Computer implemented system and method for ahead-of-time delivery of electronic content

• US 9,571,469 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securelyshare Software Private Limited (Zscaler Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pawaa Software Private Limited
• Inventors: Baskaran, Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Armouche, Hadi
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, HEE K
• Application Number:
  US14/639,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20160261567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 713/165, 726/1, 726/5, 726/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• 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 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068

Abstract

A computer implemented system, method and a computer program product for ahead of time delivery of electronic content, have been provided. A file policy specifying a time period in which the electronic content is to be rendered accessible to a subscriber, is created. The electronic content is embedded with the file access policy, and subsequently encrypted. The encrypted electronic content is transmitted ahead-of-time to a network enabled device accessible to the subscriber. The encrypted electronic content is decrypted subsequent to the authentication of the subscriber. The electronic content is made accessible via the network enabled device only in the event that the current time stamp received from a time server is within the time period specified by the file access policy.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for delivering electronic content to a subscriber, ahead-of-time, said system comprising:

a policy server configured to create a file access policy, said file access policy specifying at least one of a first time stamp, a second time stamp, and a time period, said time period representative of time duration between said first time stamp and said second time stamp, in accordance with at least, one of which the electronic content is to be rendered accessible to the subscriber, said policy server further configured to authenticate the subscriber, embed said file access policy with the electronic content, and generate embedded electronic content;

an encryption module configured to encrypt the embedded electronic content, and generate encrypted electronic content, said encryption module further configured to transmit said encrypted electronic, content, ahead of at least one of said first time stamp, said second time stamp and said time period, to a network enabled device accessible to the subscriber; and

a client processor cooperating with said network enabled device and said policy server, said client processor configured to decrypt the encrypted electronic content, said client processor configured to communicate with a time server to determine a current time stamp, said client processor further configured to analyze the file access policy, said client processor further configured to;

compare said first time stamp with said current time stamp in the event that only the first time stamp is specified by said file access policy;

compare said second time stamp with said current time stamp in the event that only the second time stamp is specified by said file access policy;

compare said time period representative of time duration between said first time stamp and said second time stamp, with the current time stamp, in the event that said first time stamp and said second time stamp are specified by said file access policy;

render the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device when only said first time stamp is specified by said file access policy and said current time stamp is greater than said first time stamp;

render the encrypted electronic content accessible on die network enabled device when only said second time stamp is specified by said file access policy and said current time stamp is within said second time stamp; and

render the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device, in the event that the current time stamp is within the time period specified by the file access policy.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said policy server is further configured to store at least a public key for authenticating the subscriber.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network enabled device is embedded with the private key corresponding to the public key stored in the policy server.

4. The system as claimed in any one of the claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the client processor is further configured to authenticate the subscriber by determining whether the private key embedded in the network enabled device corresponds to the public key stored in the policy server.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said client processor is further configured to render the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device accessible to the subscriber, only in the event that the current time stamp is within the date and time period specified by said file access policy.

6. A computer implemented method for delivering electronic content to a subscriber ahead-of-time, said method comprising the following computer implemented steps:

creating a file access policy using a policy server, wherein said file access policy specifies at least one of a first time stamp, a second time stamp, and a time period, said time period representative of time duration between said first time stamp and said second time stamp in accordance with at least one of which the electronic content is to be rendered accessible to the subscriber;

embedding said file access policy with the electronic content, using said policy server, to generate embedded electronic content;

encrypting the embedded electronic content using an encryption module to generate encrypted electronic content;

transmitting said encrypted electronic content, ahead of at least one of said first time stamp, said second time stamp and said time period, to a network enabled device accessible to the subscriber;

decrypting the encrypted electronic content received at the network enabled device;

authenticating the subscriber through the policy server;

communicating with a time server to determine a current time stamp;

comparing said first time stamp with said current time stamp in the event that only the first time stamp is specified by said file access policy;

comparing said second time stamp with said current time stamp in the event that only the second time stamp is specified by said file access policy;

comparing said time period representative of time duration between said first time stamp and said second time stamp with the current time stamp in the event that said first time stamp and said second time stamp are specified by said file access policy;

rendering the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device when only said first time stamp is specified by said file access policy and said current time stamp is greater than said first time stamp;

rendering the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device when only said second time stamp is specified by said file access policy and said current time stamp is within said second time stamp; and

rendering the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device in the event that the current time stamp is within the time period specified by the file access policy.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of creating a file access policy includes the following steps:

incorporating said first time stamp into said file access policy, said first time stamp denoting a date and time after which the encrypted electronic content is rendered accessible on the network enabled device;

incorporating said second time stamp into said file access policy, said second time stamp denoting a date and time before the expiry of which the encrypted electronic content is rendered accessible on the network enabled device;

representing said time period as a time duration between said first time stamp and second time stamp, said time period indicative of a date and time within which the encrypted electronic content is rendered accessible on the network enabled device, and incorporating said time period into said file access policy.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of authenticating the subscriber further includes the following steps:

storing, at the policy server, a public key for authenticating the subscriber;

embedding onto said network enabled device, a private key corresponding to the public key stored in said authentication server; and

authenticating the subscriber, at the policy server, by determining whether the private key embedded in the network enabled device corresponds to the public key stored in the policy server.

9. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereupon, said computer readable instructions when executed by a processor, cause a computer enabled device to:

create a file access policy using a policy server, wherein said file access policy specifies at least one of a first time stamp, a second time stamp, and a time period, said time period representative of time duration between said first time stamp and said second time stamp in accordance with at least one of which the electronic content is to be rendered accessible to the subscriber;

embed said file access policy with the electronic content using said policy server, to generate embedded electronic content;

encrypt the embedded electronic content using an encryption module to generate encrypted electronic content;

transmit said encrypted electronic content ahead of at least one of said first time stamp, said second time stamp and said time period, to a network enabled device accessible to the subscriber;

decrypt the encrypted electronic content received at the network enabled device;

authenticate the subscriber through the policy server;

communicate with a time server to determine a current time stamp;

compare said first time stamp with said current time stamp in the event that only the first time stamp is specified by said file access policy;

compare said second dine stamp with said current time stamp in the event that only the second time stamp is specified by said file access policy;

compare said time period representative of time duration between said first time stamp and said second time stamp with the current lime stamp in the event that said first time stamp and said second time stamp are specified by said file access policy;

render the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device when only said first time stamp is specified by said file access policy and said current time stamp is greater than said first time stamp;

render the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device when only said second time stamp is specified by said file access policy and said current time stamp is within said second time stamp; and

render the encrypted electronic content accessible on the network enabled device in the event that the current time stamp is within the time period specified by the file access policy.

10. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein said computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computer enabled device to:

incorporate said first time stamp into the file access policy, said first time stamp denoting the date and time after which the encrypted electronic content is rendered accessible on the network enabled device;

incorporate said second time stamp into the file access policy, said second time stamp denoting the date and time before the expiry of which the encrypted electronic content is rendered accessible on the network enabled device;

incorporate a time period into said file access policy, said time period representative of a time duration between said first time stamp and second time stamp, said time period indicative of a date and time within which the encrypted electronic content is rendered accessible on the network enabled device;

access the public key necessary for authenticating the subscriber;

authenticate the subscriber by determining whether the public key corresponds to a private key embedded onto the network enabled device.