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US 8,621,345 B2Granted
Intercepting text strings to prevent exposing secure information
AssigneeVerizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
InventorMichael Selby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To prevent exposing secure information, a first alphanumeric string is received and compared to a second alphanumeric string. After comparing the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string, it is determined whether the first alphanumeric string includes one of a limiting character and an instruction to send a message. The first alphanumeric string may be modified based on a result of comparing the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string, thereby altering the first alphanumeric string, and the first alphanumeric string, as modified, may be transmitted.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a device, information identifying one or more characters,
- the information identifying the one or more characters being input by a user of the device;
- defining, by the device, one or more limiting characters based on the received information identifying the one or more characters;
- receiving, by the device, a first alphanumeric string,
- the first alphanumeric string being received via an application window of a particular application;
- retrieving, by the device, a second alphanumeric string from a memory based on receiving the first alphanumeric string;
- comparing, by the device, the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string to determine whether the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string;
- after comparing the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string, determining, by the device, whether the first alphanumeric string includes at least one of the one or more limiting characters;
- automatically modifying, by the device, the first alphanumeric string to form a modified string, when a result of comparing the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string indicates that the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string,
- modifying the first alphanumeric string including:
- forming the modified string by randomly substituting at least one alphanumeric character for each alphanumeric character of the first alphanumeric string;
- outputting, by the device, the first alphanumeric string to the application window of the particular application when:
- the first alphanumeric string does not include the at least one of the one or more of the limiting characters, and
- the result does not indicate that the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string,
- outputting the first alphanumeric string to the application window of the particular application causing the first alphanumeric string to be displayed via the application window of the particular application, and
- the first alphanumeric string not being displayed via the application window of the particular application prior to being output by the device to the application window of the particular application;
- outputting, by the device, the modified string to the application window of the particular application when:
- the first alphanumeric string does not include the at least one of the one or more of the limiting characters, and
- the result indicates that the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string,
- outputting the modified string to the application window of the particular application causing the modified string to be displayed via the application window of the particular application;
- and
- transmitting, by the device, one of the first alphanumeric string or the modified string when the first alphanumeric string includes at least one of the one or more limiting characters,
- the modified string being transmitted when the result indicates that the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string.
20 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable memory device storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
- one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
- define, based on one or more characters input by a user, one or more limiting characters,
- receive a first alphanumeric string,
- the first alphanumeric string being received via an application window of a particular application,
- retrieve a second alphanumeric string from a database,
- the second alphanumeric string being retrieved based on receiving the first alphanumeric string,
- compare the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string,
- determine, based on comparing the first alphanumeric string to the second alphanumeric string, whether the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string,
- automatically modify, when the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string, the first alphanumeric string to form a modified string,
- the one or more instructions to automatically modify the first alphanumeric string including:
- one or more instructions to form the modified string by randomly substituting each alphanumeric character of the first alphanumeric string for at least one different alphanumeric character,
- determine whether the first alphanumeric string includes one of the one or more limiting characters,
- output the first alphanumeric string to the application window of the particular application when:
- the first alphanumeric string does not include the one of the one or more limiting characters, and
- the first alphanumeric string does not correspond to the second alphanumeric string,
- outputting the first alphanumeric string to the application window of the particular application causing the first alphanumeric string to be displayed via the application window of the particular application, and
- the first alphanumeric string not being displayed via the application window of the particular application prior to being output to the application window of the particular application,
- output the modified string to the application window of the particular application when:
- the first alphanumeric string does not include the one of the one or more limiting characters, and
- the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string,
- outputting the modified string to the application window of the particular application causing the modified string to be displayed via the application window of the particular application, and
- transmit the modified string or the first alphanumeric string when the first alphanumeric string includes the one of the one or more limiting characters,
- the modified string being transmitted when the first alphanumeric string corresponds to the second alphanumeric string.
20 more elements
A system comprising:
- a memory comprising at least one sample alphanumeric string;
- and
- a computing device to:
- define a character, received from a user of the computing device, as a limiting character,
- receive an input alphanumeric string,
- the input alphanumeric string being received via an application window of a particular application,
- compare the input alphanumeric string to the at least one sample alphanumeric string,
- determine, based on comparing the input alphanumeric string to the at least one sample alphanumeric string, whether the input alphanumeric string matches the at least one sample alphanumeric string,
- automatically modify, when the input alphanumeric string matches the at least one sample alphanumeric string, the input alphanumeric string to form a modified string,
- when modifying the input alphanumeric string, the computing device being to:
- randomly substitute each alphanumeric character of the input alphanumeric string for at least one different alphanumeric character,
- determine whether the limiting character has been received,
- output the input alphanumeric string to the application window when:
- the input alphanumeric string does not match the at least one sample alphanumeric string, and
- the limiting character has not been received,
- outputting the input alphanumeric string to the application window causing the input alphanumeric string to be displayed via the application window, and
- the input alphanumeric string not being displayed via the application window prior to being output to the application window of the particular application,
- output the modified string to the application window when:
- the input alphanumeric string matches the at least one sample alphanumeric string, and
- the limiting character has not been received,
- outputting the modified string to the application window causing the modified string to be displayed via the application window, and
- transmit the input alphanumeric string or the modified string when the limiting character has been received,
- the modified string being transmitted when the input alphanumeric string matches the at least one sample string.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.