Software Scanning for Target Data Transfer Risk Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Software applications often expose organizations to risks of data privacy incidents and non-compliance with various data privacy standards due to vulnerabilities introduced by modifications in program code, which are difficult to detect and manage.

Innovation Solution

A risk evaluation computing system scans software applications to identify data collection and transfer, determines the type and location of data, and assesses risks using machine-learning and rules-based models, triggering actions to mitigate risks when they exceed a threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If software applications are modified to collect and transfer personal data, then functionality and data processing capability are improved, but risk of data privacy incidents and compliance violations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata processing capabilityVSAvoiddata privacy risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary scanning and analysis of software applications to identify data collection functionality before deployment or modification. By detecting data processing operations in advance and assessing associated risks, the system enables preventive measures to be taken before privacy incidents can occur, thus allowing functional improvements while pre-mitigating potential harms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors software applications for data processing operations and provides feedback regarding identified risks. This feedback mechanism enables real-time or near-real-time detection of problematic data transfers and allows organizations to adjust their data processing practices to maintain compliance while preserving necessary functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If manual monitoring and assessment of data processing risks is performed, then detection accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverisk detection accuracyVSAvoidmonitoring time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automated self-assessment of data processing risks by scanning software applications, identifying data collection functionality, and evaluating associated risks without requiring continuous manual intervention. This self-service capability maintains high detection accuracy while eliminating the time consumption and operational burden of manual monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical monitoring processes with automated computational analysis. By using algorithms to scan code, identify data processing operations, and assess risks, the system achieves accurate detection while substituting time-consuming human analysis with rapid automated evaluation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If comprehensive scanning and analysis of software applications is performed, then risk detection capability is improved, but system complexity and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverisk detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the risk assessment process into distinct functional components: scanning for data processing operations, identifying specific data types being processed, determining geographic locations involved in data transfers, and evaluating risks based on jurisdictional requirements. This segmentation improves detection capability by making each component specialized while reducing overall system complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs a unified scanning mechanism that simultaneously performs multiple functions: detecting data collection functionality, identifying data types, locating processing operations, and assessing risks across different jurisdictions. This multi-functionality approach improves comprehensive risk detection while avoiding the complexity of separate specialized systems for each task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12566885B2Data processing systems and methods for automatically detecting target data transfers and target data processing

Publication Date: 2026.03.03 ONETRUST LLC

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, systems, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for protection of system software, or data from destruction, unauthorized modification, and/or unauthorized disclosure securing by, for example, detecting the transfer and/or processing of target data. Accordingly, a method is provided that involves: scanning a software application to identify functionality configured for processing target data; identifying fields associated with the functionality; identifying metadata associated with a field; generating, from the metadata, an identification of a type of data associated with the field; determining a location based on the processing of the target data by the functionality; determining a risk associated with the functionality processing the target data based on the location and the type of data; determining that the risk satisfies a threshold level of risk; and in response, causing an action to be performed to mitigate the risk.