Methods, architectures and security mechanisms for a third-party application to access content in a cloud-based platform

• US 8,914,900 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Michael, Smith, Benjamin Campbell, Tan, Simon, Yao, Rico
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIN HON
• Application Number:
  US13/897,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 576 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for methods, architectures and security mechanisms for a third-party application to access content in a cloud-based platform. In one embodiment, a method includes, providing a third-party application with direct access to content in a cloud-based environment. The third-party application is hosted by an entity different from that of the cloud-based environment. In some embodiments, the direct access to the content in the cloud-based environment is provided to the third-party application and accomplished without a need to access an application that is native to the cloud-based environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

launching a third-party application using a controlled launching user interface associated with a cloud-based environment;

providing the third-party application with a direct access to content in the cloud-based environment;

wherein, the direct access restricts the third-party application to save the content edited using the third-party application to the cloud-based environment;

wherein the direct access to the content includes collaborating on the content in the cloud-based environment among multiple collaborators of the cloud-based environment;

wherein, the direct access is provided through integration of the third-party application with an application program interface (API) or web API provided by the cloud-based environment; and

wherein, the third-party application is hosted by an entity different from that of the cloud-based environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the direct access to the content in the cloud-based environment is provided to the third-party application and accomplished without a need to access an application that is native to the cloud-based environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the direct access further restricts the third-party application to direct retrieval of the content from the cloud-based environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, the direct access to the content includes previewing the content in the cloud-based environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the direct access is provided in response to a request to access the content in the cloud-based environment from a user via a web-interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the request includes a ticket that is to automatically expire after a period of time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the request is transmitted from the third-party application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the third-party application is one of a plurality of third-party applications available for a user to select.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, the direct access is provided through a web interface of the third party application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for one or more of navigation, file management, file transfer, collaboration in the cloud-based environment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for caching in the cloud-based environment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an authentication token to the third-party application after a user'"'"'s identity is verified.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is encrypted, and wherein the authentication token includes a decryption key to decrypt the content.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

keeping a history of the access, the history including at least information regarding which third-party application accessed what content.

15. A system comprising

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

send, by a third-party application, a request to access content in a cloud-based platform;

gain, by the third-party application, a direct access to the content in the cloud-based platform;

wherein, the direct access is provided through integration of the third-party application with an application program interface (API) or web API provided by the cloud-based environment;

wherein the direct access to the content allows the third-party application to receive the content from a server hosting the cloud-based platform for preview or manipulation;

wherein the direct access to the content restricts a saving or sharing function of the third-party application to save the content after manipulation in the cloud-based platform;

wherein, the third-party application is launched using a controlled launching user interface associated with the cloud-based environment; and

wherein, the direct access to the content in the cloud-based environment is provided to the third-party application and accomplished without a need to access an application that is native to the cloud-based environment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one of the processors, further cause the system to:

receive an authentication token from the server after a user'"'"'s identity is verified;

detect presence of the authentication token;

wherein the user'"'"'s identity is not verified again if the authentication token is present during a subsequent request to access the cloud-based environment.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the content is encrypted, wherein the authentication token includes a decryption key to decrypt the content, wherein the request includes a ticket that is to automatically expire after a period of time.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the request includes a ticket that is to automatically expire after a period of time.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the third-party application is one of a plurality of third-party applications available for a user to select.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one of the processors, further cause the system to:

keep a history of the access, the history including at least information regarding which of the plurality of third-party applications accessed what content.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for one or more of navigation, file management, file transfer, collaboration in the cloud-based environment.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for caching in the cloud-based environment.

23. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

launch a third-party application using a controlled launching user interface associated with a cloud-based environment;

provide the third-party application with a direct access to content in the cloud-based environment;

wherein, the direct access restricts the third-party application to save the content edited using the third-party application to the cloud-based environment;

wherein the direct access to the content includes collaborating on the content in the cloud-based environment among multiple collaborators of the cloud-based environment;

wherein, the direct access is provided through integration of the third-party application with an application program interface (API) or web API provided by the cloud-based environment; and

wherein, the third-party application is hosted by an entity different from that of the cloud-based environment.