Sensitive Data Identification In Real-Time for Data Streaming

Abstract

A computer-based system and method for classifying data in real-time for data streaming may include: capturing a plurality of data packets flowing between a data source machine and a data client; searching at least one of the data packets for tokens associated with sensitive information; if tokens associated with sensitive information are not found in a data packet: allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client; and sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis; and if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet: preventing the data packet form flowing between the data source machine and the data client; and sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for classifying data in real-time, the method comprising:
 capturing a plurality of data packets flowing between a data source machine and a data client;   searching a header of at least one of the data packets for metadata to determine whether the data packet should be allowed or should be further analyzed, wherein the metadata includes at least one of machine information, network information, user information, and client information; and   if the search of the header indicates that the at least one data packet should be further analyzed, searching raw data of a payload of the at least one of the data packets for tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information streaming in or out of a database in real-time without parsing the data packets or knowing which values in the payload fit into each field.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if, during the searching of the raw data of the payload, the tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information are not found in the payload of a data packet:
 allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client and sending a copy of the data packet to an offline comprehensive security analysis; and   if, during the searching of the raw data of the payload, tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 performing a wildcard search, a dictionary search, and a regular expression search of the payload in parallel in parallel for identified terms; and 
 if identified terms are detected, preventing the data packet from flowing between the data source machine and the data client and sending the data packet or a copy of the data packet along with results from the searching of the raw data of the payload, to the offline comprehensive security analysis. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if tokens associated with sensitive information are not found in a data packet:
 allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client;   sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis; and   if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 preventing the data packet form flowing between the data source machine and the data client; and 
 sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising, if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 continuing to prevent the data packet from flowing between the data source machine and the data client if the comprehensive security analysis finds security issues; and   allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client if the comprehensive security analysis finds no security issues.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data source machine is selected from the list consisting of: a database server, a file server, a proxy and a database server, a combination of a proxy and a file server, a combination of a network gate and a database server, and a combination of a network gate and a file server. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data packet is one of: a query sent from the data client to the data source machine, and a response sent from the data source machine to the data client. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein capturing and searching are performed by a software agent that is installed on the data source machine. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein performing a comprehensive security analysis is performed by a dedicated security server, and wherein the data packet is sent to the dedicated security server for performing the comprehensive security analysis. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein searching the data packet for tokens associated with sensitive information comprises at least one of: wildcard search, pattern search and dictionary search. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 updating the tokens associated with sensitive information based on results of the comprehensive security analysis.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the comprehensive security analysis comprises:
 parsing the data packet;   mapping metadata to data;   building hierarchy of the data; and   processing policy rules.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 issuing a security alert if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet and if the comprehensive security analysis finds security issues.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 after capturing, decrypting the plurality of data packets to obtain a header of each packet;   analyzing the headers to determine security status of packets associated with the headers; and   selecting the at least one data packet based on the security status.   
     
     
         14 . A system for classifying data in real-time, the system comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
 capturing a plurality of data packets flowing between a data source machine and a data client; 
 searching a header of at least one of the data packets for metadata to determine whether the data packet should be allowed or should be further analyzed, wherein the metadata includes at least one of machine information, network information, user information, and client information; and 
 if the search of the header indicates that the at least one data packet should be further analyzed, searching raw data of a payload of the at least one of the data packets for tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information streaming in or out of a database in real-time without parsing the data packets or knowing which values in the payload fit into each field. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein if, during the searching of the raw data of the payload, the tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information are not found in the payload of a data packet:
 allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client and sending a copy of the data packet to an offline comprehensive security analysis; and   if, during the searching of the raw data of the payload, tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 performing a wildcard search, a dictionary search, and a regular expression search of the payload in parallel in parallel for identified terms; and 
 if identified terms are detected, preventing the data packet from flowing between the data source machine and the data client and sending the data packet or a copy of the data packet along with results from the searching of the raw data of the payload, to the offline comprehensive security analysis. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein if tokens associated with sensitive information are not found in a data packet:
 allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client;   sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis; and   if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 preventing the data packet form flowing between the data source machine and the data client; and 
 sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising, if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 continuing to prevent the data packet from flowing between the data source machine and the data client if the comprehensive security analysis finds security issues; and   allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client if the comprehensive security analysis finds no security issues.   
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for classifying data in real-time, the computer program product comprising:
 one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media having computer-readable program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, said program instructions executes a computer-implemented method comprising:
 capturing a plurality of data packets flowing between a data source machine and a data client; 
 searching a header of at least one of the data packets for metadata to determine whether the data packet should be allowed or should be further analyzed, wherein the metadata includes at least one of machine information, network information, user information, and client information; and 
 if the search of the header indicates that the at least one data packet should be further analyzed, searching raw data of a payload of at least one of the data packets for tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information streaming in or out of a database in real-time without parsing the data packets or knowing which values in the payload fit into each field. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein if during the searching of the raw data of the payload, the tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information are not found in the payload of a data packet:
 allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client and sending a copy of the data packet to an offline comprehensive security analysis; and   if, during the searching of the raw data of the payload, tokens, values, expressions, words or phrases associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 performing a wildcard search, a dictionary search, and a regular expression search of the payload in parallel in parallel for identified terms; and 
 if identified terms are detected, preventing the data packet from flowing between the data source machine and the data client and sending the data packet or a copy of the data packet, along with results from the searching of the raw data of the payload, to the offline comprehensive security analysis. 
   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein if tokens associated with sensitive information are not found in a data packet:
 allowing the data packet to flow between the data source machine and the data client;   sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis; and   if tokens associated with sensitive information are found in the data packet:
 preventing the data packet form flowing between the data source machine and the data client; and 
 sending the data packet to a comprehensive security analysis.