Controlling Sensitive Information Leakage in Printing
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorAnil Francis Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to controlling sensitive information leakage in printing. In aspects, one or more interception units sit in the print path(s) of a device. The interception unit(s) receives print data that is generated on the device and extract information from the print data. The extracted information is used to determine whether the print data include sensitive information. If the print data includes sensitive information, a policy is applied and the print data may or may not be forwarded towards a printer. Otherwise, the print data is forwarded towards a printer without applying a policy.
Claims20
A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising:
- generating print data on a device;
- sending the print data towards a print driver of the device;
- on the device, receiving the print data at an interception unit that has an opportunity to examine data sent towards a printer associated with the print driver;
- determining whether the print data includes sensitive information;
- and
- if the print data includes sensitive information, enforcing a policy with respect to the print data.
In a computing environment, an apparatus, comprising:
- an application operable to perform operations to request that data be printed;
- a spooler operable to buffer print data corresponding to the data;
- an interception unit operable to receive the print data and to extract information from the print data;
- and
- a content inspector operable to examine the information to determine whether the information includes sensitive information.
A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform actions, comprising:
- on a device, before a print driver receives data corresponding to a print job, receiving print data generated on the device, the print data directed towards a print driver, the print driver responsible for generating printer specific data corresponding to the print data;
- determining whether the print data includes sensitive information;
- and
- if the print data includes sensitive information, enforcing a policy with respect to the print data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.