# US 11,308,235 B2 · Detection of sensitive personal information in a storage device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,235 B2 - Document ID: US11308235B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/812,029 - Filed: 2020-03-06 - Published: 2020-07-02 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-20 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Rajesh M. Desai; Mu Qiao; Roger C. Raphael; Ramani Routray - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308235B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method, system and computer program product for detecting sensitive personal information in a storage device. A block delta list containing a list of changed blocks in the storage device is processed. After identifying the changed blocks from the block delta list, a search is performed on those identified changed blocks for sensitive personal information using a character scanning technique. After identifying a changed block deemed to contain sensitive personal information, the changed block is translated from the block level to the file level using a hierarchical reverse mapping technique. By only analyzing the changed blocks to determine if they contain sensitive personal information, a lesser quantity of blocks needs to be processed in order to detect sensitive personal information in the storage device in near real-time. In this manner, sensitive personal information is detected in the storage device using fewer computing resources in a shorter amount of time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting sensitive personal information in a storage device, the method comprising: processing a block delta list, wherein said block delta list is a list of changed blocks in a storage device, wherein said block delta list includes deltas associated with said changed blocks that indicate differences in said changed blocks from a first point of time to a second point of time; identifying changed blocks from said block delta list; searching said identified changed blocks for sensitive personal information using a character scanning technique; identifying a changed block deemed to contain said sensitive personal information; and translating said identified changed block from a block level to a file level using a hierarchical reverse mapping technique. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising: conducting an initial scan of blocks in said storage device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising: identifying any changed blocks in said storage device, wherein a block is a contiguous set of bits or bytes that forms an identifiable unit of data, wherein a changed block is said block with an identifiable unit of data that has changed over a period of time, wherein said block is changed due to a storing of sensitive information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising: adding said identified changed blocks to said block delta list. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said hierarchical reverse mapping technique uses block level translations and file system inode translations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said character scanning technique comprises a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network or a regular expression. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said identified changed block is translated from said block level to said file level using said hierarchical reverse mapping technique in response to said sensitive personal information being located in a middle of said identified changed block. ### Claim 8 A computer program product for detecting sensitive personal information in a storage device, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable storage mediums having program code embodied therewith, the program code comprising the programming instructions for: processing a block delta list, wherein said block delta list is a list of changed blocks in a storage device, wherein said block delta list includes deltas associated with said changed blocks that indicate differences in said changed blocks from a first point of time to a second point of time; identifying changed blocks from said block delta list; searching said identified changed blocks for sensitive personal information using a character scanning technique; identifying a changed block deemed to contain said sensitive personal information; and translating said identified changed block from a block level to a file level using a hierarchical reverse mapping technique. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for: conducting an initial scan of blocks in said storage device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer program product as recited in claim 9, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for: identifying any changed blocks in said storage device, wherein a block is a contiguous set of bits or bytes that forms an identifiable unit of data, wherein a changed block is said block with an identifiable unit of data that has changed over a period of time, wherein said block is changed due to a storing of sensitive information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for: adding said identified changed blocks to said block delta list. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein said hierarchical reverse mapping technique uses block level translations and file system inode translations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein said character scanning technique comprises a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network or a regular expression. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein said identified changed block is translated from said block level to said file level using said hierarchical reverse mapping technique in response to said sensitive personal information being located in a middle of said identified changed block. ### Claim 15 A system, comprising: a memory for storing a computer program for detecting sensitive personal information in a storage device; and a processor connected to said memory, wherein said processor is configured to execute the program instructions of the computer program comprising: processing a block delta list, wherein said block delta list is a list of changed blocks in a storage device, wherein said block delta list includes deltas associated with said changed blocks that indicate differences in said changed blocks from a first point of time to a second point of time; identifying changed blocks from said block delta list; searching said identified changed blocks for sensitive personal information using a character scanning technique; identifying a changed block deemed to contain said sensitive personal information; and translating said identified changed block from a block level to a file level using a hierarchical reverse mapping technique. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprise: conducting an initial scan of blocks in said storage device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprise: identifying any changed blocks in said storage device, wherein a block is a contiguous set of bits or bytes that forms an identifiable unit of data, wherein a changed block is said block with an identifiable unit of data that has changed over a period of time, wherein said block is changed due to a storing of sensitive information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprise: adding said identified changed blocks to said block delta list. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said hierarchical reverse mapping technique uses block level translations and file system inode translations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said character scanning technique comprises a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network or a regular expression, to said block delta list.