Hiding And Masking Database Data Patents (Class 707/757)
  • Patent number: 8112715
    Abstract: A content management system (CMS) monitors a user's activity for a document, generates corresponding usage data for the user, and binds the usage data to corresponding sections of the document. A relevance policy may be defined for a user and/or for a user's role. The CMS may then render the document to the user based on the usage data and the relevance policy. The rendered document may include displayed sections, hidden sections, and accentuated sections. The result is a document rendered to a user in a way that hides sections that are not of interest, displays sections of interest, and accentuates sections of high interest, all based on usage data that indicates how the document was accessed in the past.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian John Cragun, John Edward Petri
  • Patent number: 8078595
    Abstract: Techniques for implementing secure normal forms are provided. In one embodiment, in response to a request for data from a client, a database server is operable to enforce a column-level security policy that is defined for a particular column of some, but not necessarily all, rows of a table stored in a database. After retrieving a set of rows from the table and before returning a result set of rows to the client, the database server modifies the retrieved set of rows into the result set of rows by applying the security policy to each row of the retrieved set of rows, where applying the security policy to a row comprises: determining whether the security policy is satisfied for the particular column of that row; replacing, in the result set of rows, a data value in the particular column of that row with a security-NULL value when the security policy is not satisfied; and including the data value in the particular column of that row into the result set of rows when the security policy is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Nigel King, George Buzsaki, Roger Wigenstam
  • Patent number: 8073858
    Abstract: To provide data to a user front end while conserving processor resources and network bandwidth, a front end driver operates between the user front end and data processing and storage devices. When users access databases from the user front end, the front end driver maintains virtual objects containing control information associated with the windows and data items visible at the user front end. The user front end need only maintain data corresponding to the visible data items, while the front end driver provides updated versions of the visible data items to the user front end. The updated data items may be provided at refresh intervals, independent of the rate at which the front end driver downloads data from the storage devices. Thus, the system provides access to all database data in a manner that appears to the user as real time, while conserving resources at the user front end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Millennium IT (USA) Inc.
    Inventor: Lakshitha C. Surasinghe
  • Patent number: 8055668
    Abstract: A method and system for data masking a series of interrelated data records is disclosed. A lockable translation matrix repository resource is provided to contain both masked data as well as appropriate key information that provides links between respective copies of respective interlinked databases and maintains the data integrity of masking data inserted therein. Records are masked on a column by column or table by table basis. Records for which masking data is already in the repository are masked by making use of such data, while remaining records are segregated, masked and the masking data updated to the repository. Preferably a backup copy of the masked data records is stored in the repository to permit de-masking of the data records at a later stage. Pivot tables are applied where keys do not match exactly but still exhibit a one-to-one relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Camouflage Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Patrick Pomroy, David Isaac Morgan, Michael Paul Spearns, Robert Raymond Lake
  • Publication number: 20110270837
    Abstract: A system and method for logically masking data by implementing masking algorithms is provided. The method includes receiving one or more inputs from user regarding type of data masking to be implemented depending on type of data entry. Data entries include alphabetical data, data comprising unique codes, data comprising dates and numerical data. Based on inputs received, the data entries are classified and appropriate masking algorithms are executed. For masking numerical data entries, the data entries are first grouped using clustering algorithms and are then shuffled using shuffling algorithms. For low level of data masking selected by a user, numerical data entries are shuffled within groups and for high level of data masking selected by a user, numerical data entries are shuffled across groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: K. Antony Arokia Durai Raj, B. Kanagasabapathi
  • Patent number: 8046373
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for performing structured parallel data intensive computations. A SQL-FCF framework that defines a SQL construct based interface for performing the computations is provided. The computations within an application are coded as table valued functions (TVFs). Data for the application is partitioned into data partitions to co-locate and load balance the data partitions and corresponding computations. The TVFs are invoked and applied to corresponding ones of the data partitions in a structured order defined by function control forms (FCF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Qiming Chen, Meichun Hsu
  • Patent number: 8032527
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for search filtering are disclosed. A search instance associated with a user device is identified, and a determination is made as to whether the search instance includes a filtering term. If the search instance is determined to include a filtering term, then filtered content items in the search instance are identified, and the filtered content items and access to a verification service that provides access approval or access denial for unfiltered content items in the search instance are provided to the user device. Conversely, if the search instance is determine not to include a filtering term, then the unfiltered content items are provided to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jungho Ahn, Justin J. Tansuwan, Junyoung Lee
