Method and system for selectively masking the display of data field values

• US 20060056626A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann Marie, McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Murillo, Jessica Kelley, Mullen, Shawn Patrick
• Application Number:
  US10/942,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056626A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

A method and system for selectively masking the display of data field values provides improved security and flexibility in computer data entry screens and dedicated terminals. A user input is received that selects a masked state of one or more data entry fields. When data is entered in a field, the masked state is used to determine whether to mask the data. The field may be a field in a web page, a dedicated application, an operating system interface or a dedicated terminal. The method and system may mask information that is typically not masked or may unmask information that is typically masked. The data entry fields may be entry fields for entering personal information within a web page and the user input may be a right mouse button click that generates a pop-up menu containing a selection for setting the masking state of a selected input field.

Claims

1. A method for selectively displaying sensitive information within at least one data field of a visual display, comprising:

receiving a first user input;

setting a masking state of said at least one data field in response to said first user input;

receiving data for display in said at least one data field; and

selectively displaying said data on said visual display in conformity with said masking state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual display is a display of a form input graphical user interface comprising a plurality of user input fields, wherein an active one of said user input fields has a selectable masking state that is set in conformity with said first user input when said active input field is selected as an active field.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first user input is a right mouse button click.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving said right mouse button click;

responsive to receiving said right mouse button click, generating a pop-up menu that includes an option to select said masking state of said active input field;

receiving a second user input selecting said option; and

responsive to receiving said second user input, setting said masking state of said active input field.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said plurality of user input fields are entry fields within a web page displayed on a browser executing within a general-purpose computer system, and wherein said entry fields are fields for entering sensitive personal information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual display is a screen display of a dedicated terminal, wherein said user input is an activation of one or more buttons on said dedicated terminal and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving an output targeted for said screen display; and

masking said output in conformity with said selected masking state.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said output is one of a name of a user and a dollar amount of a transaction.

8. A computer system including a memory for storing program instructions and data, a processor coupled to said memory for executing said program instructions, a visual display coupled to said processor for displaying a user interface output and an input device coupled to said processor for providing a user interface input, wherein said program instructions within said general-purpose computer comprise program instructions for:

receiving a first user input;

setting a masking state of at least one data field of said user interface output in response to said first user input;

receiving data for display in said at least one data field; and

selectively displaying said data on said visual display in conformity with said masking state.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said visual display is a display of a form input graphical user interface comprising a plurality of user input fields, wherein an active one of said user input fields has a selectable masking state that is set in conformity with said first user input when said active input field is selected as an active field.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said first user input is a right mouse button click.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

receiving said right mouse button click;

responsive to receiving said right mouse button click, generating a pop-up menu that includes an option to select said masking state of said active input field;

receiving a second user input selecting said option; and

responsive to receiving said second user input, setting said masking state of said active input field.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of user input fields are entry fields within a web page displayed on a browser executing within a general-purpose computer system, and wherein said entry fields are fields for entering sensitive personal information.

13. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said computer system is a dedicated terminal, wherein said visual display is a screen display of said dedicated terminal, and wherein said user input is an activation of one or more buttons on said dedicated terminal and wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

receiving an output targeted for said screen display; and

masking said output in conformity with said selected masking state.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said output is one of a name of a user and a dollar amount of a transaction.

15. A computer program product comprising signal-bearing media encoding program instructions for execution within a computer system, wherein said program instructions comprise program instructions for:

receiving a first user input;

setting a masking state of at least one data field of said user interface output in response to said first user input;

receiving data for display in said at least one data field; and

selectively displaying said data on said visual display in conformity with said masking state.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said visual display is a display of a form input graphical user interface comprising a plurality of user input fields, wherein an active one of said user input fields has a selectable masking state that is set in conformity with said first user input when said active input field is selected as an active field.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said first user input is a right mouse button click.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

receiving said right mouse button click;

responsive to receiving said right mouse button click, generating a pop-up menu that includes an option to select said masking state of said active input field;

receiving a second user input selecting said option; and

responsive to receiving said second user input, setting said masking state of said active input field.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said plurality of user input fields are entry fields within a web page displayed on a browser executing within a general-purpose computer system, and wherein said entry fields are fields for entering sensitive personal information.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said plurality of user input fields are entry fields within a document containing active directives corresponding to said program instructions for setting said masking state.