Abstract: Apparatus are provided including an information repository and an expiration mechanism. The information repository holds current document state information, and the expiration mechanism expires state information for certain documents in accordance with an expiration scheme.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, apparatus are provided including a document access arbiter, a guest access control mechanism, and a guest setup interface. The document access arbiter securely controls user access to a secured document repository. The guest access control mechanism provides, to guest users, selective access to respective select set of documents in the secure document repository. The guest users include users that do not have account holder access to the document repository. The guest setup interface presents, via a computer screen, guest parameter graphical tools to account holder users having account holder access to the repository.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided, including a document management system and a private certificate authority. The private certificate authority is private to the document management system, and includes a certificate authority public key, a certificate authority private key, a key pair generator, and a digital certificate issuer. The key pair generator generates key pairs for respective authorized users of the document management system. The digital certificate issuer issues digital certificates regarding the respective authorized users of the document management system. The private certificate authority includes software instantiated by or with the document management system.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to apparatus. In the apparatus, a trusted intermediary computer screen user interface is provided. An identification information input receives, via the computer screen user interface, information identifying an authorized information seeker. The information seeker seeks access to a remote database via an internet protocol connection. An authorization confirmation display displays, via the computer screen user interface, that the authorized information seeker is confirmed as authorized to access the remote database. An access code request input requests, via the computer screen user interface, an access code for use by the authorized information seeker to access the remote database via the internet protocol connection. An access code output outputs the access code for use by the authorized information seeker.

Abstract: A content or document management system includes a content or document repository; a dedicated e-mail account; and a mail agent associated with the dedicated e-mail account. The mail agent processes a received e-mail message to determine a sender's identity; authenticates the identity of the sender and an authorization of the sender with respect to the content or document repository; parses, when a sender is authenticated and authorized, document request information from the e-mail message; and either stores a document to or retrieves a document from the content or document repository. The mail agent may authenticate the identity of the sender using a digital signature, or may authenticate the identity of the sender using an e-mail address in a FROM header field of the received e-mail message header. The mail agent may decrypt encrypted messages from the sender, and may sign and encrypt responses to the sender.

Abstract: A content or document management system includes a content or document repository; a dedicated e-mail account; and a mail agent associated with the dedicated e-mail account. The mail agent processes a received e-mail message to determine a sender's identity; authenticates the identity of the sender and an authorization of the sender with respect to the content or document repository; parses, when a sender is authenticated and authorized, document request information from the e-mail message; and either stores a document to or retrieves a document from the content or document repository. The mail agent may authenticate the identity of the sender using a digital signature, or may authenticate the identity of the sender using an e-mail address in a FROM header field of the received e-mail message header. The mail agent may decrypt encrypted messages from the sender, and may sign and encrypt responses to the sender.