  • Publication number: 20110208763
    Abstract: A query log includes a list of queries and a count for each query representing the number of times that the query was received by a search engine. In order to provide differential privacy protection to the queries, noise is generated and added to each count, and queries that have counts that fall below a threshold are removed from the query log. A distribution associated with a function used to generate the noise is referenced to determine a distribution of a number of times that a hypothetical query having a zero count would have its count exceed the threshold after the addition of noise. Random queries of an amount equal to a sample from the distribution of number of times are added to the query log with a count that is greater than the threshold count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Frank D. McSherry, Kunal Talwar
  • Patent number: 7991608
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for multilingual data querying, includes determining a word ontology of a base word in a source language, generating a set of words representing the word ontology of the base word, translating at least a subset of the set of words into a target language and translating the at least a subset of the set of words from the target language into the source language of the base word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Johnson, Bruce E. Peoples
  • Patent number: 7991782
    Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for accessing data represented abstractly through an abstraction model. In one embodiment, a data repository abstraction layer provides a logical view of an underlying data repository that is independent of the particular manner of data representation. For each successive query, the data repository abstraction layer is replaced or redefined to provide a restricted logical view of the underlying data repository.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Dettinger, Richard J. Stevens
  • Patent number: 7984025
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for encryption of the content in a database, for accomplishing increased protection against unauthorised access to the data. The method assures that every row and item is re-encrypted with a valid key. More specifically this process, the so-called KeyLife process, is executed every time a row is inserted, updated or retrieved after a scanning operation. The key life value, defining the number of days a key is valid for each item, could differ for the items, and could typically be between 30 and 90 days. The scanning operation, checking the validity of the presently used keys, the so-called KeyLife checking, is executed each time a new key generation is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Protegrity Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Valfridsson, Ulf Mattsson
  • Publication number: 20110161332
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for controlling the distribution of data. Data stored in a datastore is filtered according to a data release policy to generate filtered data. A data release policy agreement, corresponding to the data release policy, is generated. The filtered data and the data release policy agreement are then provided to an information consumer. The data release policy agreement is then used to enforce the data release policy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ivan M. Milman, Charles D. Wolfson, Matthias Schunter, Heather M. Hinton, Michael P. Waidner
  • Patent number: 7962492
    Abstract: Data management security against leakage or loss of personal information is achieved by setting a division range for dividing personal information into identification information that enables a specific individual to be identified and attribute information that does not by itself enable a specific individual to be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Sophia Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20110137924
    Abstract: Using a computer, a database comprising a field is identified. A query relating to the field is identified. Prior to processing the query, the field is dynamically altered to conform to a desired bit size. The query is processed. The results of the query are returned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Herbert Dennis Hunt, John Randall West, Marshall Ashby Gibbs, Bradley Michael Griglione, Gregory David Neil Hudson, Andrea Basilico, Arvid C. Johnson, Cheryl G. Bergeon, Craig Joseph Chapa, Alberto Agostinelli, Jay Alan Yusko, Trevor Mason, Ting Liu
  • Publication number: 20110131222
    Abstract: A system and method for privacy-preserving distributed data mining are presented. The system comprises clients, servers, and a distributed database comprising databases each residing on a server, wherein original data in each database is changed into masked data using a masking function based on a query template generated by one or more clients, and in response to a query obtained from a client as an instantiation of the query template, the masked data is retrieved and the query result on the original data is obtained using a reconstruction function. The query result can be displayed on a computer. The query template and the query can be functions or protocols among clients. The retrieved masked data and the reconstruction function can compute an accurate query result on the original data without revealing additional information in the database having some original data that generates said query result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: TELCORDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Giovanni DiCrescenzo
  • Publication number: 20110119283
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to achieve performance improvements for path-based access to hierarchical data and for utilizing an extensible indexing framework. Extensible operators may be optimized by evaluating the operators using functions native to the database system instead of using functions defined through an extensible indexing mechanism. Furthermore, the database system may resolve a resource path of a query when the query is compiled, and may store the mapping of the resource path to one or more resources in a cursor for the query execution plan to avoid resolving the resource path each time the cursor is used to run the query. The cursor may be made dependent on the one or more resources to which the resource path refers at compile time. This takes advantage of the observation that the mapping of the resource path to particular resources rarely changes between evaluations of a particular query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL XORPORATION
