Patent ID: 8893280
Filing Date: 2014-11-18
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of tracking sensitive data through a target application running on a computer system, the method comprising: upon loading a target application for execution by a computer system, initiating function-level instrumentation including monitoring input data received on at least one input channel of the computer system for a sensitive data indicator; marking the input data associated with the sensitive data indicator as tainted data when the input data is provided to the target application; upon receipt of the tainted data at said computer system, initiate tracking propagation of the tainted data as the target application executes and the tainted data is read from and written to memory locations in the computer system, wherein tracking propagation of the tainted data comprises performing instrumentation of the target application instructions and functions such that the tainted data is tracked as instructions of the target application are executed; and monitoring at least one output channel of the computer system to determine if the tainted data is propagated to the at least one output channel.