# US 2018/0322294 A1 · Copy protection for secured files

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- Number: US 2018/0322294 A1
- Document ID: US20180322294A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/585,846
- Filed: 2017-05-03
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-03
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Cesar Augusto Rodriguez Bravo; Kirk Krauss
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322294A1

## CPC

- G06F 21/602: {Providing cryptographic facilities or services}
- G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]}
- 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}
- G06F 21/6218: {to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database}
- G06F 21/6254: {by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification}
- H04L 63/105: {Multiple levels of security}
- G06F 21/62: Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
- G06F 21/6272: {by registering files or documents with a third party}
- G06K 19/06037: {multi-dimensional coding}
- H04L 63/04: {for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks}
- H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload}
- H04L 63/0492: {by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities}
- H04L 63/083: {using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226)}
- H04L 63/101: {Access control lists [ACL]}
- H04L 63/107: {wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals}
- H04L 63/108: {when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time}
- H04L 2209/08: Randomization, e.g. dummy operations or using noise
- H04L 2209/16: Obfuscation or hiding, e.g. involving white box
- H04L 2209/60: Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to copy protection. A request to copy a file from a requestor with one or more privileges sufficient to access the file may be received. The file may be determined to be subject to copy protection. In response to determining that the file is subject to copy protection, a notification of the copy attempt may be transmitted. Copy protection may then be applied to the file.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a request to copy a file from a requestor with one or more privileges sufficient to access the file;
determining that the file is subject to copy protection;
transmitting, in response to determining that the file is subject to copy protection, a notification of the copy attempt; and
applying copy protection to the file.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the file is subject to copy protection includes determining that the file contains one or more hashes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
determining requestor information; and
restricting the requestor's access based on the requestor information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein applying copy protection to the file comprises:
blocking the copy request; and
transmitting, in response to blocking the copy request, a notification to the requestor that the request to copy the file was unsuccessful.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein applying copy protection to the file further comprises:
encrypting at least a portion of the file;
storing the copy request in memory, wherein storing the copy request in memory delays the request from being processed;
transmitting a notification to the requestor that the at least a portion of the file requires authentication to access;
decrypting, in response to the requestor providing authentication, the at least a portion of the file;
retrieving the copy request from memory; and
processing the copy request.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein applying copy protection to the file comprises:
generating response data based on the copy request;
transmitting the response data to the requestor; and
transmitting, in response to transmitting the response data to the requestor, a notification to the requestor that the request to copy the file was successfully processed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein generating the response data includes generating a dummy version of at least a portion of the file.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein generating the response data includes modifying at least a portion of the file.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, the method further comprising:
encrypting the file,
wherein generating the response data includes generating a notification that the at least a portion of the file was encrypted and further authentication is necessary to decrypt the at least a portion of the file.

### Claim 10

A system comprising:
a processor configured to perform a method comprising:
receiving a request to copy a file from a requestor with one or more privileges sufficient to access the file;
determining that the file is subject to copy protection;
transmitting, in response to determining that the file is subject to copy protection, a notification of the copy attempt; and
applying copy protection to the file.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein determining that the file is subject to copy protection includes determining that the file contains one or more hashes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein applying copy protection to the file comprises:
blocking the copy request; and
transmitting, in response to blocking the copy request, a notification to the requestor that the request to copy the file was unsuccessful.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein applying copy protection to the file comprises:
generating response data based on the copy request;
transmitting the response data to the requestor; and
transmitting, in response to transmitting the response data to the requestor, a notification to the requestor that the request to copy the file was successfully processed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein applying copy protection to the file further comprises:
encrypting the file,
wherein generating the response data includes generating a notification that the at least a portion of the file was encrypted and further authentication is necessary to decrypt the at least a portion of the file.

### Claim 15

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving a request to copy a file from a requestor with one or more privileges sufficient to access the file;
determining that the file is subject to copy protection;
transmitting, in response to determining that the file is subject to copy protection, a notification of the copy attempt; and
applying copy protection to the file.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining that the file is subject to copy protection includes determining that the file contains one or more hashes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15, wherein applying copy protection to the file comprises:
blocking the copy request; and
transmitting, in response to blocking the copy request, a notification to the requestor that the request to copy the file was unsuccessful.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15, wherein applying copy protection to the file comprises:
generating response data based on the copy request;
transmitting the response data to the requestor; and
transmitting, in response to transmitting the response data to the requestor, a notification to the requestor that the request to copy the file was successfully processed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein applying copy protection to the file further comprises:
encrypting the file,
wherein generating the response data includes generating a notification that the at least a portion of the file was encrypted and further authentication is necessary to decrypt the at least a portion of the file.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15, wherein applying copy protection to the file further comprises:
encrypting at least a portion of the file;
storing the copy request in memory, wherein storing the copy request in memory delays the request from being processed;
transmitting a notification to the requestor that the at least a portion of the file requires authentication to access;
decrypting, in response to the requestor providing authentication, the at least a portion of the file;
retrieving the copy request from memory; and
processing the copy request.