Confidential Document Watermarking via Server-Side Code Image Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The spread of image forming apparatuses has led to increased leakage of confidential documents, as existing technologies like watermarking struggle to prevent improper copying and tracing of unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system comprising a terminal, server, and image forming apparatus that transmits and decodes confidential data using a code image added as a watermark, ensuring only authorized users can access and copy sensitive documents, with the server logging access attempts for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If watermarking is used to mark confidential documents, then document identification and access tracking are improved, but the documents can still be improperly copied and leaked
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by embedding a code image (watermark) in the document data before output, and pre-storing the corresponding confidential data on the server. This allows the image forming apparatus to later acquire and compare the confidential data to determine if copying is permitted, preventing improper copying before it occurs rather than just tracking it after the fact.
Solution Approach 2:
The confidential data stored on the server acts as an intermediary between the document and the copying process. The image forming apparatus compares the confidential data acquired from the server with the code image in the document to determine whether copying is authorized. This intermediary verification mechanism prevents unauthorized copying while allowing legitimate access.
2Reliability
If access logs are created to track document access, then unauthorized access detection is improved, but administrative effort for tracing leaks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by automatically comparing the code image in the document with the confidential data acquired from the server during each copying operation. This automatic verification provides immediate feedback on whether the copy is authorized, eliminating the need for administrators to manually review access logs and trace leaks, thereby reducing administrative effort while maintaining reliable unauthorized access detection.
3Reliability
If confidential data is embedded in documents, then security control is improved, but document processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the confidential data verification process from the document itself and places it on the server. The code image remains in the document for identification, but the actual confidential data is stored separately on the server. During copying, only the code image is read from the document while the confidential data is acquired from the server, simplifying document processing while maintaining security control.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image forming system that prevents leakage of confidential data. In the image forming system, a terminal includes a confidential-data-transmitting unit, a code-image-acquiring unit, and a confidential-document-data-creating unit. The confidential-data-transmitting unit transmits confidential data specified for confidentiality inside a document of document data to a server. The code-image-acquiring unit acquires a code image for outputting the confidential data from the server. The confidential-document-data-creating unit creates confidential-document data in which the code image is added to the document data. A server includes a confidential-data-acquiring unit, a code-image-creating unit, a code-image-transmitting unit, and a code-confidential-data-transmitting unit. The confidential-data-acquiring unit acquires the confidential data that is transmitted from the terminal. The code-image-creating unit creates the code image for outputting the confidential data. The code-image-transmitting unit transmits the code image to the terminal. The code-confidential-data-transmitting unit transmits the confidential data to an image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus includes a decoding unit, a code-confidential-data-acquiring unit and an output-data-creating unit. The decoding unit decodes the code image from the confidential-document data that includes the code image. The code-confidential-data-acquiring unit acquires the confidential data from the code-confidential-data-transmitting unit according to the contents of the code image. The output-data-creating unit creates output data in which the confidential data is included in the confidential-document data.