    Inventors: Asha Tarachandani, Bhushan Khaladkar, Sam Idicula, Adiel Yoaz, Nipun Agarwal
  • Publication number: 20110113050
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for generating a masked value from a cryptographically transformed value by using the cryptographically transformed value as a random seed, without decrypting the cryptographically transformed value. A query is evaluated against a set of data to produce a result. The result may be cryptographically transformed or unencrypted. If the result is unencrypted, the result may be cryptographically transformed to produce a random seed. If the result is already cryptographically transformed, then the result is used as the random seed. The random seed is used to generate a masked value, without decrypting the cryptographically transformed random seed value. The masked value conforms to a particular data characteristic such as a data format or a data type, which may be determined from metadata stored in a database, received with a query, or gleaned from unencrypted data. The masked value is returned as a result of the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Paul Youn, Daniel ManHung Wong
  • Publication number: 20110113049
    Abstract: A method for anonymization of unstructured data comprises determining structured references in the unstructured data; populating a table with the structured references; anonymizing the structured references in the table using ontological analysis; and rewriting the structured references in the unstructured data with the anonymized structured references from the table to produce anonymized data. A system for anonymizing unstructured data comprises an entity spotting module configured to determine structured references in the unstructured data and populate a table with the determined structured references; an anonymization module configured to anonymizing the structured references in the table using ontological analysis; and a replacement module configured to rewrite the structured references in the unstructured data with the anonymized structured references from the table to produce anonymized data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew A. Davis, Daniel F. Gruhl
  • Patent number: 7925660
    Abstract: A system for visual structuring of multivariable data sets includes a plurality of sensors for monitoring data and generating events depending on the monitoring; an intrusion detection system for receiving the events generated by the sensors; a plurality of agents for performing pattern recognition on the events, wherein the agents determine whether there are events showing patterns relevant for security purposes; and a display device operatively coupled with the intrusion detection system for displaying in tabular form the events with relevant patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Dieberger, Rene A. Pawlitzek, Markus G. Stolze
  • Patent number: 7917524
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for mockup data for a mockup object. In one exemplary embodiment, the method may include receiving, from a user, a name of the mockup object for which the mockup data should be created, wherein the object comprises one or more nodes. The method may also include receiving, from the user, a number of records to be created for each node of the object, determining whether to modify existing mockup data or create new mockup data for each node, receiving, from the user, a beginning range and an ending range for the mockup data, and generating, within the framework, the mockup data for each node of the object based on metadata stored within the framework and the beginning and ending range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventors: Frank Brunswig, Pragnesh B. Mistry, Prashanth Rai, Abhay A. Tiple
  • Patent number: 7890519
    Abstract: A method, article of manufacture and apparatus for graphically summarizing the data in an initial query result set, including when rows are removed from the result set by applying a data quality standard is disclosed. When a user selects to change the data quality standard, a group of target rows are identified and removed from the user's display. A bitmap is generated to graphically represent the location of each row in the initial result set, including removed rows. A bitmap to summarize the data values for one or more columns in the initial result set may also be created. Thus, a user may quickly obtain an intuitive view of what the data looks like, without the need for complex analysis or graphing packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Dean Dettinger, Frederick Allyn Kulack, Kevin Glynn Paterson, Shannon Everett Wenzel
  • Patent number: 7885959
    Abstract: A method of displaying building system controller data includes receiving a user login associated with predefined user access privileges and receiving a building system controller selection, requesting a listing of building system controller applications and activities from a building system controller associated with the building system controller selection, and generating a display of available building system controller applications and allowable activities based on the user access privileges and based on the listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Computer Process Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A Horowitz, Bridget Strawser, E. Todd Clark, Alain Azurmendi
  • Patent number: 7882133
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing an integrated query from various sensor networks and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes an integrated query parser for parsing an integrated query and analyzing a syntax of the parsed integrated query; an integrated query execution plan generator for analyzing meaning of the parsed integrated query and generating an integrated query execution query for processing an integrated query; an integrated query optimizer for optimizing a process time for the generated execution plan based on query information stored in the query information storage and sensor network information stored in the sensor network information storage; and an integrated query executer for detailing the integrated query execution plan by controlling an execution order according to the optimized integrated query and transferring the detailed integrated query execution plan to an event data process executer, a temporal data process executer, and a continuous data process executer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Inst.
