Method and apparatus generating and applying security labels to sensitive data

Abstract

The disclosure comprises a method, an apparatus, and instructions for controlling a computer to implement a security labeling service (SLS) to tag an electronic record or data stream with security labels to ensure compliance with access restriction requirements. The SLS tags a record or data stream with security labels according to constraints including jurisdictional (government regulation), organizational policy, and authorization of a subject of record (e.g. patient consent). The SLS consumes a vocabulary dictionary to interpret the record and the constraints to generate rules for tagging the data. The original record or data stream is then tagged according to the rules. The tagged output is used to ensure compliance with the security labels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by an automated data custodian system, an electronic record or an electronic data stream destined for a receiving system and tagged with a security label that enables automated compliance and enforcement with each of a subject of record authorization, an organizational policy, and a government regulation;   determining, by at least one of the automated data custodian system and the receiving system, and in accordance with the security label of the received electronic record or electronic data stream, whether the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement;   when the determining determines that the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement,
 sending, by the automated data custodian system, the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label to the receiving system; 
   when the determining determines that the receiving system is not configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement,
 modifying, by the automated data custodian system, the received electronic record or electronic data stream to comply with the security label, so that the automated data custodian system thereby guarantees the automated compliance and enforcement by the receiving system, and 
 sending, by the automated data custodian system, the modified electronic record or electronic data stream to the receiving system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when the determining determines that the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement, and prior to the automated data custodian system sending the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label to the receiving system,
 determining, by the automated data custodian system in accordance with at least one of the subject of record authorization, the organizational policy, and the government regulation, whether the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label is to be encrypted, and 
 when the automated data custodian system determines that the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label is to be encrypted,
 encrypting the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label, 
 wherein the sending, by the automated data custodian system, the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label to the receiving system, sends the encrypted electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label; and 
 
   when the determining determines that the receiving system is not configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement, and prior to the automated data custodian system sending the modified electronic record to data stream to the receiving system,
 determining, by the automated data custodian system in accordance with at least one of the subject of record authorization, the organizational policy, and the government regulation, whether the modified electronic record or electronic data stream is to be encrypted, and 
 when the automated data custodian system determines that the modified electronic record or electronic data stream is to be encrypted,
 encrypting the modified electronic record or electronic data stream, 
 wherein the sending, by the automated data custodian, the modified electronic record or electronic data stream, sends the encrypted, modified electronic record or electronic data stream, and 
 
 when the automated data custodian system determines that the modified electronic record or electronic data stream is not to be encrypted,
 the sending, by the automated data custodian, the modified electronic record or electronic data stream, sends the unencrypted, modified electronic record or electronic data stream to the receiving system. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . An automated data custodian system comprising:
 at least one memory storing instructions; and   at least one processor that executes the instructions so that the automated data custodian system:
 receives an electronic record or an electronic data stream destined for a receiving system and tagged with a security label that enables automated compliance and enforcement with each of a subject of record authorization, an organizational policy, and a government regulation, 
 determines, by the automated data custodian system itself or in cooperation with the receiving system, and in accordance with the security label of the received electronic record or electronic data stream, whether the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement, 
 when it is determined that the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement, sends the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label to the receiving system, 
 when it is determined that the receiving system is not configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement,
 modifies the received electronic record or electronic data stream to comply with the security label, so that the automated data custodian system thereby guarantees the automated compliance and enforcement by the receiving system, and 
 sends the modified electronic record or electronic data stream to the receiving system. 
 
   
     
     
         4 . An automated data custodian system comprising:
 at least one memory storing instructions; and   at least one processor that executes the instructions so that the automated data custodian system:
 receives an electronic record or an electronic data stream destined for a receiving system and tagged with a security label that enables automated compliance and enforcement with each of a subject of record authorization, an organizational policy, and a government regulation, 
 determines, by the automated data custodian system itself or in cooperation with the receiving system, and in accordance with the security label of the received electronic record or electronic data stream, whether the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement, 
 when it is determined that the receiving system is configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement,
 determines, in accordance with at least one of the subject of record authorization, the organizational policy, and the government regulation, whether the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label is to be encrypted, 
 when it is determined that the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label is to be encrypted,
 encrypts the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label, and 
 sends the encrypted electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label to the receiving system, 
 
 when it is determined that the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label is not to be encrypted,
 sends, unencrypted, the electronic record or electronic data stream tagged with the security label to the receiving system, 
 
 
 when it is determined that the receiving system is not configured to guarantee the automated compliance and enforcement,
 modifies the received electronic record or electronic data stream to comply with the security label, so that the automated data custodian system thereby guarantees the automated compliance and enforcement by the receiving system, 
 determines, in accordance with at least one of the subject of record authorization, the organizational policy, and the government regulation, whether the modified electronic record or electronic data stream is to be encrypted, 
 when it is determined that the modified electronic record or electronic data stream is to be encrypted,
 encrypts the modified electronic record or electronic data stream, and 
 sends the encrypted, modified electronic record or electronic data stream to the receiving system, 
 
 when it is determined that the modified electronic record or electronic data stream is not to be encrypted,
 sends, unencrypted, the modified electronic record or electronic data stream to the receiving system.