Spreadsheet Whitelisting Redaction for Hidden Data Normalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing redaction technologies struggle to efficiently and accurately apply redaction to spreadsheet files with complex structured data, such as workbooks, due to their diverse file formats and hidden data types, leading to potential leakage of protected information during electronic discovery.
Innovation Solution
A whitelisting approach is employed to redact spreadsheet files, using a configurable whitelist to identify and transfer only 'safe' data types to a target file, ensuring all data is visible and manageable for review and redaction, while maintaining data integrity and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional redaction technology is applied to spreadsheet files with complex structured data, then the redaction process becomes difficult and inaccurate, but protected information may leak
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary normalization process that converts complex spreadsheet files into a standardized intermediate format. This normalization layer acts as a mediator between the original complex file structure and the redaction engine, enabling accurate identification and redaction of protected information while maintaining reliability across diverse spreadsheet formats
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the redaction process into distinct phases: normalization phase (converting spreadsheet to intermediate format), analysis phase (identifying protected information), and redaction phase (applying redactions). This segmentation allows each phase to handle specific tasks independently, improving redaction accuracy while managing complexity through modular processing
2Reliability
If all data types in spreadsheet files are processed for redaction, then comprehensive protection is achieved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary normalization of spreadsheet files before the actual redaction process. By pre-converting all data types into a standardized intermediate format during the normalization phase, the system prepares the data structure in advance, enabling faster and more efficient redaction processing in the subsequent phase without compromising completeness
3Ease of operation
If spreadsheet files are converted to images for redaction, then redaction can be applied, but data becomes less manageable and interactive redaction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of converting to images, the patent uses an intermediate structured format that preserves the data's inherent manageability and interactivity. This intermediate format serves as a mediator that enables redaction application while maintaining data accessibility, searchability, and editability, avoiding the limitations of image-based approaches
4Productivity
If hidden data types in spreadsheet files are not exposed, then processing speed is maintained, but protected information may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The normalization process performs preliminary exposure of all hidden data types by converting them into visible, standardized structures in the intermediate format. This preliminary action ensures that no protected information remains hidden during subsequent redaction analysis, while the efficient normalization algorithm maintains acceptable processing speeds
Data Source
AI summary
A whitelisting approach to redaction may include receiving a normalization request containing a binary file with complex structured data, such as a workbook or spreadsheet file, from an application on a user device through a redaction service provided by an e-discovery platform. In response to the normalization request, a normalization process starts and runs asynchronously to apply a whitelist to the binary file. The whitelist is configurable and specifies features (e.g., data types, workbook object types, etc.) of the binary file that are considered safe by a party to a lawsuit or investigation. The normalization process includes a pre-processing stage, a transferring stage, and a post-processing stage to push all the data to a visible level and produce a normalized document with the whitelisted features. An artifact containing the normalized document can then be generated and used to render a normalized representation for interactive redaction.