Securely authorizing access to remote resources

• US 9,769,141 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brannon, Jonathan Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/927,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls

Abstract

Methods and an apparatus are provided for securely authorizing access to remote resources. For example, a method is provided that includes receiving a request to determine whether a user device communicatively coupled to a resource server is authorized to access at least one resource hosted by the resource server and determining whether the user device communicatively coupled to the resource server is authorized to access the at least one resource hosted by the resource server based at least in part on whether the user device communicatively coupled to the resource server has been issued a management identifier. The method further includes providing a response indicating that the user device communicatively coupled to the resource server is authorized to access the at least one resource hosted by the resource server in response to a determination that the user device communicatively coupled to the resource server is authorized to access the at least one resource hosted by the resource server. The method yet further includes providing a response indicating that the user device communicatively coupled to the resource server is not authorized to access the at least one resource hosted by the resource server in response to a determination that the user device communicatively coupled to the resource server is not authorized to access the at least one resource hosted by the resource server.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing access to a cloud-based content repository, comprising:

receiving, based on a determination that a mobile device complies with one or more compliance policies provided by a management service, a management identifier;

transmitting an access request including the management identifier to the content repository;

receiving access to the content repository based on a determination that the management identifier is valid, wherein receiving access further comprises determining, at the time of the access request, whether the mobile device continues to comply with the one or more compliance policies; and

determining a subset of content for which access should be granted based on the management identifier and evaluation of compliance with the one or more compliance policies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the management identifier comprises a certificate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the request further comprises transmitting, in addition to the management identifier, authentication credentials for accessing the content repository.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access request further comprises an address of a management server.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing, from the content repository to the management server, the management identifier, wherein the management server performs the step of determining whether the management identifier is valid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving access to the content repository is preconditioned on bringing the mobile device into compliance with an encryption policy.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for authorizing access to a cloud-based content repository, comprising:

receiving, based on a determination that a mobile device complies with one or more compliance policies provided by a management service, a management identifier;

transmitting an access request including the management identifier to the content repository;

receiving access to the content repository based on a determination that the management identifier is valid, wherein receiving access further comprises determining, at the time of the access request, whether the mobile device continues to comply with the one or more compliance policies; and

determining a subset of content for which access should be granted based on the management identifier and evaluation of compliance with the one or more compliance policies.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the management identifier comprises a certificate.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein transmitting the request further comprises transmitting, in addition to the management identifier, authentication credentials for accessing the content repository.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

the access request further comprises an address of a management server, and

the method further comprises providing, from the content repository to the management server, the management identifier, wherein the management server performs the step of determining whether the management identifier is valid.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving access to the content repository is preconditioned on bringing the mobile device into compliance with an encryption policy.

12. A system for authorizing access to a cloud-based content repository, comprising:

a mobile device;

a content repository; and

a management server, wherein

the mobile device provides a request to access the cloud-based content repository, the request including a management identifier;

the management server receives the management identifier from the cloud-based content repository,

the management server determines whether the management identifier is valid and, if so, returns a message to the cloud-based content repository,

the mobile device receives access to the cloud-based content repository,

the management server further determines a subset of content for which access should be granted based on the management identifier and evaluation of compliance with the one or more compliance policies, and

the mobile devices receives access to the subset of content in the cloud-based content repository.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the management identifier comprises a certificate.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the mobile device further provides authentication credentials for accessing the cloud-based content repository, and

the mobile device receives the access to the cloud-based content repository when the authentication credentials are validated.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the management server or the mobile device further:

evaluates, upon generating the request, whether the mobile device continues to comply with the one or more compliance policies.