Method and system for maintaining secure data input and output

Abstract

Methods and systems for enhancing the security of data during input and output on a client computer system are provided to prevent attempts by unauthorized code to access, intercept, and / or modify data. Example embodiments provide a plurality of obfuscation techniques and security enhanced drivers that use these obfuscation techniques to prohibit unauthorized viewing / receiving of valid data. When the drivers are used together with the various obfuscation techniques, the security enhanced drivers provide mechanisms for “scheduling” the content of the storage areas used to store the data so that valid data is not available to unauthorized recipients. When unauthorized recipients attempt to access the “data,” they perceive or receive obfuscated data. The obfuscation techniques described include “copy-in,”“replace and restore,” and “in-place replacement” de-obfuscation / re-obfuscation techniques. In one embodiment, a security enhanced display driver, a security enhanced mouse driver, a security enhanced keyboard driver, and a security enhanced audio driver are provided. To complement the security enhancements, the methods and systems also provide for a watchdog mechanism to ensure that the driver is functioning as it should be and various user interface techniques for denoting security on a display device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to methods and systems for maintaining the security of data in a computer-based environment and in particular, to methods and systems for maintaining the security of data as it is input from an input device such as a mouse or keyboard and as it is output through, for example, audio or video means. [0003] 2. Background Information [0004] The concept of security continues to become increasingly more important in a world where personal computer systems are generally connected via wireless or wired networks and / or internetworks, such as the Internet, to other computing systems. Many companies and institutions have addressed security issues as they relate to, for example, the transfer of data from a personal (client) computer system to server computer systems over network communications. For example, firewalls are typically present on local area networks (LANs) to form boundaries between the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides computer-based methods and systems for enhancing the security of data during input and output on a client computer system in order to prevent unauthorized access by hackers. The methods use obfuscation techniques to make the data difficult to view, interpret, or modify without proper authorization. The invention includes security enhanced drivers that implement varying degrees and levels of security, from making the data present with garbled information or noise, to encrypted data. The drivers can determine what is used to obfuscate data, how, and where the data comes from. The invention also includes monitoring and / or watchdog services to ensure the security of the drivers. Overall, the invention enhances data security and prevents unauthorized hacking attempts."

Problems solved by technology

For the purposes of this description, the term “obfuscation” refers to any mechanism or technique for transforming or hiding valid data so that the valid data becomes difficult to view, intercept, process, or modify without proper authorization and thus, appears as invalid data when accessed in an unauthorized manner.

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