Anonymization and filtering data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9349026-B2
Application number	US-201214234366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2012
Priority date	Jul 22, 2011
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

System and method of anonymising data comprising the steps of reading parameters of an anonymisation procedure from a configurable anonymisation procedure resource. Receiving data to be anonymised from a data source, wherein the data source is identified by one or more of the read parameters. Applying one or more transformations to the received data according to the anonymisation procedure, wherein the one or more transformations include transforming at least an original portion of the received data into a transformed portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of anonymizing data comprising:
reading parameters of an anonymization procedure from a configurable anonymization procedure resource, wherein the read parameters defines a workflow for receiving data to be anonymized and for applying one or more transformations thereto, and wherein the read parameters also includes an indication of an allowable number of concurrent processing threads for receiving the data and applying the one or more anonymization transformations;
receiving data to be anonymized from a data source according to the defined workflow, wherein the data source is identifiable from one or more of the read parameters; and
applying one or more anonymization transformations to the received data according to the defined workflow, wherein the one or more transformations include transforming at least an original portion of the received data into a transformed portion, and wherein the steps of receiving data and applying one or more anonymization transformations are performed using no more than the allowable number of concurrent processing threads indicated in the read parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more anonymization transformations to be applied to the received data are identified in the read parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the read parameters further include or identify any one or more of:
a transformation configuration resource that includes a description of the one or more transformations to be applied to the received data;
a reader configuration resource that includes configuration information for reading the received data;
an input directory of the data source to scan for received data;
an output directory of the data source to write transformed data to following the application of the one or more transformations; and
a writer configuration resource that includes configuration information for writing the transformed data.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the configurable anonymization procedure resource is encrypted.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the original portion of the received data is recoverable from the transformed portion using previously stored information.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the previously stored information comprises the transformed portion stored with the original portion of received data.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the previously stored information is cryptographic material for decrypting the transformed portion into the original portion of received data.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the applied one or more anonymization transformations are one or more selected from the group consisting of: hashing; redacting; filtering; find and replacing; replacement with random values; validation; and masking.

9. The method according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the transformation configuration resource and the configurable anonymization procedure resource are in XML format.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the received data are call data records.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anonymization procedure includes receiving the data from an input channel and writing the anonymized data to an output channel.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the received data originates from any one or more of: a database, file system, mobile network, and real time data feed.

13. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
receiving an input comprising the transformed portion and a new portion; and
recovering the original portion of the received data from the transformed portion using stored information.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1 .

15. A computer programmed to perform the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Gianniotis Adam
• Mcquaid Gerald
• Babbage Stephen
• Vodafone Ip Licensing Ltd

Inventors

• Gianniotis Adam
• Mcquaid Gerald
• Babbage Stephen

Classifications

• G06F21/6254 Primary

  by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification · CPC title

• G06F21/60

  Protecting data · CPC title

• H04L63/0435

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06) · CPC title

• H04L63/0407

  wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00) · CPC title

• G06F21/602

  Providing cryptographic facilities or services · CPC title