Software Connection Gateway for Unauthorized Data Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software applications often unintentionally leak confidential information, such as personal data and usage logs, to external servers without user authorization, posing risks to corporate security as users are unaware of these leaks and corporations face unnecessary risks during network licensing processes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that analyze connection logs, device-to-IP address mappings, and device-to-software mappings to identify and block unauthorized connections, ensuring that only necessary communications occur, thereby preventing information leakage by adding destination addresses to a block list if the software functions normally when these connections are blocked.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software is allowed to connect to remote servers for authorization verification and updates, then software functionality and security are maintained, but confidential information may be leaked without user awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the terminal device and external servers. The gateway monitors, analyzes, and controls all communication between the software and external servers, enabling authorization verification while preventing confidential information leakage through intelligent packet inspection and blocking mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the gateway continuously monitors software communication patterns, compares them against authorized patterns, and dynamically adjusts blocking rules based on detected anomalies, thereby maintaining software functionality while preventing information leakage
2Object-affected harmful factors
If all software connections are blocked to prevent information leakage, then information security is improved, but software functionality is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality controls to different communication streams. Instead of uniformly blocking all connections, the gateway analyzes each connection's purpose and applies selective blocking only to connections that transmit confidential information while allowing authorized functional connections to proceed
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of software communication patterns during normal operation to establish a baseline of authorized connections. This preliminary understanding enables the gateway to distinguish between functional connections and potential information leakage channels before making blocking decisions
3Object-affected harmful factors
If users are made aware of all software connections for monitoring purposes, then information security is improved, but user convenience and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device autonomously performs connection analysis, pattern recognition, and blocking decisions without requiring user intervention. The system self-manages the complexity of monitoring and controlling software connections, providing security benefits while maintaining user convenience
Data Source
AI summary
A system including a network communication device, a storage device, and a controller is provided. The storage device stores first mappings between IP addresses and devices, and second mappings between software and devices. The controller obtains a connection log from the proxy server or the firewall device via the network communication device, uses the first mappings and the second mappings to analyze the connection log to determine one or more different connections between connections of devices on which first software is installed and connections of devices on which the first software is not installed, determines whether the first software functions normally on a first device blocking the different connections, and adds destination addresses of the different connections into a blocking list in response to the first software functioning normally on the first device, such that the proxy server or the firewall device blocks all connections towards the destination addresses.