Methods, devices, and computer readable storage devices for sharing sensitive content securely

• US 9,397,999 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soelberg, Emily, Mikan, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEHNI, GHAZAL B
• Application Number:
  US14/793,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 726 27- 30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

Sensitive content is securely shared. A request is received from a first communication device to share sensitive content. The first communication device is associated with an account for a communication service provided by a network provider. A message including a link to the sensitive content is sent to a second communication device associated with a phone number. That message is addressed to the second communication device. An authentication message is received, indicating that the second communication device is associated with the phone number. Responsive to receipt of the authentication message, the sensitive content is made accessible via the second communication device without requiring that the second communication device be associated with an account for the communication service provided by the network provider.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a content server, a request from a first communication device to share sensitive content via a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is associated with an account for a communication service provided by a network provider;

sending, from the content server to the second communication device, a message including a hyperlink to the sensitive content;

receiving, by the content server, an authentication message, wherein the authentication message is received from an entity other than the second communication device; and

responsive to receipt of the authentication message by the content server, making the sensitive content accessible via the second communication device without requiring that the second communication device be associated with any account for the communication service provided by the network provider, wherein the sensitive content is not made accessible via the second communication device without receipt of the authentication message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication message is received from an authentication server and indicates that the second communication device is associated with a particular phone number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authentication message is sent to the content server by the authentication server responsive to receipt of verification data from the second communication device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the verification data is received by the authentication server from the second communication device responsive to the second communication device:

receiving a background message addressed to a particular phone number associated with the second communication device, wherein the background message includes a key; and

sending the verification data including the key to the authentication server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including the hyperlink to the sensitive content is addressed to a particular phone number associated with the second communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including the hyperlink to the sensitive content is addressed to an electronic mail address associated with the second communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication message is sent by an authentication server responsive to the authentication server correlating an email address associated with the second communication device with a particular phone number associated with the second communication device.

8. A content server, comprising:

a processor; and

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

receiving a request from a first communication device to share sensitive content via a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is associated with an account for a communication service provided by a network provider;

sending, to the second communication device, a message including a hyperlink to the sensitive content;

receiving an authentication message, wherein the authentication message is received from an entity other than the second communication device; and

responsive to receipt of the authentication message, making the sensitive content accessible via the second communication device without requiring that the second communication device be associated with any account for the communication service provided by the network provider, wherein the sensitive content is not made accessible via the second communication device without receipt of the authentication message.

9. The content server of claim 8, wherein the authentication message is received from an authentication server and indicates that the second communication device is associated with a particular phone number.

10. The content server of claim 9, wherein the authentication message is sent by the authentication server responsive to receipt of verification data from the second communication device.

11. The content server of claim 10, wherein the verification data is received by the authentication server from the second communication device responsive to the second communication device:

receiving a background message addressed to a particular phone number associated with the second communication device, wherein the background message includes a key; and

sending the verification data including the key to the authentication server.

12. The content server of claim 9, wherein the authentication message is sent to the content server by the authentication server responsive to the authentication server correlating an email address associated with the second communication device with a particular phone number associated with the second communication device.

13. The content server of claim 8, wherein the message including the hyperlink to the sensitive content is addressed to a particular phone number associated with the second communication device.

14. The content server of claim 8, wherein the message including the hyperlink to the sensitive content is addressed to an electronic mail address associated with the second communication device.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage device having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor included in a content server, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a first communication device to share sensitive content via a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is associated with an account for a communication service provided by a network provider;

sending, to the second communication device, a message including a hyperlink to the sensitive content;

receiving an authentication message, wherein the authentication message is received from an entity other than the second communication device; and

responsive to receipt of the authentication message, making the sensitive content accessible via the second communication device without requiring that the second communication device be associated with any account for the communication service provided by the network provider, wherein the sensitive content is not made accessible via the second communication device without receipt of the authentication message.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the authentication message is received from an authentication server and indicates that the second communication device is associated with a particular phone number.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 16, wherein the authentication message is sent by the authentication server responsive to receipt of verification data from the second communication device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the authentication message is sent by the authentication server responsive to the authentication server correlating an email address associated with the second communication device with a particular phone number associated with the second communication device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the message including the hyperlink to the sensitive content is addressed to a particular phone number associated with the second communication device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the message including the hyperlink to the sensitive content is addressed to an electronic mail address associated with the second communication device.