Communication Control Apparatus for Attached File Approval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems lack a mechanism to ensure that attached files are only transmitted to destinations where their disclosure is permitted, relying solely on the sender's judgment, which can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data.
Innovation Solution
A communication control apparatus that determines if a message includes an attached file and requires approval from an approver before transmission, ensuring that files are only sent to destinations with appropriate disclosure permissions by checking confidential levels and obtaining approval before transmitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sender's determination is used to decide whether to transmit attached files, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of preventing unauthorized disclosure deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary approval mechanism where a third party (approver) verifies the confidentiality level of attached files and the authorization status of recipients before transmission is permitted. This intermediary layer resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational simplicity for senders while adding a reliable security checkpoint to prevent unauthorized disclosures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically checking the confidentiality level of attached files and the authorization status of recipients before transmission occurs. This pre-verification process ensures that only authorized transmissions proceed, maintaining both ease of operation for legitimate sends and high reliability in blocking unauthorized disclosures.
2Reliability
If an approval mechanism is introduced to verify transmission authorization, then the reliability of preventing unauthorized disclosure is improved, but the productivity of message transmission deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by performing approval checks selectively - only for messages containing attached files with confidentiality levels, rather than blocking all transmissions. This approach maintains high reliability for sensitive data while minimizing the impact on overall transmission productivity for routine communications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that provide clear information to senders about why transmissions are blocked or approved, and that learn from transmission patterns to optimize the approval process. This feedback loop helps maintain productivity by reducing unnecessary approvals while ensuring reliable security checks for sensitive data.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication control apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention determines whether a message to be transmitted from an information processing apparatus include at least one attached file, when the message is transmitted from the information processing apparatus to one or more destinations via a network. When the communication control apparatus has determined that the message to be transmitted includes said at least one attached file, the communication control apparatus acquires approval of transmission of said at least one attached file from an approver, and transmits the message including said at least one attached file to said one or more destinations, on condition that approval of transmission of said at least one attached file has been received from the approver.