Social Norming for Content Security Classification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing availability of information on computer networks poses challenges in ensuring that electronic documents are properly security-classified, as owners often forget or neglect to apply classifications before others interact with them, leading to potential unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for content management that utilizes social norming to encourage owners to apply security classifications by alerting them when others attempt to access unclassified content, creating a list of 'violators' visible to peers, and requiring verification of security classifications upon access, ensuring that content is appropriately classified before access is granted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If content is made widely accessible on computer networks, then information availability increases, but security classification accuracy deteriorates due to owners forgetting or neglecting to apply classifications
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of content before it is made accessible on the network. Classification labels are assigned to content items during the upload or creation process, ensuring that security classifications are in place before the content is published and accessed by others, thereby preventing the problem of owners forgetting to classify content
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to content owners regarding the classification status of their content. When content is accessed or viewed, the system can notify the owner about access events, prompting them to review and ensure appropriate classification has been applied, creating a feedback loop that improves classification accuracy over time
2Reliability
If security classification requirements are enforced, then unauthorized access is prevented, but user convenience deteriorates due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service authentication mechanisms where users can verify their own clearance levels and access permissions without requiring manual intervention from administrators. The verification process is automated, checking classification labels against user permissions silently in the background, which maintains security while reducing the perceived burden on users
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies verification only when necessary - that is, when accessing classified content. For unclassified or publicly accessible content, no verification is required. This partial application of security measures maintains convenience for routine access while ensuring security is enforced when needed, avoiding excessive verification steps for all content
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for security classification applying social norming. More specifically, content is received from a user via an interface; and, a data repository connected to the interface stores the content. A portal connected to the data repository identifies an attempt to access the content from a non-user. A program processor connected to the portal determines whether the content includes a security classification. When the content does not include a security classification, a communications module connected to the program processor sends an alert to the user. The alert includes a request to assign a security classification to the content. When the content includes a security classification, the communications module sends a message to the user, wherein the message includes a request to verify the security classification.