Cursor Visibility Control for Confidential Remote Support Screens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems using VNC for remote support of image processing apparatuses face security issues when displaying confidential information, as the cursor movement can reveal sensitive input operations, compromising security during password input or other confidential data entry.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system that combines image information with a cursor image and restricts the viewing of the cursor when transmitting sensitive screen information, ensuring the cursor is not displayed on the client's screen during confidential input operations, thereby maintaining security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cursor is displayed on the image processing apparatus during remote support, then the operator can easily describe operation procedures to the customer, but security is compromised when confidential information such as passwords is input
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the cursor display behavior different depending on the location/context - when on a confidential input screen, the cursor is restricted from being displayed to the remote client, while on normal screens the cursor is displayed to help customers understand operations. This contextual differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and security.
2Loss of information
If image information including cursor is transmitted to the client, then the customer can see the track of operations, but confidential input operations are revealed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by determining in advance whether the current screen is a confidential input screen before transmitting image information to the client. When a confidential screen is detected, the system proactively restricts cursor display and prevents transmission of cursor information, thereby preventing confidential operation tracks from being revealed before they can be observed by the client.
3Adaptability or versatility
If VNC is used for remote control, then the operator can remotely control the customer's apparatus, but the customer's confidential inputs become visible to the operator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the cursor visibility different for different parties in different contexts. The local cursor on the customer's device remains visible for operation, while the remote cursor transmitted via VNC is restricted on confidential screens. This allows remote control functionality to be maintained while selectively preventing confidential information leakage to the operator.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus that transmits image information being displayed on a display unit to a client to causes the client to display the image information, when combining an image of a cursor with the image information being displayed on the display unit and storing a result of the combining, in a case that it is determined that the image information is information of a screen for inputting information having confidentiality, restricts viewing of the image of the cursor in the image information and transmits the image information in which the viewing of the image of the cursor is restricted to the client.