SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED SECURITY AND MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS FOR ENTERPRISE ADMINISTRATORS IN A CLOUD-BASED ENVIRONMENT

• US 20140259190A1
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Kiang, Andy, Lee, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

A cloud-based platform (e.g., cloud-based collaboration and/or storage platform/service) is described that provides administrators with better visibility into content and activity across an enterprise account via advanced search tools and activity reports. Administrator tools are also provided that allow for actively managing content and passively monitoring content with real-time alerts sent to the administrator if usage of the cloud-based platform changes within the enterprise account. A reporting API is also supported by the cloud-based platform to permit the platform'"'"'s activity logs to be retrieved by a third-party platform. Additionally, administrators are provided with the option to select two-step login verification of enterprise account users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a file uploaded to a location in a content repository of a cloud-based environment, wherein the content repository stores data for multiple users associated with an enterprise account;

permitting a third-party to scan the uploaded file via an application programming interface (API) to determine whether the file contains sensitive information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving a request from the third-party to move the file to a restricted area, wherein the file is not accessible for sharing by the multiple users in the restricted area, moving the file to the restricted area.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

upon receiving a request from the third-party to insert a placeholder file at the location in the content repository, inserting the placeholder file in the location in the content repository.

4. A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive a file uploaded to a location in a content repository of a cloud-based environment, wherein the content repository stores data for multiple users associated with an enterprise account;

permit a third-party to scan the uploaded file via an application programming interface (API) to determine whether the file contains sensitive information.

5. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 4 which, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to upon receiving a request from the third-party to move the file to a restricted area, wherein the file is not accessible for sharing by the multiple users in the restricted area, moving the file to the restricted area.

6. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 4 which, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to upon receiving a request from the third-party to insert a placeholder file at the location in the content repository, inserting the placeholder file in the location in the content repository.

7. A method comprising:

storing data from multiple users associated with an enterprise in a content repository of a cloud-based environment;

permitting an administrator of the enterprise to request information on activities occurring in the content repository.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein users not associated with the enterprise store or modify data stored in the content repository in collaboration with the multiple users associated with the enterprise.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

analyzing the requested information for unusual changes in usage of the content repository or abnormal behavior occurring within the content repository.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending an alert to the administrator in real-time upon determining an unusual change in usage of the content repository or abnormal behavior occurring within the content repository.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

permitting a third-party to request custom information on activities occurring in the content repository via an application programming interface (API).

12. The method of claim 7, wherein activities include group and user events.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein activities include access management activity.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein activities include content related events.

15. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

store data from multiple users associated with an enterprise in a content repository of a cloud-based environment;

permit an administrator of the enterprise to request information on activities occurring in the content repository.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is further caused to analyze the requested information for unusual changes in usage of the content repository or abnormal behavior occurring within the content repository.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is further caused to sending an alert to the administrator in real-time upon determining an unusual change in usage of the content repository or abnormal behavior occurring within the content repository.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is further caused to permit a third-party to request custom information on activities occurring in the content repository via an application programming interface (API).

19. A method comprising:

receiving an input from an administrator of an enterprise account on a content repository of a cloud-based environment requiring users associated with the enterprise to have two-step verification for logins;

upon a subsequent login attempt by a user associated with the enterprise, requesting a mobile phone number for receiving a confirmation code;

sending a specific confirmation code to the mobile phone number;

permitting the user to access the user'"'"'s account upon entering the specific confirmation code.

20. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

receive an input from an administrator of an enterprise account on a content repository of a cloud-based environment requiring users associated with the enterprise to have two-step verification for logins;

upon a subsequent login attempt by a user associated with the enterprise, request a mobile phone number for receiving a confirmation code;

send a specific confirmation code to the mobile phone number;

permit the user to access the user'"'"'s account upon entering the specific confirmation code.

21. A method comprising:

receiving one or more search terms for searching in the content repository across multiple users associated with an enterprise, wherein the one or more search terms are accepted from an administrator of an enterprise account on the content repository managed by the cloud-based environment;

performing a search based on the one or more search terms;

storing the one or more search terms as a bookmark for future searches in the content repository.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing one or more filters to the administrator for selection for use in customizing the search,

wherein the performed search uses the one or more selected filters with the one or more search terms, and results of the search yields content collaborated upon among multiple users associated with the enterprise, and

further wherein the bookmark includes the one or more filters.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the results of the search further yields content collaborated upon by at least a first user associated with the enterprise and managed by the administrator and at least a second user not associated with the enterprise or managed by the administrator.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more filters are selected from:

a file name, a file content, a file description, a file comment, a file creation date, a file update date, a file owner, a file size, a file type, a folder name, and a file tag.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a request to perform a search based upon the bookmark; and

performing the bookmarked search.

26. A system comprising:

means for performing a search in a content repository across multiple users associated with an enterprise, wherein the search is based on one or more search terms received from an administrator of an enterprise account on the content repository, and further wherein the content repository is managed by a cloud-based environment;

a database configured to store the one or more search terms as a bookmark for future searches in the content repository.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for providing one or more filters to the administrator for selection for use in customizing the search,

wherein the means for performing the search uses the one or more selected filters with the one or more search terms, and results of the search yields content collaborated upon among multiple users associated with the enterprise, and

further wherein the bookmark includes the one or more filters.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for performing is configured to perform a bookmarked search.