Method and system for protecting confidential information

• US 9,348,984 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forcepoint LLC
• Original Assignee: PortAuthority Technologies, Inc. (Forcepoint LLC)
• Inventors: Peled, Ariel, Troyansky, Lidror, Carny, Ofir
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): GYORFI, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US13/371,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20120144449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726 26- 33, 705/51, 345/618, 345/626, 348/156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control

Abstract

A method for computer workstation based information protection is presented, the method comprises: a) monitoring user'"'"'s actions on the computer workstation, b) analysis of the actions in respect to a pre-defined policy to determine whether the actions prejudice information to which the policy applies, and c) executing the policy in accordance with the results of the analysis to prevent or modify or restrict or monitor or log the actions.

Claims

1. A method for information protection, said information comprising a plurality of distinct information items together in a document, said document being for presentation on a computer screen, the method comprising:

a) defining respective information protection policies with respect to certain ones of said information items;

b) determining measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy;

c) receiving a request for a document having information items;

d) determining whether said requested document comprises any information items which have a requirement for resisting screen capture in a respective information protection policy;

e) preventing presentation of said document comprising information items, for any of which information items said information protection policy requiring resistance to screen capture is defined, on said computer screen unless corresponding required measures are being applied;

wherein said measures comprise;

i) attaching and connecting a digital video camera to said computer, said digital camera photographing the user;

ii) analyzing the output of said camera in order to determine that the user is looking at said computer screen; and

iii) presenting said protected information on said computer screen only while a user is looking at said computer screen; and

wherein said analysis of the output of said camera further allows to determine the part of said screen on which the said user are focused and said protected information appears only on the part of said screen on which the eyes of said user are focused.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise requiring typing a key-combination that forces a user to keep both hands on a keyboard.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said analysis further allows to verify the identity of said user and said protected information is presented on said computer screen only after the identity of said user has been verified to be an identity of a user authorized to access said information.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising storing the video sequence that is produced by said camera while the user is viewing said information.

5. A method according to claim 4, comprising storing said video sequence in a secure storage.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising setting a frame-rate of the screen in a manner that is not synchronized with standard frame-rates of video cameras.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising dynamically changing a frame-rate of the screen.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise verifying that the screen on which said information is to be displayed is a screen that restricts a viewing angle.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise constantly moving the protected information.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise displaying text containing said information items against a background within said document that is designed in a manner that effectively reduces a quality of a picture taken by a standard camera.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein said measures comprise requiring usage of a LCD screen.

8. A method for information protection, said information comprising a plurality of distinct information items together in a document, said document being for presentation on a computer screen, the method comprising:

a) defining respective information protection policies with respect to certain ones of said information items;

b) determining measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy;

c) receiving a request for a document having information items;

d) determining whether said requested document comprises any information items which have a requirement for resisting screen capture in a respective information protection policy;

e) preventing presentation of said document comprising information items, for any of which information items said information protection policy requiring resistance to screen capture is defined, on said computer screen unless corresponding required measures are being applied;

wherein said measures comprise allowing viewing of said information only using a head-mounted display, and providing a sensor to detect that said user is wearing said head-mounted display, wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that a user is wearing said head-mounted display.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said head-mounted display is equipped with a device operable to identify a user using a biometric feature.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said protected information is presented on said head-mounted display only after said sensor has verified that said user has an identity which is an identity of an user authorized to use said information.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said measures comprise requiring usage of special glasses for viewing said information on said computer screen.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said special glasses are equipped with shutters, said shutters being opened only when said information is displayed.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein at least part of said information is presented on said screen in certain, very short, time intervals, while other visual information is presented on said screen during other time intervals, in a manner operable to interfere with viewing said information without said glasses or with photographing the screen.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said information is presented on said screen in a manner that can substantially be viewed only while using glasses operable to present 3-dimensional image of said information presented on said screen.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein said measures comprise a sensor operable to detect that said user is wearing said glasses, and wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that said user is wearing said glasses.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein said glasses are equipped with a device operable to identify said user using a biometric feature.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only after said sensor has verified that said user has an identity being an identity of an user authorized to use said information.