    Inventors: Jae-Jun Yoo, Jun-Wook Lee, Min-Soo Kim, In-Sung Jang, Mal-Hee Kim, Yong-Joon Lee, Jong-Hyun Park
  • Patent number: 7877398
    Abstract: A method and system of masking a group of related data values. A record in an unmasked data file of n records is read. The record includes a first set of data values of data elements included in a related data group (RDG) and one or more data values of one or more data elements external to the RDG. A random number k is received. A second set of data values is retrieved from a lookup table that associates n key values with n sets of data values. Retrieving the second set of data values includes identifying that the second set of data values is associated with a key value of k. The n sets of data values are included in the umnasked data file's n records. The record is masked by replacing the first set of data values with the retrieved second set of data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Kroeschel, Arvind Sathi, Mahesh Viswanathan
  • Publication number: 20110004604
    Abstract: A method and system for grouping metadata search results associated with media on a computer network, such as multimedia and streaming media include binning and iterative masking. The media metadata has an associated media file, which has an associated uniform resource locator (URL). Each URL has at least one field, and each field has at least one character. Binning includes selecting, sorting, and putting URLs having a common attribute into the same bin. Masking includes creating a mask of masking characters. Each field in each URL in each bin is compare with the mask. If a masking character matches a character in a field, the character in the field is removed from the field. This produces at least one resultant URL, i.e., URL that has been compared with a mask. Identical resultant URLs are collapsing into one URL. Thus, redundant and variant URLs are collapsed into a single URL, which may be provided to a search system (e.g., search engine) and/or to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventor: Aram Christian Abajian
  • Publication number: 20100332484
    Abstract: A document information creation device including a memory and a creation unit. The memory associates and stores confidential terms and attributes, and stores replacement candidate terms for replacing the confidential terms in association with confidential terms that have pre-specified attributes. The creation unit creates replacement document information by applying at least one of a first replacement, which replaces a confidential term that has a pre-specified attribute with one of the replacement candidate terms, and a second replacement, which replaces a confidential term that has an attribute other than the pre-specified attributes with a term generated from selected characters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichi SAITO
  • Patent number: 7840554
    Abstract: Methods are described to simultaneously apply conjugates of equality, range, and in-list predicates. A first set of methods are described for the simultaneous application of equality predicates. A second set of methods are described for the simultaneous application of a mixture of range and equality predicates. A third method is described for the simultaneous applying a mixture of in-list predicates. The described methods allow for quick evaluation of complex predicates as they efficiently implement the computation done per record, while maintaining the same execution time irrespective of the number of fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: F Ryan Johnson, Vijayshankar Raman, Garret Frederick Swart
  • Patent number: 7840570
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for acquiring and aggregating information relating to the reproduction of multimedia files or elements in a database, said data including information relating to the number of multimedia file or element reproductions. The inventive system comprises a plurality of digital devices which can access and reproduce multimedia files and an acquisition and storage device which communicates with each of the digital devices in order to receive data from each of the identification/characterization programs, such that the identification/characterization program can count the reproductions at least in a direct and/or weighted manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Strands, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco José Martin Cervera, Enric Plaza I Cervera
  • Publication number: 20100250567
    Abstract: Architecture that provides an abstraction of a mailbox store that allows clients to connect to multiple “alternate” mailboxes associated with a single user, exposing the same mechanism used to connect to a user's main mailbox. Beneath this abstraction, support for alternate mailboxes is implemented as a folder hierarchy contained within the user's own mailbox or another physical mailbox. The architecture uses a sub-mailbox folder hierarchy to virtualize a separate physical mailbox. On top of this basic infrastructure, other features can be built such as server-hosted e-mail archives and mailboxes mirrored from other e-mail and PIM data systems. In support thereof, a mechanism is provided for an abstraction layer to expose all or a subset of the alternate mailbox features, and to advertise which alternate mailbox features are supported per alternate mailbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lauren B. Lavoie, Karim M. Batthish
  • Publication number: 20100241641
