Clipboard Access Control for Secure Cross-App Pasting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The leakage of copied content, particularly personal information, occurs when a user inadvertently pastes data into unintended applications, leading to potential misuse and disruption of daily life.

Innovation Solution

A data processing method that detects copy and paste operations, authorizes only target applications to access copied data, and optionally anonymizes sensitive information, ensuring secure and controlled data transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the clipboard allows any application to access copied data, then application versatility and ease of operation are improved, but data security and user privacy are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication accessibility to clipboard dataVSAvoiddata leakage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (clipboard permission management system) that mediates between applications and clipboard data. This system checks whether the current application has permission to access clipboard content before allowing access, thus preventing unauthorized applications from stealing data while still allowing legitimate applications to function normally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary permission checking before clipboard data is accessed. When an application attempts to read clipboard content, the system first verifies whether the application has been granted permission through user authorization or system policies, preventing unauthorized access before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the clipboard restricts access to only authorized applications, then data security is improved, but application versatility and user convenience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata leakage preventionVSAvoidpaste operation convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service permission management mechanism where users can自主ly configure which applications are allowed to access clipboard data. Users can add or remove applications from the authorized list based on their needs, and the system automatically applies these permissions without requiring complex configuration or intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the clipboard permission system dynamic rather than static. Permissions can be adjusted at any time by the user based on changing needs, and the system automatically adapts to these changes. This allows the system to balance security and convenience dynamically rather than being locked into a fixed configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Quantity of substance

If all copied data is stored and made accessible, then data completeness and utility are improved, but memory usage and security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclipboard data availabilityVSAvoidmemory resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different access control policies to different types of clipboard data based on their sensitivity and importance. Instead of treating all data uniformly, the system can apply stricter permissions to sensitive data (such as passwords or personal information) while maintaining more relaxed access for non-sensitive data, optimizing both security and resource usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250378186A1Data processing method, electronic device, and readable medium

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A method includes: detecting a copy operation on first data of a first application, and storing the first data; detecting a paste request of a second application for the first data; and in response to that the second application being an application that is authorized by a user or is a target pasting application, sending the stored first data to the second application.