Anonymizing User Accounts via Protected Vault Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing password manager systems do not adequately optimize the protection of users' sensitive and personally identifiable information across online accounts, despite offering features like email alias creation and password generation.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for anonymizing user accounts by receiving an instruction to anonymize, accessing a settings portal, replacing original values with anonymized values in key fields, and storing these values in a protected vault to mask personally identifiable information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing password manager systems are used to protect sensitive information, then some protection is provided through masking and password generation, but the protection is not optimized across all dimensions and personal identifiable information remains vulnerable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protection mechanism by separating the anonymization function into distinct components: a service that generates anonymized values and a client application that applies them. This divides the complex protection system into manageable segments that can be independently implemented and maintained, while collectively providing comprehensive protection across multiple accounts and data types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary anonymization service that acts as a mediator between the user's personal information and the external services. This service generates anonymized values that intermediate the connection, allowing users to interact with multiple accounts without exposing their actual personal identifiable information, thereby enhancing protection without requiring users to manage complex security configurations directly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple accounts with sensitive information are maintained, then user functionality is preserved, but the risk of information exposure increases across more accounts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the identification parameters used in account interactions. Instead of using actual personal identifiable information as account identifiers, the system generates and uses anonymized values with different parameter characteristics (randomized strings, masked formats). This changes the parameter space from vulnerable PII to protected anonymized data, maintaining account functionality while eliminating exposure risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of personal information in anonymized form. Rather than using the original personal identifiable information directly, the system generates anonymized copies that replicate the necessary functional characteristics for account access and management. These copies can be used interchangeably with the original information for account purposes while being safe to expose externally, thus preserving versatility while reducing harm.
3Ease of operation
If personal identifiable information is stored for account access, then login functionality is enabled, but the information becomes a target for theft and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by not storing protected personal information in the client application. Instead of storing PII and attempting to protect it, the system stores only anonymized values in the client while keeping the anonymization logic and ability to regenerate anonymized values on the secure server side. This inversion ensures that even if the client is compromised, the actual personal information remains protected.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosed computer-implemented method for anonymizing user accounts may include (i) receiving an instruction to anonymize a user account to protect a user's personally identifiable information, (ii) accessing, by a security program, a settings portal for the user account in response to receiving the instruction to anonymize the user account, (iii) replacing, by the security program, original values within at least two fields within the settings portal for the user account with anonymized values to mask the user's personally identifiable information, and (iv) storing the anonymized values within a protected vault to enable the user to login to the user account. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.