# US 8,752,181 B2 · System and method for providing identity theft security

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- Number: US 8,752,181 B2
- Document ID: US8752181B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/775,987
- Filed: 2010-05-07
- Published: 2011-02-17
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-09
- Assignees: TouchNet Information Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: Withold J. Grzymala-Busse; Dean R. Vermeire; Daniel J. Toughey
- Inventors: Withold J. Grzymala-Busse; Dean R. Vermeire; Daniel J. Toughey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8752181B2

## CPC

- G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes}
- G06F 2221/2143: Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A system and method of providing identity theft security is provided. The system and method utilizes a computer program that identifies, locates, secures, and/or removes from computers, computer systems and/or computer networks personally identifying and/or other sensitive information in different data formats. The computer program utilizes a multi-tiered escalation model of searching/identifying sensitive information. The computer program of the instant invention utilizes a self-learning process for fine-tuning a level of scrutiny for identifying potentially sensitive information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for minimizing the risk of theft or disclosure of personally identifiable or other sensitive information on a computer network comprising:
a scanning engine located on a computer or work station on the network to identify personally identifiable or other sensitive information on said computer or work station;
a user control console in communication with said scanning engine; and
a report engine in communication with said control console;
wherein said user control console provides a configuration profile to said scanning engine, monitors the scanning engine, receives a data log from said scanning engine, and provides remediation instructions to said scanning engine based on said data log.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a remediation engine to take action with respect to said personally identifiable or other sensitive information pursuant to said remediation instructions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the action taken by said remediation engine is selected from the group consisting of acquitting, researching, masking, achieving/masking, wiping, achieving/wiping, and restoring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scanning engine utilizes Vector Space Models to compare attributes of scanned data to attributes of similar concept data files stored in a configuration profile for said scanning engine.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said scanning engine receives said concept data files from said user control console via said configuration profile.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said data log is provided to said user control console in an encrypted format and is stored in a secure location.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a place marker is created in said log file for identifying certain sensitive information is not included in said data log provided to said user control console.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user control console is located at a location on the network that is remote from said computer or work station.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said scanning engine comprises a plurality of scanning agents each located on a separate computer or work station on the network.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user control console includes a validation mechanism in connection with a storage location for identifying actual sensitive information.