Educating users and enforcing data dissemination policies

• US 9,323,946 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanzer, Brett A., Sankaranarayanan, Vidyaraman, Ayres, Lynn C., Kashi, Asaf
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US14/508,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 715/202, 715/255
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• 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 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An authoring component determines the sensitivity of an authored document and generates a user interface conveying contextual educational information about data dissemination policies that apply to the document. The user interface also provides user input mechanisms that allow the user to provide inputs affect the enforcement of a given data dissemination policy on the document.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of processing a document, the method comprising:

generating a user interface that displays a document and includes one or more user input mechanisms for processing the document;

receiving, through the user interface, a user input from a first user that includes an indication of one or more other users for which access to the document is desired by the first user;

determining that the document is subject to a data dissemination policy; and

automatically generating, in the user interface, one or more user interface elements that describe why the document is subject to the data dissemination policy and provide a visual cue, in the user interface, that specifically identifies a portion of the document that gives rise to the determination that the document is subject to the data dissemination policy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination that the document is subject to the data dissemination policy is based on the indication of the one or ore other users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays document content of the document.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays a representation of the document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data dissemination policy comprises a security policy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a visual cue, in the user interface, that identifies how the document can be modified to comply with the data dissemination policy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the document is subject to a data dissemination policy includes analyzing content of the document to identify sensitive content in the document.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the document comprises at least one of a word processing document or a spreadsheet document.

9. A computer-implemented method of processing a document, the method comprising:

generating a user interface that displays a document and includes one or more user input mechanisms for processing the document;

receiving, through the user interface, a user input that identifies a location where the document is to be stored;

determining that the document is subject to a security policy based on the location; and

generating, in the user interface, an indication that the document is subject to the security policy.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

marking the location as sensitive; and

storing the document in the location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the document is subject to a security policy comprises:

determining that the document is subject to the security policy independent of content of the document.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the location comprises a collaboration site.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the location comprises a folder.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication includes a visual cue that identifies a portion of the document that gives rise to the determination that the document is subject to the security policy.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the document comprises at least one of a word processing document or a spreadsheet document.

16. A document processing system, comprising:

a user interface component configured to generate one or more user interface displays for a document processing application; and

a security component configured to;

perform a sensitivity analysis on a document processed by the document processing application,

determine a security policy for the document based on the sensitivity analysis,

determine an action to be performed based on the determined security policy for the document,

generate an indicator, using a user interface component of the document processing application, that identifies how the document can be modified to comply with the determined security policy,

receive a user input, through a user interface component of the document processing application, that includes an indication to allow one or more users access to the document, and

perform the action in response to receiving the user input.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the security component is configured to perform the action that includes a block operation of the one or more users from accessing the document.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the security component is configured to perform the sensitivity analysis on the document by analyzing a storage location of the document and determining the document is sensitive based on the storage location.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the security component is configured to perform the sensitivity analysis of the document by analyzing content of the document and determining the document is sensitive based on the content of the document, and wherein the generated indicator comprises a visual cue displayed in the one or more user interface displays that identifies how the document can be modified to comply with the determined security policy.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the security component is configured to perform the action that includes generating a visual cue in the one or more user interface displays indicating sensitive subject matter from the document.