System and method for secure document processing

A method for secure document processing comprising the steps of:

• receiving, into the data storage associated with a document processing device having a processor and data storage associated therewith, electronic document data representative of a document for which a selected document rendering process is desired;
• prompting an associated user for a user-selected alias and user-selected identification code corresponding to an identity of the document;
• securing key data representative of an identifier associated with the electronic document, the key data including data representative of the user-selected alias and the user selected identification code;
• communicating the electronic document and the key data to the associated document processing device;
• prompting the user for an input relating to the key data;
• comparing the user input with the key data;
• selectively enabling the document processing device to perform the selected document rendering process in accordance with an output of the comparison;
• receiving a logging instruction from the associated user, the logging instruction indicative of at least one of the group consisting of the selected document rendering process being a confidential document processing operation so as to preclude logging thereof and the selected document rendering process not being a confidential document processing operation, indicative of an approved logging operation;
• selectively logging operation of the document processing device in accordance with the user-selected alias and user-selected identification code if the received logging instruction is indicative of an approved logging operation;
• generating job data on a display associated with the document processing device corresponding to the selected document rendering process and the electronic document data, wherein the job data references the user-selected alias as the sole indicators as to an identity of the associated user and a user-selected identification code as a sole indicator of an identity of the electronic document;
• activating the logging operation in accordance with the received logging instruction indicative of the approved logging operation;
• selectively overwriting, a plurality of times with random characters, memory locations of the data storage used in connection with storage of the electronic document used in performing the selected document rendering process in accordance with received logging instruction indicating that the selected document rendering process is a confidential document processing operation;
• and
• deleting the electronic document after completion of the overwriting so as to free the storage location thereafter.

A system for secure document processing comprising:

• an input operable for receiving, into the data storage associated with a document processing device having a processor and data storage associated therewith, electronic document data representative of a document for which a selected document rendering process is desired;
• a processor operable for prompting an associated user for a user-selected alias and user-selected identification code corresponding to an identity of the document;
• the processor further operable for securing key data representative of an identifier associated with the electronic document, the key data including data representative of the user-selected alias and the user selected identification code;
• an output operable for communicating the electronic document and the key data to the associated document processing device;
• the processor further operable for prompting the user for an input relating to the key data;
• the processor further operable for comparing the user input with the key data;
• the processor further operable for selectively enabling the document processing device to perform the selected document rendering process in accordance with an output of the comparison;
• an input operable for receiving a logging instruction from the associated user, the logging instruction indicative of at least one of the group consisting of the selected document rendering process being a confidential document processing operation so as to preclude logging thereof and the selected document rendering process not being a confidential document processing operation, indicative of an approved logging operation;
• the processor further operable for selectively logging operation of the document processing device in accordance with the user-selected alias and user-selected identification code if the received logging instruction is indicative of an approved logging operation;
• the processor further operable for generating job data on a display associated with the document processing device corresponding to the selected document rendering process and the electronic document data, wherein the job data references the user-selected alias as the sole indicators as to an identity of the associated user and a user-selected identification code as a sole indicator of an identity of the electronic document;
• the processor further operable for activating the logging operation in accordance with the received logging instruction indicative of the approved logging operation;
• the processor further operable for selectively overwriting, a plurality of times with random characters, memory locations of the data storage used in connection with storage of the electronic document used in performing the selected document rendering process in accordance with received logging instruction indicating that the selected document rendering process is a confidential document processing operation;
• and
• the processor further operable for deleting the electronic document after completion of the overwriting so as to free the storage location thereafter.