Print Driver Locked Printing Policy Enforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Policy-based solutions for controlling access to electronic documents do not provide adequate control over printed documents, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information once the document has been printed.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a print driver that enables locked printing, which includes specifying access policies during the printing process, ensuring that users are present at the printing device and allowing dynamic changes to access rights, and using a document policy management system to manage and enforce these policies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If policy-based access control is implemented for electronic documents, then access control to electronic documents is improved, but control over printed documents deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by encrypting the print job and storing it in a locked print queue before the user actually prints the document. The print job is prepared in advance with encryption keys and policy information, so that when the user requests to print, the system can immediately verify credentials and enforce access policies without allowing unauthorized access. This preliminary preparation ensures that even if the printed document is accessed by third parties, the encryption prevents unauthorized viewing.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If locked printing is implemented to control printed documents, then control over printed documents is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a locked print queue that sits between the user's print requests and the actual printing process. This intermediary component handles the encryption, key management, and access control logic, allowing the rest of the printing system to remain relatively simple. The locked print queue acts as a mediator that enforces security policies without requiring complex modifications to the entire printing infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic access policy changes are enabled, then adaptability of access control is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamics by allowing access policies to change in real-time without requiring system recryption or reconfiguration. When a user attempts to print a document, the system dynamically queries the current access policy and decides whether to allow the print job based on the latest policy state. This dynamic approach enables flexible access control that adapts to changing organizational needs while maintaining system simplicity through on-demand policy evaluation rather than pre-configured static policies.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach is provided for printing policy-enabled electronic documents using locked printing. A client device includes a user interface, an application program and a print driver. The application program allows a user to generate an electronic document. The print driver corresponds to a particular printing device and is configured to cause a graphical user interface to be displayed on the user interface. The graphical user interface allows a user to specify one or more access policies to be applied to the electronic document. The print driver is configured to generate print data that includes a plurality of print commands which, when processed by the particular printing device, cause a printed version of the electronic document to be generated at the printing device. The print data includes data that indicates the one or more attributes of the one or more access policies that are to be applied to the electronic document.