18. A method for information protection, said information comprising a plurality of distinct information items together in a document, said document being for presentation on a computer screen, the method comprising:

a) defining respective information protection policies with respect to certain ones of said information items;

b) determining measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy;

c) receiving a request for a document having information items;

d) determining whether said requested document comprises any information items which have a requirement for resisting screen capture in a respective information protection policy;

e) preventing presentation of said document comprising information items, for any of which information items said information protection policy requiring resistance to screen capture is defined, on said computer screen unless corresponding required measures are being applied, wherein said measures comprise at least one camera-detection sensor, operable to detect the presence of a camera; and

said protected information is presented on said screen only after said sensor has carried out a verification to determine that no camera capable of taking screenshots of said screen exists in a position that allows taking screenshots of said screen and on condition that said verification is successful.

23. A system for information protection, said information comprising a plurality of distinct information items contained together in a document, said information being for presentation on a computer screen, the system comprising:

a) a policy reference monitor configured to define an information protection policy with respect to certain information items and further configured to determine measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy; and

b) a policy execution module configured to identify documents comprising items, in respect of which items an information protection policy is defined, which information policy requires resistance to screen capture, and to prevent presentation of such identified documents on said computer screen unless corresponding required measures are being applied, said policy execution module configured to freely allow display of documents not containing any information items having information policy requirements requiring resistance to screen capture;

wherein said measures comprise allowing viewing of said information only using a head-mounted display;

the system further comprising a sensor operable to detect that a user is wearing said head-mounted display, and wherein said protected information is resented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that said user is wearing said head-mounted display.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein said measures comprise requiring typing a key-combination that forces a user to keep both hands on a keyboard.

25. A system according to claim 23, wherein said measures comprise:

attaching and connecting a digital video camera to said computer, said digital video camera photographing the user;

analyzing an output of said digital video camera in order to determine that a user is looking at said computer screen; and

presenting said protected information on said computer screen only while the user is looking at said computer screen.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said analysis further allows to verify an identity of said user and said protected information is presented on said computer screen only after the identity of said user has been verified to be an identity of a user authorized to access said information.

27. A system according to claim 25, comprising storing the video sequence that is produced by said camera while the user is viewing said information.

28. A system according to claim 23, comprising setting a frame-rate of the screen in a manner that is not synchronized with standard frame-rates of video cameras.

29. A system according to claim 23, comprising dynamically changing a frame-rate of the screen.

32. A system according to claim 23, wherein said measures comprise requiring usage of special glasses for viewing said information on said computer screen.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein at least part of said information is presented on said screen in certain, very short, time intervals, while other visual information is presented on said screen during other time intervals, in a manner operable to interfere with viewing said information without said glasses or with photographing the screen.

35. A system according to claim 23, wherein said measures comprise constantly moving the protected information.

36. A system according to claim 23, wherein said measures comprise displaying text containing said information items against a background within said document, which background is designed in a manner that effectively reduces a quality of a picture taken by a standard camera.

30. A system for information protection, said information comprising a plurality of distinct information items contained together in a document, said information being for presentation on a computer screen, the system comprising:

a) a policy reference monitor configured to define an information protection policy with respect to certain information items and further configured to determine measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy; and

b) a policy execution module configured to identify documents comprising items, in respect of which items an information protection policy is defined, which information policy requires resistance to screen capture, and to prevent presentation of such identified documents on said computer screen unless corresponding required measures are being applied, said policy execution module configured to freely allow display of documents not containing any information items having information policy requirements requiring resistance to screen capture;

wherein said measures comprise allowing viewing of said information only using a head-mounted display, the system further comprising a sensor configured to detect that a user is wearing said head-mounted display, and wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only if said sensor has verified that said user is wearing said head-mounted display.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein said head-mounted display is equipped with a device operable to identify said user using a biometric feature.

34. A system for information protection, said information comprising a plurality of distinct information items contained together in a document, said information being for presentation on a computer screen, the system comprising:

a) a policy reference monitor configured to define an information protection policy with respect to certain information items and further configured to determine measures required to resist screen capture according to said policy; and

b) a policy execution module configured to identify documents comprising items, in respect of which items an information protection policy is defined, which information policy requires resistance to screen capture, and to prevent presentation of such identified documents on said computer screen unless corresponding required measures are being applied, said policy execution module configured to freely allow display of documents not containing any information items having information policy requirements requiring resistance to screen capture;

wherein said system comprises at least one camera-detection sensor, operable to detect the presence of a camera, wherein said protected information is presented on said screen only after said sensor has carried out a verification to determine that no camera capable of taking screenshots of said screen is present in a position that allows taking screenshots of said screen, and on condition that said verification is successful.