System and method for automating a request for access to a restricted computer accessible resource

• US 7,308,498 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Olsen, Thomas, Nichols, Isaac, Kuppusamy, Ashok, Dalfó, Ricard Roma i, Eisdorfer, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/365,935
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 709224-226, 709/217, 726/3, 705/25, 705/26, 701/207, 713/193, 713/200
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for automating a request for access to computer accessible resources. If access to a computer accessible resource is denied, an automated request for access may be forwarded to a provider of the resource without the need for the requestor to know the identity and/or address of the provider. If the provider grants access to the requestor, access may be automatically granted, or access may be granted along with a notification to the requestor of the granted access.

Claims

1. A method of automating a request for access to a restricted computer accessible resource, comprising:

attempting access by a user to a desired resource at a resource server;

receiving the access attempt at a resource provider through the resource server, the resource provider comprising an administrator of the desired resource, wherein the access attempt at the resource provider is received only when the administrator has not set a program module to prevent requests for access to the resource;

if the desired access is not authorized, notifying, from the resource server, the user that access is denied;

providing, from the resource server, the user a request for access application for returning to the resource provider, the request being free of information identifying the administrator;

allowing the user to send the request, through the resource server, for access application to the resource provider in response to notifying the user that access is denied without providing the user the identity of the administrator of the desired resource and without providing the user the address of the administrator of the desired resource;

sending, from the resource server, the request for access application to the resource provider;

at the resource provider, reviewing the request for access application and determining whether access to the desired resource is granted; and

if access to the desired resource is granted at the resource provider, granting the user access to the desired resource.

2. The method of claim 1, after the step of receiving the access attempt at the resource provider, further comprising the step of, at the resource provider, parsing a list of authorized users of the desired resource to determine whether the user is authorized to access the desired resource.

3. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of sending the request for access application to the resource provider, authenticating the user as being associated with a trusted source from which communication to the resource provider is accepted.

4. The method of claim 3, whereby the request for access application includes identification information for the user.

5. The method of claim 4, whereby the request for access application includes a message field for entering data describing the nature of the requested access.

6. The method of claim 5, after the step of providing the user a request for access application for sending to the resource provider, entering into the request for access application data describing the nature of the requested access.

7. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of determining whether access to the desired resource is granted, further comprising the step of providing a user access page to the resource provider for granting or denying access to the desired resource.

8. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of generating access of to the desired resource by the user includes granting limited access to the desired resource by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, whereby the step of granting limited access to the desired resource by the user includes granting “

read only”

access to the desired by the user.

10. The method of claim 9, whereby the step of granting limited access to the desired resource by the user includes granting “

read and write”

access to the desired resource by the user.

11. The method of claim 8, whereby the step of granting limited access to the desired resource by the user includes granting access to the desired resource by the user for a limited duration of time.

12. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of attempting access by a user to a desired resource includes attempting access via a distributed computing environment.

13. The method of claim 12, whereby the distributed computing environment is the Internet.

14. The method of claim 13, whereby the desired resource is maintained at an Internet-based server.

15. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of attempting access by a user to a desired resource includes attempting access via an electronic mail system.

16. The method of claim 1, whereby the desired resource is computer accessible data.

17. The method of claim 16, whereby the computer accessible data includes an Internet-based web page.

18. The method of claim 16, whereby the computer accessible data includes a computer accessible document.

19. The method of claim 16, whereby the computer accessible data includes a computer accessible database.

20. The method of claim 16, whereby the computer accessible data includes a computer accessible spreadsheet.

21. A method of automating a request for access to a restricted computer accessible resource, comprising:

sending an access attempt from a client computer to a resources server for obtaining access a desired resource maintained on the resources server;

receiving the access attempt at the resources server, wherein the access attempt at the resources server is received only when the administrator has not set a program module to prevent requests for access to the resources server;

at the resources server, parsing a list of authorized users of the desired resource to determine whether a user sending the access attempt is authorized to access the desired resource;

if the desired access is not authorized, sending the user an access denied notification at the client computer;

providing the user a request for access application for returning to the resources server;

allowing the user to send the request for access application from the client computer to the resources server without providing the user the identity or address of a provider of the desired resource;

sending the request for access application to the resources server;

at the resources server, reviewing the request for access application and determining whether access to the desired resource is granted wherein determining whether access to the desired resource is granted comprises verifying with a network service provider of the user that the user is associated with a trusted source; and

if access to the desired resource is granted, granting the user access to the desire resource.

