Sensitive data obfuscation in output files

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9501654-B1
Application number	US-201514945878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for protecting sensitive data. Aspects include accessing computer readable program instructions having one or more output commands. Aspects also include locating the one or more output commands in the computer readable program instructions. Aspects also include identifying target output variables and output constants in the one or more output commands. Aspects also include modifying the computer readable program instructions to append one or more obfuscate commands to the target output variables.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for protecting sensitive data comprising:
accessing, by a processor, computer readable program instructions having one or more output commands;
locating, by the processor, the one or more output commands in the computer readable program instructions;
identifying, by the processor, target output variables and output constants in the one or more output commands; and
modifying, by the processor, the computer readable program instructions to append one or more obfuscate commands to the target output variables, and
modifying the computer readable program instructions to prohibit dependence on exception text.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscate command causes a modified program to obfuscate one or more of the target output variables in an output file.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the output file is a log file.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing, by a processor, the computer readable program instructions and generating one or more output files comprising one or more obfuscated variables.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable program instructions comprise a source code.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable program instructions comprise a binary code.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscate command comprises a replace command that causes a compiler to replace the target output variable with an obfuscated constant and display the obfuscated constant in an output file.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscate command comprises a hash command that causes a compiler to hash the target output variable to produce a hashed variable and display the hashed variable in an output file.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscate command comprises an encrypt command that causes a compiler to encrypt the target output variable to produce an encrypted variable and display the encrypted variable in an output file.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscate command comprises a tag command that causes a compiler to tag the target output variables to produce tagged variables.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying the computer readable program instructions to append more than one obfuscate command to the target output variables.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the more than one obfuscate commands comprise at least two different encrypt commands, wherein the at least two different encrypt commands enable selective encryption of the target output variables in an output file.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the output constants is a term that varies based upon a pre-defined list of terms.

14. A processing system for protecting sensitive data comprising:
a processor in communication with one or more types of memory, the processor configured to:
access computer readable program instructions having one or more output commands;
locate the one or more output commands in the computer readable program instructions;
identify target output variables and output constants in the one or more output commands; and
modify the computer readable program instructions to append one or more obfuscate commands to the target output variables, and
modifying the computer readable program instructions to prohibit dependence on exception text.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Adir Allon
• Aharoni Ehud
• Greenberg Lev
• Miroshnikov Roza
• Polakovski Asaf

Classifications

• G06F21/552 Primary

  involving long-term monitoring or reporting · CPC title

• G06F21/60 Primary

  Protecting data · CPC title

• G06F21/6254

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

• G06F21/6218 Primary

  to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database · CPC title

• G06F21/602

  Providing cryptographic facilities or services · CPC title