    Abstract: A machine-implemented method and machine-readable media for transforming sensitive data in a database is provided. Sensitive data in the database are transformed based on a query context of a query. The query may also be transformed. The transformed query may be applied against the transformed sensitive data to construct a query result. The query result with the transformed sensitive data represents a lenticular view. The lenticular view represents a modified form of the sensitive data that an end-user is allowed access to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ji-Won Byun, Chi Ching Chui, Daniel M. Wong
  • Patent number: 7783652
    Abstract: A content management system determines which user submitted content is to be included in a default experience of a mixed content website. Users submitting content are assigned trust levels based on their history of content submittal and other users' experience with the submitted content. Once a user reaches a predetermined trust level, their content may be included in the default experience without further vetting. An additional complaint review mechanism may be included for filtering unacceptable content and adjusting a submitting user's trust level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen N. Anderson, Sabrina M. Kikkert
  • Publication number: 20100205189
    Abstract: A server is configured to receive an input file or table that includes a number of data elements, where the data elements include some sensitive data elements of different types; identify each of the different types of sensitive data elements; identify a subset of the sensitive data elements that corresponds to each of the different types of sensitive data elements; simultaneously perform data masking operations on the sensitive data elements to create masked sensitive data elements, where a separate one of the data masking operations is performed on each of the subsets of the sensitive data elements; generate an output file or table that includes the data elements from the input file or table, where the sensitive data elements, of the input file or table, are replaced with the masked sensitive data elements; and output or store the output file or table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Fariborz EBRAHIMI, Walid Hassan, Sumit Singh, Swamynathan Kuppuswamy, Kannan Thillai Chidambaram
  • Publication number: 20100198826
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third-party services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: KOTA ENTERPRISES, LLC
    Inventors: Steven L. Petersen, Scott Curtis, Kenneth Jennings, Sean T. Purdy
  • Publication number: 20100198846
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for debugging a computer system is provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method includes encrypting data and query program instructions using correlated order invariant encrypting, the data and query program instructions operating in a customer computer system. The encrypted data and encrypted query program instructions are then transferred to a servicing entity having a test system. The encrypted data and encrypted query program instructions are run on the test system to generate a set of results. The set of results are then used to generate a diagnosis of a problem with the customer computer system. Thus the customer problem can be resolved without the servicing entity having access to the customer's data and query program instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Pramod S. Gupta
  • Patent number: 7752215
    Abstract: A method, system and article of manufacture for protecting sensitive data in databases and, more particularly, for managing access to sensitive data in a database. One embodiment comprises receiving a query against the data in the database comprising at least (i) a result field specification, and (ii) a sorting instruction. The method further comprises retrieving a result set from the database, and filtering the retrieved result set on the basis of predefined filtering rules to remove selected data from a selected result field of at least one data record included with the retrieved result set. The filtered result set is sorted according to the sorting instruction to produce the sorted result set, whereby the sorting is done independently of the removed selected data so that the sorted result set places the at least one data record at a position which is non-indicative of a value of the removed selected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Dettinger, Janice R. Glowacki, Daniel P. Kolz, Padma S. Rao, Marci L. Sperber, Shannon E. Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20100169332
    Abstract: The invention concerns a data anonymity measuring device for selectively transmitting an anonymised database to a third party comprising: calculation means (402) coupled to at least one memory, the memory storing an original database (204) and said anonymized database (206), said calculation means arranged to calculate the conditional entropy for each entry in said anonymized database based on entries in said original database; comparing means (406) arranged to compare at least one of said conditional entropies with a threshold value; and output means (410) arranged to transmit said anonymized database based on the result of said comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Accenture Global Services GmbH
    Inventor: Michele Bezzi
  • Publication number: 20100131518
    Abstract: A system and method for obfuscating a database's schema while preserving its functionality by modifying the original table names, column names, table order, column order, and/or data character set such that the standard order of the original characters is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SafeNet, Inc.
