Shareable content item links with use restrictions

• US 9,860,255 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Byrne, Sean, Dabney, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): PYZOCHA, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US15/080,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

Shareable content item links with use restrictions. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises: receiving, from a client computing device used by an authenticated link submitter, a first request to access a server-stored content item at a shareable link; wherein the link submitter is authenticated according to a first authentication factor; responsive to receiving the first request, prompting the link submitter to enter/submit a second authentication factor; and providing access to the server-stored content item at the shareable link responsive to receiving the second authentication factor from the link submitter.

Claims

1. A method for sharing a server-stored content item, comprising:

receiving, from a computing device, a first request, the first request to share the server-stored content item via a unique shareable link to the server-stored content item, the first request specifying a first set of one or more use restrictions on using the unique shareable link to access the server-stored content item;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the first request, generating the unique shareable link that uniquely refers to the server-stored content item, among a plurality of server-stored content items hosted with a content management service;

based, at least in part, on the generating the unique shareable link, storing the first set of one or more use restrictions in association with the unique shareable link;

receiving, from a computing device, second request, the second request to access the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link, the second request comprising the unique shareable link;

after the receiving the second request, receiving, from a computing device, a third request selecting a second set of one or more additional use restrictions on using the unique shareable link to access the server-stored content item;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the third request, storing the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions in association with the unique shareable link;

after the receiving the third request, receiving, from a computing device, a fourth request, the fourth request to access the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link, the fourth request comprising the unique shareable link;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the fourth request, determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request;

based, at least in part, on the determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions does not prohibit the access requested by the fourth request, allowing the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access allowed to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link is to a current version of the server-stored content item, the method further comprising:

prior to the allowing the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request, applying a change to a previous version of the server-stored content item to produce the current version of the server-stored content item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the change is received from a computing device configured to synchronize content items with the content management service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique shareable link comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more use restrictions comprises a one or more user accounts held with the content management service, the method further comprising:

determining that a user account associated with the fourth request is one of the one or more user accounts of the first set of one or more use restrictions; and

wherein the determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the determining that the user account associated with the fourth request is one of the one or more user accounts of the first set of one or more use restrictions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of one or more use restrictions comprises a time period, the method further comprising:

determining that a time associated with the fourth request is within the time period of the second set of one or more use restrictions; and

wherein the determining that the second set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the determining that the time associated with the fourth request is within the time period of the second set of one or more use restrictions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the server-stored content item represents a folder.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is to download the server-stored content item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the access to the server-stored content item using the shareable link requested by the fourth request is to view a preview of the server-stored content item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more use restrictions comprises a team of user accounts held with the content management service, the method further comprising:

determining that a user account associated with the fourth request is a member of the team of user accounts of the first set of one or more use restrictions; and

wherein the determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the determining that the user account associated with the fourth request is a member of the team of user accounts of the first set of one or more use restrictions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of one or more use restrictions comprises a geographic location, the method further comprising:

determining that a geographic location associated with the fourth request corresponds to the geographic location of the second set of one or more use restrictions; and

wherein the determining that the second set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the determining that the geographic location associated with the fourth request corresponds to the geographic location of the second set of one or more use restrictions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique shareable link comprises a pseudo-randomly generated portion and a name of the server-stored content item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of one or more use restrictions comprises a biometric authentication factor, the method further comprising:

biometrically authenticating a user of the computing device from which the fourth request is received; and

wherein the determining that the second set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the biometrically authenticating the user of the computing device from which the fourth request is received.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors and configured for;

receiving, from a computing device, a first request, the first request to share a server-stored content item via a unique shareable link to the server-stored content item, the first request specifying a first set of one or more use restrictions on using the unique shareable link to access the server-stored content item;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the first request, generating the unique shareable link that uniquely refers to the server-stored content item, among a plurality of server-stored content items hosted with a content management service;

based, at least in part, on the generating the unique shareable link, storing the first set of one or more use restrictions in association with the unique shareable link;

receiving, from a computing device, a second request, the second request to access the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link, the second request comprising the unique shareable link;

after the receiving the second request, receiving, from a computing device, a third request selecting a second set of one or more additional use restrictions on using the unique shareable link to access the server-stored content item;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the third request, storing the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions in association with the unique shareable link;

after the receiving the third request, receiving, from a computing device, a fourth request, the fourth request to access the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link, the fourth request comprising the unique shareable link;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the fourth request, determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request;

based, at least in part, on the determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions does not prohibit the access requested by the fourth request, allowing the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the access allowed to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link is to a current version of the server-stored content item, the instructions further configured for:

prior to the allowing the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request, applying a change to a previous version of the server-stored content item to produce the current version of the server-stored content item.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the change is received from a computing device configured to synchronize content items with the content management service.

17. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of operations comprising:

receiving, from a computing device, a first request, the first request to share a server-stored content item via a unique shareable link to the server-stored content item, the first request specifying a first set of one or more use restrictions on using the unique shareable link to access the server-stored content item;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the first request, generating the unique shareable link that uniquely refers to the server-stored content item, among a plurality of server-stored content items hosted with a content management service;

based, at least in part, on the generating the unique shareable link, storing the first set of one or more use restrictions in association with the unique shareable link;

receiving, from a computing device, a second request, the second request to access the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link, the second request comprising the unique shareable link;

after the receiving the second request, receiving, from a computing device, a third request selecting a second set of one or more additional use restrictions on using the unique shareable link to access the server-stored content item;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the third request, storing the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions in association with the unique shareable link;

after the receiving the third request, receiving, from a computing device, a fourth request, the fourth request to access the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link, the fourth request comprising the unique shareable link;

based, at least in part, on the receiving the fourth request, determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request;

based, at least in part, on the determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions and the second set of one or more additional use restrictions does not prohibit the access requested by the fourth request, allowing the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request.

18. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 17, wherein the first set of one or more use restrictions comprises one or more user accounts held with the content management service, the operations further comprising:

determining that a user account associated with the fourth request is one of the one or more user accounts of the first set of one or more use restrictions; and

wherein the determining that the first set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the determining that the user account associated with the fourth request is one of the one or more user accounts of the first set of one or more use restrictions.

19. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 17, wherein the second set of one or more use restrictions comprises a time period, the operations further comprising:

determining that a time associated with the fourth request is within the time period of the second set of one or more use restrictions; and

wherein the determining that the second set of one or more use restrictions does not prohibit the access to the server-stored content item using the unique shareable link requested by the fourth request is based, at least in part, on the determining that the time associated with the fourth request is within the time period of the second set of one or more use restrictions.

20. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 17, wherein the server-stored content item represents one of a file or a folder.