Patent ID: 11972005
Assignee: nan
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 18:
19. A method for managing and securing data variations in an electronic spreadsheet workbook comprising:
defining a data pattern to conform to at least one pre-defined rule among a plurality of extensible, pre-defined rules for a protected classification of information, wherein the protected classification of information comprises one of legal information, regulatory information, and business requirements information;
storing the defined data pattern as metadata embedded in an electronic spreadsheet workbook;
detecting, in a first layer worksheet of the electronic spreadsheet workbook, when particular data content is entered into one or more cells within a capture area;
retrieving the defined data pattern from the embedded metadata;
comparing the particular data content to the defined data pattern;
determining whether the particular data content matches the data pattern;
taking an action to conform with the protected classification of information when the particular data content matches the data pattern, wherein the action comprises obfuscating the particular data content, wherein obfuscating the particular data content comprises at least one of obfuscation masking of characters in the particular data content and obfuscation substitution for substituting the particular data content with a system generated alternative value;
creating a second layer to store authentic user provided data that is not obfuscated, wherein the authentic user provided data comprises a copy of the particular data content detected within the capture area in the first layer before taking the action to obfuscate the particular data content in the first layer;
encrypting the authentic user provided data; and
storing the encrypted authentic user provided data as a secure and encrypted copy of the particular data content that is not obfuscated; and
setting an active layer of the electronic spreadsheet workbook to the first layer as a default visible layer for the electronic spreadsheet workbook.