Data audit module for application software

• US 9,189,356 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Anjan, Gururaj, Iyer, Harish, Dash, Hemanata Kumar, Agrawal, Abhishek, Kandasamy, Partheeban
• Primary Examiner(s): Chbouki, Tarek
• Application Number:
  US13/485,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3072 where the reporting involves data filtering, e.g. pattern matching, time or event triggered, adaptive or policy-based reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3093 Configuration details thereof, e.g. installation, enabling, spatial arrangement of the probes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures

Abstract

System and methods of data auditing of transaction data of an application software are described. In one implementation, the method includes data auditing of transaction data by an independent audit module where metadata of the application software is received, and an audit table based on at least one of the audit parameters, indicating the extent of audit data of one or more processes is created in an audit database of the audit module. Further, triggers for capturing data changes from the application software are generated based on at least one audit parameters. Captured changes data is optimized to reduce the storage requirements of audit data. In another implementation, the result of the analysis is displayed in form of a report in user desired format.

Claims

1. A method for auditing transaction data of an application software by an audit module coupled to a processor, the method comprising:

extracting, by the audit module, metadata of the application software and associated transaction database based on at least one audit parameter, wherein the extracting comprises extracting structures of the transaction database without extracting actual content of the transaction database, wherein the metadata and the associated transaction database correspond to one or more transaction modules, and wherein the audit module is independent of the application software, and wherein the audit module is updated when one or more transaction modules configured to process transactions of the application software are updated;

routing the metadata to a corresponding storage location in an audit metadata database, wherein the audit metadata database includes metadata records of at least one of elements, attribute, or steps associated with transaction processes, and metadata details of the relationships between the transactions

creating, by the audit module, at least one audit table script in an audit database of the audit module based on the extracted metadata and the at least one audit parameter, wherein the at least one audit table script stores data changes of transactions of the application software in at least one audit table in the audit database;

generating, by the audit module, at least one trigger, wherein the trigger captures data changes from the application software, based on the at least one audit parameter;

configuring, by the audit module, at least one transaction of the application software whose data changes are to be captured based on the at least one trigger, wherein the at least one transaction includes associated data and associated relationships;

generating, by the audit module, a transaction specific audit report template based on the extracted metadata and the at least one trigger; and

capturing, by the audit module, actual data changes from the application software based on the configured at least one transaction, wherein the captured actual data is filled in the transaction specific audit report template for providing an audit data report.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising selecting the at least one audit parameter from at least one transaction database table by the audit module coupled to the processor, wherein the database table is associated with a transaction of the application software.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising optimizing, by the audit module coupled to the processor, data storage based on the captured actual data changes from the application software stored in the at least one audit table of the audit database.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

validating, by the audit module coupled to the processor, the created at least one audit table script and the configured at least one transaction prior to capturing actual data changes; and

generating, by the audit module coupled to the processor, a validation report for review and modification by a user prior to capturing actual data changes.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing an option, by the audit module, to a user to take action from at least one of reviewing and modifying the extracted metadata based on pre-selected auditing rules.

6. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises;

an audit module for auditing transaction data of an application software, wherein the audit module is implemented independent of the application software, wherein the audit module is updated when one or more transaction modules configured to process transactions of the application software are updated; and

wherein the audit module is configured to;

extract metadata of the application software and associated transaction database based on at least one audit parameter, wherein structures of the transaction database are extracted without extracting actual content of the transaction database, wherein the metadata and the associated transaction database correspond to one or more transaction module;

route the metadata to a corresponding storage location in an audit metadata database, wherein the audit metadata database includes metadata records of at least one of elements, attribute, and steps associated with transaction processes, and metadata details of the relationships between the transactions

create at least one audit table script in an audit database of the audit module, based on the extracted metadata and the at least one audit parameter, wherein the at least one audit table script stores data changes of transactions of the application software in at least one audit table in the audit database;

generate at least one trigger, wherein the trigger captures data changes from the application software, based on the at least one audit parameter;

configure at least one transaction of the application software whose data changes are to be captured based on the at least one trigger, wherein the at least one transaction includes associated data and associated relationships;

generate a transaction specific audit report template based on the extracted metadata and the at least one trigger; and

capture actual data changes from the application software based on the configured at least one transaction, wherein the captured actual data is filled in the transaction specific audit report template for providing an audit data report.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the audit module is further configured to select the at least one audit parameter from at least one transaction database table associated with a transaction of the application software.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the audit module is further configured to optimize data storage based on the captured actual data changes from the application software stored in the at least one audit table of the audit database.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the audit module is further configured to:

validate the created at least one audit table script and the configured at least one transaction prior to capturing actual data changes; and

generate a validation report for review and modification by a user prior to capturing actual data changes.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the audit module is further configured to provide an option to a user to take action from at least one of reviewing and modifying the extracted metadata based on pre-selected auditing rules.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method for auditing transaction data of an application software by an audit module to perform audit functions comprising:

extracting, by the audit module, metadata of the application software and associated transaction database based on at least on audit parameter, wherein the extracting comprises extracting structures of the transaction database without extracting actual content of the transaction database, wherein the metadata and the associated transaction database correspond to one or more transaction module, and wherein the audit module is independent of the application software, and wherein the audit module is updated when one or more transaction modules configured to process transactions of the application software, are updated;

routing the metadata to a corresponding storage location in an audit metadata database, wherein the audit metadata database includes metadata records of at least one of elements, attribute, or steps associated with transaction processes, and metadata details of the relationships between the transactions;

creating, by the audit module, at least one audit table script in an audit database of the audit module based on the extracted metadata and the at least one audit parameter, wherein the at least one audit table script stores data changes of transactions of the application software in at least one audit table in the audit database;

generating, by the audit module, at least one trigger, wherein the trigger captures data changes from the application software, based on the at least one audit parameter;

configuring at least one transaction of the application software whose data changes are to be captured based on the at least one trigger, wherein the at least one transaction includes associated data and associated relationships;

generating a transaction specific audit report template based on the extracted metadata and the at least one trigger; and

capturing actual data changes from the application software based on the configured at least one transaction, wherein the captured actual data is filled in the transaction specific audit report template for providing an audit data report.