# US 9,436,840 B2 · System and method for securely storing information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,840 B2 - Document ID: US9436840B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/810,892 - Filed: 2008-12-25 - Published: 2011-01-27 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-27 - Assignees: Safend Ltd. - Applicants: Pavel Berengoltz; Hay Hazama; Dani Polovets - Inventors: Pavel Berengoltz; Hay Hazama; Dani Polovets - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436840B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/6218: {to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database} - G06F 21/62: Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules - G06F 2221/2107: File encryption - 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 for storing information on a storage device. An encrypted version of the information is stored on a storage device. The information is inspected in order to determine whether it may be stored on the storage device. If the information may be stored on the storage device then the stored encrypted version is decrypted, otherwise it is deleted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: intercepting an event of copying information from a source device, embedded in a computing system, to a destination storage device; determining whether or not content inspection is required for the information based on whether the storage device is removable from the computing system, wherein the determining comprises: if said destination storage device is a removable storage device, then determining that content inspection is required with regard to said information; if content inspection is required with regard to said information, then performing: (a) creating a storage place-holder on the destination storage device, wherein said storage place-holder is initially created empty and without holding information therein, wherein creating said storage place-holder on said destination storage device is performed on both (I) a file-system of the destination storage device, and (II) an operating system running on said computing system; (b) encrypting the information; (c) copying an encrypted version of said information from the source device to said destination storage device into a storage location indicated by said storage place-holder; (d) examining both (I) the content of the information, and (II) metadata associated with the information; (e) after copying said encrypted version of said information into said destination storage device, determining whether or not said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, wherein the determining is dictated by a policy and is based on both (1) whether or not the destination storage device is removable, and (2) results of the content and metadata examination of step (d); (f) if said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, then decrypting said encrypted version of said information which was temporarily stored at said storage place-holder in encrypted format on said destination storage device; (g) if the information is not authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, then deleting the encrypted version of the information that was temporarily stored at said storage place-holder on the destination storage device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether or not said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device is further based, at least in part, on at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: a parameter associated with said storage device, a parameter associated with said information, identification information pertaining to a user performing said storing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said metadata associated with said information are selected from the list of parameters consisting of: a file name, a file type, a file location, a file ownership, and a confidentiality classification of said information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said intercepting the event of copying information comprises identifying an attempt to save said information from a temporary memory to said destination storage device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said information is in an original representation format, wherein copying said encrypted version of said information into said destination storage device comprises converting said information from said original representation format to an alternate representation format based on said determining whether or not said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, and storing said information in said alternate representation format into said destination storage device at said storage place-holder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said information is in an original representation format, and wherein said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, and wherein the method further comprises: converting said information from said original representation format to an alternate representation format, and storing said information in said alternate representation format into said destination storage device at said storage place-holder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, when upon storing said information on said destination storage device, the method further comprises: modifying said information to include a watermark, and storing said modified information having said watermark on said destination storage device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether or not content inspection is required for said information comprises: if the destination storage device is a removable storage device, then determining that content inspection is required for said information; and if the destination storage device is embedded in the computing system, then determining that content inspection is not required for said information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein creating said storage place-holder on said destination storage device is performed by utilizing a random name generator that randomly generates a random destination file-name. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: if said information is not authorized to be copied to said destination storage device, then storing said information at said storage place-holder in encrypted format; if said information is authorized to be copied to said destination storage device, then storing said information at said storage place-holder in decrypted format that is readily available for consumption. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: during said content inspection, examining whether or not said information, that is the subject of the copying event to the destination storage device, includes a particular word that is defined in a rule; if said information, that is the subject of the copying event to the destination storage device, includes said particular word that is defined in said rule, then determining that the information is not authorized to be copied to said destination storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: during said content inspection, performing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on an image that is included in said information; and then examining whether or not said information, that is the subject of the copying event to the destination storage device, includes a particular text string that is defined in a rule; if said information, that is the subject of the copying event to the destination storage device, includes said particular text string that is defined in said rule, then determining that the information is not authorized to be copied to said destination storage device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: during said content inspection, examining whether or not said information, that is the subject of the copying event to the destination storage device, is associated with a particular file owner that is pre-defined in a rule; if said information, that is the subject of the copying event to the destination storage device, is associated with said particular file owner that is pre-defined in said rule, then determining that the information is not authorized to be copied to said destination storage device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting said information comprises: encrypting information from a source file while the source file is being modified or edited by a user; keeping a record to track encryption progress, wherein the record refers to disk sectors containing information that was already encrypted. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting said information comprises: encrypting information from a source file while the source file is being modified or edited by a user; keeping a record to track encryption progress, wherein the record refers to disk sectors containing information that was already encrypted; performing repetition of an encryption process for one or more sections of the information if said record indicates that the source file was modified. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: if said destination storage device is detached from said computing device, prior to deletion of information that is not authorized to be copy, then said storage place-holder at said destination storage device keeps storing encrypted data that is not readily available for consumption. ### Claim 17 A system comprising: a hardware processor configured to perform the following operations: intercepting an event of copying information from a source device, embedded in a computing system, to a destination storage device; determining whether or not content inspection is required for the information based on whether the storage device is removable from the computing system, wherein the determining comprises: if said destination storage device is a removable storage device, then determining that content inspection is required with regard to said information; if content inspection is required with regard to said information, then performing: (a) creating a storage place-holder on the destination storage device, wherein said storage place-holder is initially created empty and without holding information therein, wherein creating said storage place-holder on said destination storage device is performed on both (I) a file-system of the destination storage device, and (II) an operating system running on said computing system; (b) encrypting the information; (c) copying an encrypted version of said information from the source device to said destination storage device into a storage location indicated by said storage place-holder; (d) examining both (I) the content of the information, and (II) metadata associated with the information; (e) after copying said encrypted version of said information into said destination storage device, determining whether or not said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, wherein the determining is dictated by a policy and is based on both (1) whether or not the destination storage device is removable, and (2) results of the content and metadata examination of step (d); (f) if said information is authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, then decrypting said encrypted version of said information which was temporarily stored at said storage place-holder in encrypted format on said destination storage device; (g) if the information is not authorized to be stored on said destination storage device, then deleting the encrypted version of the information that was temporarily stored at said storage place-holder on the destination storage device.