SECURITY ENHANCEMENT THROUGH APPLICATION ACCESS CONTROL

• US 20130311894A1
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Rexer, Peter, Patil, Aniket
• Granted Patent: US 9,691,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Security enhancement through application access control for cloud-based services and/or storage accounts is disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, for providing, via the collaboration environment, applications for use by a user in the collaboration environment. The applications are selectable by a user, through the collaboration environment, for use in interaction and engagement with other users in the collaboration environment in collaboration sessions. The applications that are visible or available for use by the user is configurable by another user (e.g., administrator or IT specialist) with appropriate permissions, though a designated console.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing security by application access control in a collaboration environment, the method, comprising:

providing, via the collaboration environment, applications for use by a user in the collaboration environment;

wherein, the applications are selectable by a user for integration, through the collaboration environment, for use in interaction and engagement with other users in the collaboration environment in collaboration sessions;

wherein, the applications that are visible or available for use by the user are configurable by another user with appropriate permissions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the other user with the appropriate permissions includes an administrator user of an organization to which the user and the other users belong;

wherein, the administrator configures the applications for visibility or availability to all users of the organization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications are configured to be visible or available for use through a console in a user interface to the collaboration environment;

wherein, the console is specific to users with the appropriate permissions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, components or features of the applications that are available for use by the user is also configurable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, a number of applications that are available for use by the user is configurable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include document editing and viewing applications.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include image or photo editing applications.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include browser extensions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include mobile applications.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include annotation tools.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include file sharing applications.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include third-party applications.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, the applications include native applications created by a host of the collaboration environment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein, the collaboration environment is cloud-based.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein, the mobile security settings are configurable through the console by the second user.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein, the mobile security settings include allowing or restricting saving files onto the mobile device for offline use.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein, the mobile security settings include requirements for application pass code lock.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein, the second user is a user with administrative rights;

wherein, the console is specific to users with administrative rights.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein, the cloud-based environment includes a collaboration platform.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein, the cloud-based environment includes a file sharing or storage platform.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein, actions of the applications that are available for use by the user is also configurable by the second user.

15. A system for enhancing security by application access control in a cloud-based environment, the system, comprising:

means for, providing a list of applications available for use by a first user in the cloud-based environment;

wherein, applications that are in the list of applications for the first user are selectable by a second user through a console in a user interface to the collaboration environment;

means for, enforcing mobile security settings when the cloud-based environment is accessed by the first user using a mobile device.

23. A method for enhancing security of corporate content by enabling configuration of access and use of native applications and third party applications in a cloud environment, the method, comprising:

receiving, an identification of the third party applications allowable for use to access the corporate content;

wherein, the third party applications are selected through a console in the cloud environment;

presenting, a list of the third party applications to users selectable for use by the users in accessing the corporate content or interacting with other users in the cloud environment;

wherein, the list of the third party application that are selectable is specific to the users associated with or belonging to an enterprise to which the corporate content relates.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising, providing a selected set of third party applications to a user for use in the cloud environment;

wherein, different sets of applications in the list of the third party applications are provided to different users in the enterprise based on individual user selections.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein, the identification of the third party applications that are allowable is received from an administrative user in the enterprise or another user with appropriate permissions.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein, the identification includes an indication of whether an application is to be disabled, available, or added by default.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein, use and installation of the native applications to access the corporate content via the cloud environment is configurable via the console.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein, a number of instances of the native applications able to be used or installed by a user is configurable via the console.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein, the native applications include a synchronization client to synchronize or download corporate content or updates to the corporate content via the cloud environment.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein, a number of synchronization clients allowed per user is configurable and reconfigurable.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein, the native applications include a smart phone application or a mobile application to access the corporate content via the cloud environment using a smart phone or mobile device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein, a number of mobile applications allowed per user is configurable and reconfigurable.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein, the native applications include a tablet application to access the corporate content via the cloud environment using a tablet device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, a number of tablet applications allowed per user is configurable and reconfigurable.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein, the native applications include a browser application to access the corporate content via the cloud environment using a web browser.