Techniques for managing unsynchronized content items at unlinked devices

• US 9,749,408 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2013
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Subramani, Anand, Allain, Francois Alexander, Ibrishimov, Emil, Anastasov, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Conaway, James
• Application Number:
  US14/103,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Techniques are described herein for managing unsynchronized content items when the personal computing devices storing the unsynchronized content items are unlinked from a content item synchronization service. The techniques involve treating synchronized content items differently from unsynchronized content items. For example, after a personal computing is unlinked from the service, synchronized content items may be removed or deleted from the personal computing device and unsynchronized content items encrypted and/or moved to another data storage location.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an agent for installation on personal computing devices;

a synchronization service executing on one or more server computing devices;

a first set of content items stored in a device repository at a personal computing device; and

a second set of content items stored at the personal computing device separate from the device repository;

wherein the synchronization service is configured to send a command to the agent as installed on the personal computing device;

wherein the agent as installed on the personal computing device is configured to, in response to receiving the command from the synchronization service;

identify, from among the first set of content items stored in the device repository at the personal computing device, which of the first set of content items are synchronized with the synchronization service and which of the first set of content items are pending synchronization with the synchronization service, and

treat any content items of the first set of content items identified as synchronized with the synchronization service differently from any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service without modifying the second set of content items;

wherein the treating differently includes moving any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service from their current locations at the personal computing device to other locations at the personal computing device;

wherein the synchronization service is configured to send synchronization data to the agent as installed on the personal computing device;

wherein the synchronization data includes a first set of cryptographically generated checksums that indicates;

a third set of content items stored at the synchronization service, and versions of the third set of content items stored at the synchronization service;

wherein the agent is configured to generate a second set of cryptographically generated checksums based on the first set of content items;

wherein the agent is configured to identify, from among the first set of content items stored at the personal computing device, which of the first set of content items are synchronized with the synchronization service and which of the first set of content items are pending synchronization with the synchronization service by comparing the first set of cryptographically generated checksums with the second set of cryptographically generated checksums.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the treating differently includes cryptographically encrypting any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the current locations are in the device repository at the personal computing device and wherein the other locations are outside the device repository at the personal computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the agent is further configured to receive from the synchronization service an encryption key for cryptographically encrypting any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal computing device is linked to a user account in a database of the synchronization service.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user account is a team account held by a member of a team;

and wherein the synchronization service is configured to provide a user interface allowing a team administrator of the team to unlink the personal computing device from the team account.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the synchronization service is configured to send the command to the agent in response to receiving, through the user interface, a request from the team administrator to unlink the personal computing device from the team account.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the agent is configured to identify, from among the first set of content items stored at the personal computing device, which of the first set of content items are synchronized with the synchronization service and which of the first set of content items are pending synchronization with the synchronization service using synchronization data stored at the personal computing device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the synchronization data stored at the personal computing device comprises synchronization data which indicates one or more content items of the first set of content items that were newly stored at the personal computing device since a last successful synchronization between the personal computing device and the synchronization service.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the synchronization data stored at the personal computing device comprises synchronization data which indicates one or more content items of the first set of content items that were modified since a last successful synchronization between the personal computing device and the synchronization service.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the treating differently includes deleting, from the personal computing device, any content items of the first set of content items identified as synchronized with the synchronization service and not deleting, from the personal computing device, any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at an agent as installed on a personal computing device, a command from a synchronization service executing on one or more server computing devices;

in response to receiving the command from the synchronization service, the agent;

identifying, from among a first set of content items stored in a device repository at the personal computing device, which of the first set of content items are synchronized with the synchronization service and which of the first set of content items are pending synchronization with the synchronization service, and

treating any content items of the first set of content items identified as synchronized with the synchronization service differently from any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service without modifying a second set of content items stored at the personal computing device separate from the device repository;

wherein the treating differently includes the agent moving any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service from their current locations at the personal computing device to other locations at the personal computing device;

receiving, at an agent as installed on the personal computing device, synchronization data from the synchronization service;

wherein the synchronization data includes a first set of cryptographically generated checksums that indicates;

a third set of content items stored at the synchronization service, and versions of the third set of content items stored at the synchronization service;

the agent generating a second set of cryptographically generated checksums based on the first set of content items;

wherein the agent identifies from among the first set of content items stored at the personal computing device, which of the first set of content items are synchronized with the synchronization service and which of the first set of content items are pending synchronization with the synchronization service by comparing the first set of cryptographically generated checksums with the second set of cryptographically generated checksums.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the treating differently includes the agent cryptographically encrypting any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the current locations are in the device repository at the personal computing device and wherein the other locations are outside the device repository at the personal computing device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the agent receiving from the synchronization service an encryption key for cryptographically encrypting any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the personal computing device is linked to a user account in a database of the synchronization service.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user account is a team account held by a member of a team;

and wherein the method further comprises the synchronization service providing a user interface that allows a team administrator of the team to unlink the personal computing device from the team account.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the synchronization service sending the command to the agent in response to receiving, through the user interface, a request from the team administrator to unlink the personal computing device from the team account.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the agent identifying, from among the first set of content items stored at the personal computing device, which of the first set of content items are synchronized with the synchronization service and which of the first set of content items are pending synchronization with the synchronization service using synchronization data stored at the personal computing device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the synchronization data stored at the personal computing device comprises synchronization data which indicates one or more content items of the first set of content items that were newly stored at the personal computing device since a last successful synchronization between the personal computing device and the synchronization service.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the synchronization data stored at the personal computing device comprises synchronization data which indicates one or more content items of the first set of content items that were modified since a last successful synchronization between the personal computing device and the synchronization service.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the treating differently includes deleting, from the personal computing device, any content items of the first set of content items identified as synchronized with the synchronization service and not deleting, from the personal computing device, any content items of the first set of content items identified as pending synchronization with the synchronization service.