22. The method of claim 21, after the step of providing the user a request for access application, entering into the request for access application data describing the nature of the requested access.

23. The method of claim 21, prior to the step of determining whether access to the desired resource is granted, further comprising the step of providing a user access page to the resource provider for granting or denying access to the desired resource.

24. The method of claim 21, whereby the step of granting access of to the desired resource by the user includes granting limited access to the desired resource by the user.

25. The method of claim 21, whereby the step of sending an access attempt from a client computer to a resources server for obtaining access a desired resource maintained on the resources server includes sending the access attempt via a distributed computing environment.

26. The method of claim 25, whereby the distributed computing environment is the Internet.

27. A system of automating a request for access to a restricted computer accessible resource, comprising:

a client computer operative to send an access attempt to a resources server for obtaining access a desired resource maintained on the resources server;

a program module at the resources server operative to;

receive the access attempt at the resources server, wherein the access attempt at the resources server is received only when the administrator has not set a program module to prevent requests for access to the resources server;

parse a list of authorized users of the desired resource to determine whether a user sending the access attempt is authorized to access the desired resource;

send the user an access denied notification at the client computer if the desired access is not authorized;

provide the user a request for access application for returning to the resources server, the request for access application including a first field for receiving a reason for which the user desires access to the desired resource and a second field for indentifying at least one of the following associated with the desired resource;

a web page, a document, a spreadsheet, and a database; and

allow the user to send the request of access application from the client computer to the resources server without proving the user the identity or address of a provider of the desired source;

the client computer further operative to send the request for access application to the resources server; and

the program module at the resources server further operative to;

pass the request for access application to a provider of the desired resource for a determination of whether access to the desired resource is granted; and

allow the user access to the desired resource if access to the desired resource is granted.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising an authentication program module operative to authenticate the user as being associated with a trusted source from which communication to the resources server is accepted.

29. The system of claim 27, whereby the program module at the resources server is further operative to provide a user access page to the resource provider for granting or denying access to the desired resource.

30. The system of claim 27, whereby the client computer is further operative to send the access attempt to the resources server via a distributed computing environment.

31. A computer readable medium containing instructions which when executed by a computer perform the steps of:

receiving an access attempt from a client computer sent to a resources server for obtaining access a desired resource maintained on the resources server, wherein the access attempt from the client computer is received only when an administrator has not set a program module to prevent requests for access to the resources server;

parsing a list of authorized users of the desired resource to determine whether a user sending the access attempt is authorized to access the desired resource;

sending the user an access denied notification at the client computer if the desired access is not authorized;

proving the user a request for access application for returning to the resources server;

allowing the user to send the request for access application from the client computer to the resources server without providing the user the identity or address of a provider of the desired resource;

receiving the request for access application to the resources server;

forwarding the request for access application to a provider of the desired resource for a determination of whether access to the desired resource is granted wherein the determination comprises determining whether access to the desired resource is granted comprises verifying with a network service provider of the user that an electronic mail address of the user is associated with a trusted source; and

allowing the user access to the desired resource if access to the desired resource is granted.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, after the step of forwarding the request for access application to a provider of the desired resource, providing a user access page to the resource provider for granting or denying access to the desired resource.

33. A system of automating a request for access to a restricted computer accessible resource, comprising an access request program module resident on a resources server containing computer implementable instructions which when implemented by a computer of the resources server is operative to:

parse a list of authorized users to determine whether a user is authorized for access to resources of the resources server;

forward an access denied notification and an access request page to the user;

receive a request of access application from the user after authentication of the user as being from a trusted source from which the resources server will accept communication, the request of access application including a first field for receiving a reason for which the user desires access to the resource and a second field for identifying at least one of the following associated with the resource;

a web page, a document, a spreadsheet, and a database, wherein the access application from the user is received only when the administrator has not set the program module to prevent requests for access to the resources server;

forward information contained in the request for access application to an administrator of the resources of the resources server;

provide the administrator a user access page for allowing the administrator to allow or deny access to the resources by the user; and

accept input from the administrator.

34. The system of claim 33, whereby the an access request program module is further operative to provide an access customization page to the administrator for allowing the administrator to customize access granted to the user.