    Inventors: Laszlo Elteto, Henry W. Snyder
  • Patent number: 7716230
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, an apparatus, and computer usable program product for identifying a defective product is provided. A data processing system identifies a product status for products comprising at least one range of serial numbers. The data processing system then narrows the at least one range of serial numbers using a range flattening algorithm. The data processing system then applies a conditional mask algorithm to the at least one range of serial numbers to narrow the at least one range of serial numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ivory Wellman Knipfer, Jeffrey George Komatsu, Jason Scott Lee, Matthew H. Zemke
  • Publication number: 20100114920
    Abstract: Computer program products are provided for anonymizing a database that includes tuples. A respective tuple includes at least one quasi-identifier and sensitive attributes associated with the quasi-identifier. These computer program products include computer readable program code that is configured to (k,e)-anonymize the tuples over a number k of different values in a range e of values, while preserving coupling at least two of the sensitive attributes to one another in the sets of attributes that are anonymized to provide a (k,e)-anonymized database. Related computer systems and methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Divesh Srivastava, Cecilia Magdalena Procopluc
  • Patent number: 7711741
    Abstract: Systems, methods, media, and other embodiments associated with desensitizing data in cloning are described. One example method embodiment includes identifying a column to be desensitized and preparing a set of executable instructions to desensitize the column. The example method may also include organizing the set of executable instructions based on table-oriented relationships between instructions and then further organizing the set of executable instructions based on determinations concerning execution efficiency. The example method may be performed contemporaneously with the cloning of a database to produce a desensitized clone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle International Corp.
    Inventors: Ian Lawler, Yali Wu
  • Publication number: 20100100551
    Abstract: A system and method of generating index information for electronic documents. The system includes a client, one or more information retrieval (IR) engines, such as a search engine, which are each in communication with each other via a network. In one embodiment of the invention, the server maintains a plurality or data objects that are protected by digital rights management (DRM) software. Upon receiving a network request from one of the IR systems, the server dynamically generates an electronic document that provides index information that is associated with one of the data objects. In one embodiment of the invention, the server dynamically generates the contents of the electronic document based upon the indexing characteristics of the IR system. Furthermore, upon receiving a network request from one of the client, the server determines whether the client is authorized to access the data object that is associated with the network request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Christopher L. Knauft, Martin Franklin
  • Publication number: 20100094805
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a digital data processing system for information storage and retrieval that includes a first digital data processor (e.g., personal computer, workstation, server, mainframe, etc.) coupled to a second digital data processor and a data store (e.g., a RDF data store, relational database, etc.). The first digital data processor creates, reads, updates and/or deletes data from the data store (i.e., “CRUD” operations) based on a model generated by the first digital data processor. The model comprises an ontology and a set of constraints that are applied to data characterized by the ontology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: METATOMIX, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Ingerman, Patrick Curley
  • Publication number: 20100076988
    Abstract: Computer based methods, systems and software for generating pangenetic based data profiles of services are presented in which pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) features of consumers are correlated with outcomes experienced by the consumers with respect to those services. The pangenetic based profiles that are generated can be used to recommend the most appropriate services for future consumers based on comparisons of pangenetic features. Data masking is used to maintain privacy of sensitive portions of the pangenetic data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: EXPANSE NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Alexander Kenedy, Charles Anthony Eldering