Access permissions management system and method

• US 8,909,673 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varonis Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Varonis Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Faitelson, Yakov, Korkus, Ohad, Kretzer-Katzir, Ophir
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Son T
• Application Number:
  US13/303,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 707/781, 707/802
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems

Abstract

In a hierarchical access permissions environment, a method for enabling efficient management of project-wise permissions including maintaining project-wise lists of network objects, access permissions to which cannot be managed together via a hierarchical folder structure and employing the project-wise lists of network objects to make project-wise changes in access permissions to the network objects without the need to individually modify access permissions to individual ones of the network objects.

Claims

1. In a hierarchical access permissions environment, a method for enabling efficient management of project-wise permissions, the method comprising using at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer code for:

maintaining project-wise lists of unstructured network objects access permissions to which cannot be managed together via either a hierarchical folder structure or a single unstructured network object, wherein

each of the unstructured network objects being distinctly different from one another and being represented by a link corresponding to at least one structured object stored on a disparate computing system;

the access permissions to the unstructured network objects not being extracted by an unstructured network object from another unstructured network object;

employing the project-wise lists of the unstructured network objects to allow a common owner of the unstructured network objects to make project-wise changes in the access permissions to the unstructured network objects without the need to individually modify access permissions to individual ones of the unstructured network objects; and

in response to the changes being made in the unstructured network objects, propagating the changes to the at least one structured object stored on the disparate computing system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maintaining project-wise lists of the unstructured network objects comprises generating at least one project-wise list of plural ones of the unstructured network objects.

3. The method for according to claim 2, wherein the maintaining project-wise lists of the unstructured network objects also comprises mapping access permissions of the plural ones of the unstructured network objects onto the at least one project-wise list.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maintaining project-wise lists of the unstructured network objects also comprises merging access permissions of plural ones of first unstructured network objects of a first project-wise list with access permissions of corresponding plural ones of second unstructured network objects of a second project-wise list.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unstructured network objects are stored on disparate computers.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least some of the disparate computers are operated by different computer operating systems.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unstructured network objects comprise inter-related subject matter.

8. In a hierarchical access permissions environment, a project management system including a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to enable efficient management of project-wise permissions, the system comprising:

a project-wise lists management (PWLM) subsystem maintaining project-wise lists of unstructured network objects access permissions to which cannot be managed together via either a hierarchical folder structure or a single unstructured network object, wherein

each of the unstructured network objects being distinctly different from one another and being represented by a link corresponding to at least one structured object stored on a disparate computing system;

the access permissions to the unstructured network objects not being extracted by an unstructured network object from another unstructured network object; and

a user interface allowing a common owner of the unstructured network objects to make project-wise changes in the access permissions to the unstructured network objects without the need to individually modify access permissions to individual ones of the unstructured network objects; and

in response to the changes being made in the unstructured network objects, propagating the changes to the at least one structured object stored on the disparate computing system.

9. The project management system according to claim 8, wherein the project-wise lists management (PWLM) subsystem comprises:

a project-wise list generator which generates at least one project-wise list of plural ones of the unstructured network objects.

10. The project management system according to claim 9, wherein the project-wise lists management (PWLM) subsystem also comprises:

an access permissions mapping generator which maps access permissions of the plural ones of the unstructured network objects onto the at least one project-wise list.

11. The project management system according to claim 8, wherein the project-wise lists management (PWLM) subsystem also comprises:

project-wise lists merging functionality which is operative to merge access permissions of plural ones of first unstructured network objects of a first project-wise list with access permissions of corresponding plural ones of second unstructured network objects of a second project-wise list.

12. The project management system according to claim 8, wherein the unstructured network objects are stored on disparate computers.

13. The project management system according to claim 12, wherein at least some of the disparate computers are operated by different computer operating systems.

14. The project management system according to claim 8, wherein the unstructured network objects comprise inter-related subject matter.