DOM-Based Sensitive Data Masking During Screen Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
During screen sharing sessions in videoconferencing platforms, sensitive information displayed on a user's screen can be exploited by unauthorized users, posing a security vulnerability.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using processors to detect screen sharing events and communicate with a webpage browser through IPC, embedding sensitive data tags to mask and unmask information dynamically using DOM modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If screen sharing is enabled to allow users to view content during videoconferencing, then information sharing capability is improved, but security vulnerability increases due to exposure of sensitive information
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification and tagging of sensitive data elements (such as passwords, API keys, personal information) before the screen sharing session begins. This advance preparation allows the system to automatically mask these elements when sharing starts, preventing security vulnerabilities while maintaining normal information sharing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of masking the entire screen or restricting all screen sharing functionality, the system applies selective masking only to specific regions containing sensitive information. This local quality approach allows users to share general content freely while automatically protecting sensitive areas, thus maintaining information sharing capability without exposing security vulnerabilities.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sensitive data is masked during screen sharing to protect security, then security vulnerability is reduced, but information accessibility deteriorates for legitimate viewers
Solution Approach 1:
The masking system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the screen sharing state. When screen sharing is detected, the system automatically masks sensitive information. When screen sharing stops, the system automatically unmaskes the information, restoring full accessibility. This dynamic adaptation ensures security during sharing while maintaining normal information accessibility when not sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the screen sharing state through feedback mechanisms (detecting when sharing starts and stops). Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts the masking state - masking when sharing is active and unmasking when sharing is inactive. This feedback-driven approach ensures that information accessibility is temporarily reduced only when necessary for security, while being restored when the security risk disappears.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If automatic masking is implemented to protect sensitive information during screen sharing, then security is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification and tagging of sensitive data elements during webpage rendering or before screen sharing begins. By pre-identifying and marking sensitive regions, the system avoids the need for complex real-time analysis during screen sharing, thus reducing processing complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary component (such as a browser extension or overlay application) that handles the masking logic separately from the core screen sharing functionality. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by concentrating the complex masking operations in a dedicated module, making the system easier to maintain and manage.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects for automatically masking sensitive information during screen sharing are described. In an embodiment, one or more processors are configured for detecting a first event corresponding to a start screen sharing session in a webpage browser; transmitting a first notification to the webpage browser to indicate the first event; masking sensitive data images in the webpage browser; detecting a second event corresponding to a stop screen sharing session in the webpage browser; transmitting a second notification to the webpage browser to indicate the second event; and unmasking the sensitive data images in the webpage browser upon receipt of the second notification. The first event and the second event are detected by a screen capturing agent in communication with the webpage browser. Communications between the screen capturing agent and the webpage browser are facilitated using Inter-Process Communication (IPC).