Abstract: A method for secure restoration of data selected based on user-specified search criteria includes maintaining one or more backup versions of a plurality of storage objects and initiating the generation of a plurality of database entries, wherein each database entry corresponds to a backup version of a storage object and includes an encoding of a security descriptor associated with the storage object. The method may further include, in response to a backup version search request from a user, using contents of the search request and encodings of security descriptors stored in the plurality of database entries to identify one or more backup versions of a particular storage object that the user is authorized to access.

Abstract: A system for using recent activity information to select backup versions of storage objects for restoration comprises a processor and memory coupled to the processor, where the memory stores program instructions computer-executable by the processor to implement a backup manager. The backup manager is configured to maintain one or more backup versions of a plurality of storage objects and a plurality of access history records, where each access history record is associated with a particular backup version. Each access history record includes information indicative of an access to the corresponding storage object by a user. The backup manager may be configured to select a particular backup version as a restoration candidate using at least the contents of the access history record associated with the backup version.