishnan, Parathasarathy
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ullah, Sharif E
• Application Number:
  US13/830,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/2, 726/21, 726/36, 713/150, 713/163, 713/181, 380/255, 380/264, 380/276
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10 Image acquisition modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Devices, methods, and computer programs are presented for managing data security. One example method includes receiving user identification information from a screen of a device that is connectable to a database of secure information. The method proceeds to authenticating of the user identification information. The authenticating includes capturing image data of a user associated with the user identification information. The method further includes providing access to the database of secure information upon authenticating the user identification information, such that while the access is provided the capturing of the image data of the user is maintained. The method includes recording data of user interactive input and viewed images displayed on the screen while the access provided. The method binds the captured image data of the user to the recorded data to produce audit data for the user when accessing the database of secure information. The method is executed by a processor.

Claims

1. A method for managing data security, comprising,

receiving user identification information from a screen of a device that is connectable to a database of secure information, the database being stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium;

receiving captured image data of a user associated with the user identification information;

authenticating the user based on the received identification information and the received captured image data;

providing access to the database of secure information upon authenticating the user, such that while the access is provided the receiving of captured image data of the user is continued to define a plurality of frames;

continuously recording data of user interactive input and viewed images displayed on the screen while the access is provided; and

continuously binding the plurality of frames of the captured image data of the user to the recorded data to produce audit data for the user during a time of accessing the database of secure information, the binding associating certain ones of the plurality of frames to certain of the recorded data of the user interactive input and the viewed images, the method being executed by a processor;

wherein the audit data is associated with one or more user policy violations, each policy violation being searchable to enable review of the user and actions taken that produced each policy violation and the audit data includes screen captures made of the screen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

storing the audit data for the user in a security database stored on non-transitory computer readable medium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit data is associated with a date and time for one or more sessions of access to the database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit data includes recorded information from one or more sensors, or one or more additional cameras for a location proximate to the screen, or audio captured proximate to the screen, or screen captures made of the screen, or user facial images captured in a viewing space of the screen.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

automatically disabling the access upon detection of no user present, or of multiple people viewing the screen, or detecting a camera in a viewing space of the screen, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit data is made accessible to the users for reviewing, and enables user request to remove captured data, the requests to remove captured data being verified by a security administrator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit data produces an audit trail for the user, and the audit trail includes one or more security alerts, the security alerts maintaining the binding of the user to actions taken by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification information is associated with image data, or picture data, or video data, or image recognition data, or biometric sensor data, or a temperature sensor, or a weight sensor, or combinations of one or more thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the screen is associated with an apparatus, the apparatus is one of a standalone monitor, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a display device, or a touch screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification information is of a human face.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the access is disabled upon detection of two or more people in proximity of the screen.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a security entity is alerted of policy violations or activity determined by rules to be violations for the access.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing image data of the user is performed continuously at predetermined intervals of time during a session of access.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding, of the plurality of frames to the recorded data of user interactive input and viewed images, is continuous to enable continued activation of the access.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit data includes audio captured proximate to the screen.

16. A method for managing data security, comprising,

receiving user identification information from a screen of a device that is connectable to a database of secure information, the database being stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium;

receiving captured image data of a user associated with the user identification information;

authenticating the user based on the received identification information and the received captured image data;

providing access to the database of secure information upon authenticating the user, such that while the access is provided the receiving of captured image data of the user is continued to define a plurality of frames;

continuously recording data of user interactive input and viewed images displayed on the screen while the access is provided; and

continuously binding the plurality of frames of the captured image data of the user to the recorded data to produce audit data for the user during a time of accessing the database of secure information, the binding associating certain ones of the plurality of frames to certain of the recorded data of the user interactive input and the viewed images;

wherein the audit data is associated with one or more user policy violations, each policy violation being searchable to enable review of the user and actions taken that produced each policy violation and the audit data includes screen captures made of the screen.