Browser Masking Module for Secure Collaborative Tax Preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic tax return preparation systems expose sensitive taxpayer information to support users during collaborative preparation, compromising security and user confidence.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a masking module within the browser to automatically identify and mask sensitive taxpayer data in real-time before transmission to a support computer, using a pattern recognition module to determine sensitivity and a metadata markup module to tag sensitive fields, ensuring secure collaborative tax return preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tax data is transmitted to support computer for collaborative preparation, then collaborative support functionality is improved, but sensitive information security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts sensitive information from the data transmission process by implementing a masking module that identifies and masks sensitive tax data fields (such as social security numbers, account numbers, and income information) before transmission. This allows collaborative preparation functionality to proceed while removing the harmful sensitive information elements that would otherwise be exposed to support users.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking module acts as an intermediary between the tax preparation system and the support computer. It processes the tax data by applying masking rules and patterns, transforming sensitive information into obscured representations (e.g., replacing actual values with masked placeholders) while preserving the structural integrity needed for collaborative work. This intermediary layer enables collaboration without direct exposure of sensitive data.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If masking is applied to sensitive data, then information security is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The masking module operates autonomously within the browser environment, automatically identifying sensitive data fields and applying appropriate masking patterns without requiring manual intervention or complex external processing systems. The module uses predefined masking rules and regular expressions to self-manage the masking process, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of data representation by applying masking patterns that transform sensitive values into obscured formats (e.g., replacing actual numbers with masked placeholders). This parameter transformation maintains the data structure needed for collaboration while altering the sensitive information content, achieving security without requiring fundamentally complex processing architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for masking tax data during collaborative preparation of an electronic tax return, the system includes a server computer having a tax return preparation program running thereon. The system also includes a tax return preparation computer having a first browser program running thereon. The system further includes a support computer having a second browser program running thereon. Moreover, the system includes a network operatively coupling the server computer, tax return preparation computer, and the support computer. The first browser includes a masking module configured to automatically mask a tax datum without user intervention before transmitting the tax datum to the server computer for subsequent transmission to the support computer. The tax datum is masked in real time during collaborative preparation of the electronic tax return.