CONTROLLING ACCESS TO SHARED CONTENT IN AN ONLINE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20140215551A1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Allain, Francois Alexander, Subramani, Anand
• Granted Patent: US 9,294,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling access to shared content in an online content management system, include receiving a request to access a content item from a requester, wherein the content item is stored in a synchronized online content management system. The example method then includes determining that the requester is in an approved list of requestors and granting access to the content item. In one variation, the request to access the content item includes activation of a shared link. In another variation, the request to access the content item includes access to a shared folder in the synchronized online content management system. In a third variation, determining that the requester is in an approved list of requesters includes determining that the requester is logged into a primary and secondary account, and that the requester is in an approved list for the secondary account.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling access to shared group content in a networked content management system, comprising:

maintaining a database of authorized users identifying groups to which said users are members;

maintaining a database of group sharing policies identifying sharing permissions for stored group content;

determining, in response to a request to share access to particular stored group content, whether the request is from an authorized user by consulting said authorized user database;

determining the sharing permissions applicable to the requested particular stored group content by consulting said group sharing policy database; and

processing the request in accordance with the results of said determinations.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request includes activation of a shared link.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to share access comprises a request to share a link to a folder in said networked content management system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to share access comprises a request to share access to a folder in said networked content management system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sharing permissions include an identification of whether a group content folder is permitted to be shared with non-group members.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein processing of the request includes prohibiting a group member from sharing access to particular stored group content that has been identified as private to the group.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sharing permissions include a determination of whether a response to a request to share content in a group content folder permitted to be shared with non-group members should contain a warning that the content is about to be shared with a non-group member.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sharing permissions include an identification of whether a requesting group member has specified a privacy setting for a link to a specific group content folder requested to be shared with non-group members.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein processing of the request includes prohibiting a group member from sharing a link to particular stored group content that has been specified in a privacy setting as private to the group.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sharing permissions include an identification of whether a privacy setting for a link to a specific group content folder requested to be shared with non-group members has been set to view only.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein processing of the request includes prohibiting a group member from sharing a link to particular stored group content that has been specified in a privacy setting as view only.

12. A system for controlling access to shared group content in a networked content management system, comprising:

a database of authorized users identifying groups to which said users are members;

a database of group sharing policies identifying sharing permissions for stored group content;

at least one processor configured to;

determine, in response to a request to share access to particular stored group content, whether the request is from an authorized user by consulting said authorized user database;

determine the sharing permissions applicable to the requested particular stored group content by consulting said group sharing policy database; and

process the request in accordance with the results of said determinations.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the request includes activation of a shared link.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the request to share access comprises a request to share a link to a folder in said networked content management system.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the request to share access comprises a request to share access to a folder in said networked content management system.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the sharing permissions include an identification of whether a group content folder is permitted to be shared with non-group members.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein processing of the request includes prohibiting a group member from sharing access to particular stored group content that has been identified as private to the group.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the sharing permissions include a determination of whether a response to a request to share content in a group content folder permitted to be shared with non-group members should contain a warning that the content is about to be shared with a non-group member.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the sharing permissions include an identification of whether a requesting group member has specified a privacy setting for a link to a specific group content folder requested to be shared with non-group members.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein processing of the request includes prohibiting a group member from sharing a link to particular stored group content that has been specified in a privacy setting as private to the group.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the sharing permissions include an identification of whether a privacy setting for a link to a specific group content folder requested to be shared with non-group members has been set to view only.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein processing of the request includes prohibiting a group member from sharing a link to particular stored group content that has been specified in a privacy setting as view only.

23. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions for:

maintaining a database of authorized users identifying groups to which said users are members;

maintaining a database of group sharing policies identifying sharing permissions for stored group content;

determining, in response to a request to share access to particular stored group content, whether the request is from an authorized user by consulting said authorized user database;

determining the sharing permissions applicable to the requested particular stored group content by consulting said group sharing policy database; and

processing the request in accordance with the results of said determinations.