Cloud Data Loss Prevention Integration via Event-Driven Notifications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Enterprises face challenges in enforcing data loss prevention policies across cloud storage systems, particularly when data is stored outside their infrastructure, as existing solutions lack real-time monitoring and remediation capabilities for sensitive information.

Innovation Solution

An event-driven system is implemented, where cloud services notify enterprise computer systems of file activities, triggering on-demand scans and remedial actions based on predefined data loss prevention rules, utilizing a job scheduler, DLP backend server, and DLP engine to analyze files and enforce policies securely.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cloud storage systems are used to store enterprise data externally, then storage accessibility and reliability are improved, but real-time monitoring and enforcement of data loss prevention policies become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata storage reliabilityVSAvoidDLP policy enforcement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component that acts as a bridge between the cloud storage system and the enterprise's DLP infrastructure. This intermediary receives notifications from cloud services about file activities, retrieves files for scanning, and enforces DLP policies without requiring direct integration between the cloud provider and enterprise security systems. This resolves the contradiction by enabling DLP enforcement in external cloud storage while maintaining system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional DLP solutions are used with cloud storage, then data security is improved, but real-time detection and remediation capabilities are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata security protectionVSAvoidreal-time detection speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing notification subscriptions with cloud services before any data loss incidents occur. When file activities happen in the cloud, the system is already positioned to immediately retrieve and scan the files. This preliminary setup enables real-time detection and remediation capabilities that traditional post-hoc DLP solutions cannot achieve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the DLP system continuously monitors cloud file activities through notifications, scans files for sensitive information, and automatically remediates violations. This closed-loop feedback system ensures real-time detection and response to data security threats, maintaining both security protection and speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If cloud services manage computational resources independently, then storage accessibility is improved, but integration with enterprise DLP systems becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecloud storage accessibilityVSAvoidDLP system integration flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal integration layer that can work with multiple cloud service providers through standardized notification mechanisms. The intermediary component is designed to be cloud-provider-agnostic, receiving notifications and executing DLP policies across different cloud platforms. This multi-functionality enables easy cloud storage accessibility while maintaining flexible integration with enterprise DLP systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3499849B1Cloud data loss prevention integration
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 PAYPAL INC
  • EP3499849B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3499849B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3499849B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A system, method, and computer readable medium is provided to provide an integrated storage system. For example, an embodiment may detect, by an enterprise computer system, an activity notification from a cloud service that stores data on behalf of an enterprise. The activity notification may specify a file name involved in an activity performed by the cloud service (e.g., creating or modifying a file). The enterprise computer system may then download a file (or contents thereof) from the cloud service using the file name specified by the activity notification. After downloading the file, the enterprise computer system may analyze the file against a data loss prevention rule. Based on an outcome from the data loss prevention rule, the enterprise computer system may communicate an action response to the cloud service. The action response may direct the cloud service to perform an action on the file stored by the cloud service.