Unauthenticated access to artifacts in commerce networks

• US 9,722,982 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Murray, Calum G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsang, Henry
• Application Number:
  US13/911,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20140366090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates business interaction. During operation, the system identifies a non-registered entity associated with an interaction within a commerce network. Next, the system enables, for the non-registered entity, access to an artifact associated with the interaction without requiring authentication of the non-registered entity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for accessing an artifact without authenticating a party requesting access to the artifact facilitating business interaction, comprising:

identifying a non-registered entity associated with an interaction within a commerce network, wherein the commerce network comprises;

a first endpoint installed on a first computing device, the first end point accessible to the non-registered entity; and

a second endpoint installed on a second computing device, the second end point accessible to an entity registered within the commerce network, the interaction being conducted through the first endpoint and the second endpoint;

enabling for the non-registered entity, access to the artifact associated with the interaction without requiring authentication of the non-registered entity, by;

obtaining, by computer, identifying information for the non-registered entity from the interaction,

determining whether there is a match between the identifying information and an identity within the commerce network;

upon determining the match is found, including the identity in an authentication context for the non-registered entity,

upon determining the match is not found, including a new identity for the non-registered entity in the authentication context,

providing a link to the artifact to the non-registered entity, wherein the link includes the authentication context, and

providing the artifact to the non-registered entity based on the authentication context and the link; and

enabling access to additional artifacts within the commerce network without authenticating the non-registered entity.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating an identity of the non-registered entity based on at least one of the interaction, additional information associated with the non-registered entity, and analysis of the interaction or additional information.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

using the updated identity to facilitate subsequent use of the commerce network for the non-registered entity.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein using the updated identity to facilitate subsequent use of the commerce network for the non-registered entity involves:

enabling, for the non-registered entity, access to at least one of;

previously accessed artifacts;

additional artifacts related to one or more of the previously accessed artifacts; and

one or more subsequent interactions related to the interaction.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the identity is updated within a model of the commerce network.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the additional information is obtained from at least one of:

an endpoint of the commerce network; and

an external source.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the artifact is provided to the non-registered entity through a generic endpoint of the commerce network.

8. A system for accessing an artifact without authenticating a party requesting access to the artifact, comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, that when executed on the processor, instantiate an identity-management apparatus and an access-management apparatus;

the identity-management apparatus configured to identify a non-registered entity associated with an interaction within a commerce network, wherein the commerce network comprises;

a first endpoint installed on a first computing device, the first end point accessible to the non-registered entity; and

a second endpoint installed on a second computing device, the second end point accessible to an entity registered within the commerce network, the interaction being conducted through the first endpoint and the second endpoint;

the access-management apparatus configured to enable, for the non-registered entity, access to the artifact associated with the interaction without requiring authentication of the non-registered entity, by;

the identity-management apparatus further configured to obtain identifying information for the non-registered entity from the interaction,

the identity-management apparatus further configured to determine whether there is a match between the identifying information and an identity within the commerce network,

the identity-management apparatus further configured to include the identity in an authentication context for the non-registered entity if the match is found,

the identity-management apparatus further configured to include a new identity for the non-registered entity in the authentication context if the match is not found,

the identity-management apparatus further configured to provide a link to the artifact to the non-registered entity, wherein the link includes the authentication context, and

the identity-management apparatus further configured to provide the artifact to the non-registered entity based on the authentication context and the link; and

the access-management apparatus further configured to enable access to additional artifacts within the commerce network without authenticating the non-registered entity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the identity-management apparatus is further configured to:

update an identity of the non-registered entity based on at least one of the interaction, additional information associated with the non-registered entity, and analysis of the interaction or additional information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the access-management apparatus is further configured to:

use the updated identity to facilitate subsequent use of the commerce network for the non-registered entity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein using the updated identity to facilitate subsequent use of the commerce network for the non-registered entity involves:

enabling, for the non-registered entity, access to at least one of;

previously accessed artifacts;

additional artifacts related to one or more of the previously accessed artifacts; and

one or more subsequent interactions related to the interaction.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for accessing an artifact without authenticating a party requesting access to the artifact, the method comprising:

identifying a non-registered entity associated with an interaction within a commerce network, wherein the commerce network comprises;

a first endpoint installed on a first computing device, the first end point accessible to the non-registered entity; and

a second endpoint installed on a second computing device, the second end point accessible to an entity registered within the commerce network, the interaction being conducted through the first endpoint and the second endpoint;

enabling, for the non-registered entity, access to the artifact associated with the interaction without requiring authentication of the non-registered entity, by;

obtaining identifying information for the non-registered entity from the interaction;

determining whether there is a match between the identifying information and an identity within the commerce network,

upon determining the match is found, including the identity in an authentication context for the non-registered entity,

upon determining the match is not found, including a new identity for the non-registered entity in the authentication context,

providing a link to the artifact to the non-registered entity, wherein the link includes the authentication context, and

providing the artifact to the non-registered entity based on the authentication context and the link; and

enabling access to additional artifacts within the commerce network without authenticating the non-registered entity.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the method further comprising:

updating an identity of the non-registered entity based on at least one of the interaction, additional information associated with the non-registered entity, and analysis of the interaction or additional information.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, the method further comprising:

using the updated identity to facilitate subsequent use of the commerce network for the non-registered entity.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein using the updated identity to facilitate subsequent use of the commerce network for the non-registered entity involves:

enabling, for the non-registered entity, access to at least one of;

previously accessed artifacts;

additional artifacts related to one or more of the previously accessed artifacts; and

one or more subsequent interactions related to the interaction.