Email Scanning Tool for Sensitive Data Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Email transmissions often result in the unintentional sending of sensitive information due to user inattention, leading to significant time and financial losses in recovery efforts.
Innovation Solution
A scanning tool that examines email subjects, message bodies, and attachments for predefined keywords, prompting users to review potentially sensitive documents and preventing sending if keywords are detected, with options to send securely through an alternate location if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a scanning tool is implemented to detect sensitive information in email transmissions, then the security and reliability of data transmission is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to additional scanning and review processes
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning tool performs preliminary scanning of email content for sensitive keywords before the email is transmitted. This preliminary detection allows the system to identify potentially sensitive information in advance, alert users, and prevent transmission until the issue is resolved, thereby improving security without requiring complex real-time intervention mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning tool acts as an intermediary component between the user and the email transmission system. It intercepts emails for scanning, communicates findings to users through alerts, and coordinates with the email client to block or allow transmission based on user response, thereby adding security functionality without fundamentally redesigning the core email system
2Measurement precision
If the scanning tool requires user review of potentially sensitive documents, then the precision of sensitive information detection is improved, but the time required for email transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning tool applies partial action by only requiring user review when sensitive keywords are actually detected in the email content. Emails without sensitive keywords are transmitted immediately without interruption. This selective approach maintains high detection precision while minimizing time loss for the majority of emails that do not trigger alerts
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows emails to be transmitted quickly through the scanning process unless sensitive information is detected. When no sensitive keywords are found, the email bypasses user review and is sent immediately. This skipping mechanism ensures that the time penalty for security scanning is minimal and only applies when actually needed
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a scanning tool for text transmissions which identifies potentially sensitive text. In exemplary embodiments, a guardian application scans regular email (and calendar appointments) subject, message body, and attachments for key words that identify if a document is potentially sensitive and it notifies the user with specifics if key words are found. If the guardian application cannot scan (either an image or a document with text that cannot be scanned), it notifies the user, requests them to open and review the document, and requires the user to select if they have or have not reviewed the document. It will not send the email if the user selects that they have not reviewed the document.