SMS Reading Device Hiding Sensitive Verification Codes

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Malicious applications can read verification codes in SMS messages to execute sensitive operations due to the ability of third-party applications with SMS reading authority at the operating system level to access SMS content, leading to potential information leakage.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that identify and hide sensitive information in SMS messages by replacing or encrypting it, ensuring that only authorized applications can access the information, thereby implementing granular authority control over SMS content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If third party applications are granted SMS reading authority at the operating system level, then the applications can access SMS content for authentication purposes, but malicious applications can read verification codes to execute sensitive operations

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSMS reading authorityVSAvoidinformation leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments SMS content into sensitive information (verification codes) and non-sensitive information (message content). By identifying and separating sensitive elements, the system can apply different access control mechanisms - allowing reading of non-sensitive content while preventing access to sensitive verification codes, thus resolving the contradiction between broad SMS reading authority and prevention of information leakage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by treating different parts of the SMS differently. The SMS component identifies sensitive information within the message and applies special protection only to those specific portions (verification codes), while allowing other parts to be read normally. This localized approach maintains the overall SMS reading authority for legitimate applications while preventing malicious access to sensitive data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If verification codes are made visible to third party applications for authentication, then authentication can be performed, but the verification codes can be stolen by malicious applications

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveauthenticationVSAvoidcode security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces the SMS component as an intermediary between the third party application and the verification code. This intermediary identifies sensitive information, replaces verification codes with placeholder characters, and only provides the original codes to the default SMS application. The intermediary thus enables authentication functionality while protecting against code theft by malicious applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the verification code from the SMS message stream and handles it separately through special processing. By identifying and extracting sensitive information, the system can provide verification codes to authorized applications (like the default SMS app) while blocking access to malicious applications, thus maintaining authentication reliability without compromising code security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the SMS component processes sensitive information by replacement or encryption, then information security is improved, but the complexity of the SMS processing system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation securityVSAvoidSMS processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining what constitutes sensitive information (verification codes) and pre-establishing the processing rules for handling such information. The SMS component proactively identifies sensitive elements before they are accessed by third party applications and applies replacement or encryption in advance. This preliminary approach strengthens information security while keeping the processing logic relatively simple and manageable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3144844B1Short message service reading method and device
Publication Date: 2022.10.05 XIAOMI INC
  • EP3144844B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3144844B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP3144844B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

A Short Message Service (SMS) reading method and device are provided. The SMS reading method includes that: a reading request of reading an SMS is received from a third party application(201); when the SMS is an SMS carrying sensitive information, the sensitive information in the SMS is hidden(202); and the processed SMS is fed back to the third party application(203).