Patent ID: 8671455

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for detecting unintentional information disclosure, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: identifying at least one data access Application Programming Interface (API) programmed to provide access to sensitive information located on the computing device to one or more applications; determining that at least one application has been granted permission to use the data access API by determining that a user of the computing device granted the application permission to use the data access API; monitoring, in response to determining that the application has been granted permission to use the data access API, attempts by the application to use the data access API; while monitoring attempts to use the data access API, detecting an attempt by the application to access the sensitive information through the data access API; in response to detecting the attempt to access the sensitive information, tracking the sensitive information accessed by the application; detecting an attempt to leak the sensitive information outside of the computing device; in response to detecting the attempt to leak the sensitive information outside of the computing device, performing a security action.