Method and apparatus for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface displays a graphical user interface that includes a trusted interaction window. In one example, the method includes continuously determining whether information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window and then disabling an operation being requested when an overlay condition has been determined. In one example, the trusted interaction window is maintained to be the top most window when it is called by an application, for example, during an online transaction, or any other suitable action. The trusted interaction window may be generated via a browser, or operating system, or any other suitable application. As such, the trusted interaction window detects when another window is overlayed on top of it, such as a chromeless window, thereby preventing an unscrupulous party from tricking the user or obtaining sensitive information.
1. A method for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:
receiving a call from a calling application to present an additional trusted interaction window, other than a browser window, as part of a secure on-line transaction;
in response to the call, displaying a GUI to a user that includes the trusted interaction window as a parent window for the secure on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises a location for receiving transaction information to be entered for the on-line transaction;
continuously determining, after displaying of the trusted interaction window, whether displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window independent of an expiration time of access to the trusted interaction window;
taking desired action in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window so as to prevent a party other than the user from interfering with the on-line transaction; and
keeping the trusted interaction window as a top most window in a display area in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window.
2. The method of claim 1 including notifying an application of the detected overlay condition.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein continuously determining whether information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window includes:
determining a dimension of the trusted interaction window and a location of the trusted interaction window;
selecting an area within the trusted interaction window; and
determining which of a plurality of windows is visible at the selected area within the trusted interaction window.
4. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
memory containing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
display a GUI to a user that includes an additional trusted interaction window, other than a browser window, independent of an expiration time of access to the trusted interaction window, for a secure on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises a location for receiving transaction information to be entered for the on-line transaction;
continuously determine, after displaying of the trusted interaction window, whether displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window; and
take desired action in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window so as to prevent another party other than the user from interfering with the on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises transaction information entered for an on-line transaction.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the memory includes executable instructions that cause the processor to keep the trusted interaction window as a top most window in a display area in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the GUI that includes the trusted interaction window as a parent window comprises displaying the trusted interaction window outside of a browser window.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed information is comprised of an existing and displayed overlayed window that is overlayed on the trusted interaction window.
8. A method for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:
receiving a call from a calling application to present an additional trusted interaction window, other than a browser window, as part of a secure on-line transaction;
in response to the call, displaying a GUI to a user that includes the trusted interaction window as a parent window for the secure on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises a location for receiving transaction information to be entered for the on-line transaction;
continuously determining, after displaying of the trusted interaction window, whether displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window independent of an expiration time of access to the trusted interaction window; and
taking desired action, including disabling an operation being requested via the trusted interaction window and alternating the look of the trusted interaction window, in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window so as to prevent a party other than the user from interfering with the on-line transaction.
9. A method for protecting communication of information through a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:
receiving a call from a calling application to present an additional trusted interaction window, other than a browser window, as part of a secure on-line transaction;
in response to the call, displaying a GUI to a user that includes the trusted interaction window as a parent window, for the secure on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises a location for receiving transaction information to be entered for the on-line transaction;
continuously determining, after displaying of the trusted interaction window, whether displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window independent of an expiration time of access to the trusted interaction window;
taking desired action in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window so as to prevent a party other than the user from interfering with the on-line transaction; and
selecting a first graphic for display with the trusted interaction window and changing the first graphic to a second graphic in response to a detection that the user is about to take action that is available through the trusted interaction window.
10. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
memory containing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
receive a call from a calling application to present an additional trusted interaction window as part of a secure on-line transaction;
in response to the call, display a GUI to a user that includes the trusted interaction window independent of an expiration time of access to the trusted interaction window, for the secure on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises a location for receiving transaction information to be entered for the on-line transaction;
continuously determine, after displaying of the trusted interaction window, whether displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window; and
take desired action, including disabling an operation being requested via the trusted interaction window, in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window so as to prevent a party other than the user from interfering with the on-line transaction.
11. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
memory containing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
receive a call from a calling application to present an additional trusted interaction window, other than a browser window, as part of a secure on-line transaction;
in response to the call, display a GUI to a user that includes the trusted interaction window independent of an expiration time of access to the trusted interaction window for the secure on-line transaction, wherein the trusted interaction window comprises a location for receiving transaction information to be entered for the on-line transaction;
continuously determine, after displaying of the trusted interaction window, whether displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window; and
take desired action in response to determining that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window so as to prevent a party other than the user from interfering with the on-line transaction;
wherein the memory includes executable instructions that cause the processor to select a first graphic for display with the trusted interaction window and change the first graphic in response to a detection that the user is about to take action.
12. The method of claim 1 including, in response to detecting that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window, alternating the look of the trusted interaction window.
13. The method of claim 1 including, in response to detecting that displayed information has been overlayed on top of at least a portion of the displayed trusted interaction window, generating an audible notification that displayed information has been overlayed on top of the at least a portion of the trusted interaction window.