Browser Storage Management via User-Specific Encryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional web browser storage management systems lack effective security and privacy measures, allowing unauthorized access to user-specific data and compromising data integrity when multiple users share a browser or when data is discarded after use.

Innovation Solution

An information processing terminal with a web browser that encrypts and stores user-specific data in a reserved area only when the user is logged in, distinguishing between user-specific and normal storage to maintain security and convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If data is stored in browser storage without encryption, then convenience of access is improved, but security and privacy are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of browser storage accessVSAvoidunauthorized access to user data

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the state of stored data from plaintext to encrypted form, transforming the parameter of data security while maintaining accessibility through decryption. This resolves the contradiction by allowing convenient access for authorized users while preventing unauthorized access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces encryption as an intermediary layer between the stored data and access requests. This mediator protects data from unauthorized access while still allowing legitimate users to retrieve information through proper authentication, thus resolving the security-convenience contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If data is discarded after browser operation ends, then security risk is reduced, but functionality of web applications is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity risk of data leakageVSAvoidfunctionality of web applications

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the persistence parameter of browser data from temporary (discarded after operation) to permanent (encrypted and retained). This allows web applications to maintain functionality across browser sessions while security is enhanced through encryption, resolving the contradiction between security and functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If user authentication is enabled, then privacy protection is improved, but ease of switching users is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy leakageVSAvoidease of user switching

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments browser storage into multiple encrypted user-specific areas, each protected by its own authentication credentials. This allows different users to have isolated private spaces while simplifying user switching, as each user simply needs to authenticate to access their own segmented storage area without affecting others.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10084881B2Information processing terminal and browser storage management method

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 CANON KK

AI summary

It is determined whether a user has logged in to a web browser. If the user has logged in to the web browser, local storage data is encrypted and stored in a user-specific storage. If the user has logged in to the web browser, local storage data is decrypted and acquired from the user-specific storage. If the user has logged in to the web browser, data in the user-specific storage is deleted. If the user has not logged in, data is stored in a shared storage without encryption.