Tracking and tracing information theft from information systems

• US 9,294,480 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pace, Nicholas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYOU, YONAS A
• Application Number:
  US14/155,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20150200940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2127 Bluffing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

In one embodiment, a processing device receives, from an accessing system, an access request for stored information. In response, the device generates unique classification and tracking metadata based on the access request, and embeds the classification and tracking metadata as steganographic code into the source information before returning the information according to the request. The device then replies to the access request with the return information containing the embedded steganographic code.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from an accessing system in a computer network, an access request for stored information;

generating, by a device in the computer network, unique classification and tracking metadata based on the access request, wherein the unique classification and tracking metadata includes traceable and verifiable information that uniquely identifies one or more features of the access request, the one or more features including at least an accessing user, an access time and an information system by which a user accessed the stored information;

embedding, by the device, the classification and tracking metadata as steganographic code into return information according to the request; and

replying to the access request, by the device, with the return information containing the embedded steganographic code.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

signing the unique classification and tracking metadata embedded as steganographic code with a verifiable cryptographic signature.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising:

extending the signature to include the return information.

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

dynamically triggering use of the steganographic code in response to one of either a suspected information theft or a particular user access.

5. The method as in claim 4, further comprising:

determining the suspected information theft one of either manually or in response to automated event detection.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the embedded steganographic code to enable active tracking of the return information.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein active tracking is enabled through a code selected from a group consisting of:

executable computer instructions;

obfuscated source code;

macros; and

scripts.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the return information is selected from a group consisting of:

authentic stored information;

redacted authentic stored information;

inauthentic similar information; and

inauthentic random information.

9. The method as in claim 8, further comprising:

selecting the return information from the group based on a level of threat to the stored information.

10. The method as in claim 8, further comprising:

dynamically triggering selecting the return information from the group in response to a suspected information theft.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the receiving, generating, embedding, and replying are all performed by one of either a storing device or an intermediate device between the accessing system and the storing device.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the access request further include an access date;

an accessing system location, or a combination thereof.

13. The method as in claim 12, further comprising:

selecting a particular subset of features of the access request from which the unique classification and tracking metadata is generated based on an available size of the unique classification and tracking metadata while remaining below a threshold of detection.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein the requested stored information is selected from a group consisting of:

multimedia files;

binary executables;

documents;

videos;

text;

images;

audio files;

software source code;

firmware source code; and

electrical and mechanical design files.

15. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a size of the unique classification and tracking metadata based on the return information.

16. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

removing embedded steganographic code from information when stored to a protected system.

17. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

preventing insertion of classified data, based on embedded steganographic code, into an unauthorized system.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate with computer network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

receive, from an accessing system, an access request for stored information;

generate unique classification and tracking metadata based on the access request, wherein the unique classification and tracking metadata includes traceable and verifiable information that uniquely identifies one or more features of the access request, the one or more features including at least an accessing user, an access time and an information system by which a user accessed the stored information;

embed the unique classification and tracking metadata as steganographic code into return information according to the request; and

reply to the access request with the return information containing the embedded steganographic code.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

sign the unique classification and tracking metadata embedded as steganographic code with a verifiable cryptographic signature.

20. The apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

dynamically trigger use of the steganographic code in response to one of either a suspected information theft or a particular user access.

21. The apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

configure the embedded steganographic code to enable active tracking of the return information.

22. The apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the return information is selected from a group consisting of:

authentic stored information;

redacted authentic stored information;

inauthentic similar information; and

inauthentic random information.

23. The apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the apparatus is one of either a storing device or an intermediate device between the accessing system and the storing device.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having software encoded thereon, the software when executed by a processor operable to:

receive, from an accessing system, an access request for stored information;

generate unique classification and tracking metadata based on the access request, wherein the unique classification and tracking metadata includes traceable and verifiable information that uniquely identifies one or more features of the access request, the one or more features including at least an accessing user, an access time and an information system by which a user accessed the stored information;

embed the unique classification and tracking metadata as steganographic code into return information according to the request; and

reply to the access request with the return information containing the embedded steganographic code.