Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: Method and Apparatus for access secured electronic data are disclosed. According to one aspect, an off-line access mechanism in a client machine is activated to facilitate those users on the go to access secured electronic data. When a user decides to be away from a network premises or on a business trip, an off-line access request may be generated by the off-line access mechanism and forwarded to a server. In response, the server may grant the off-line access request to the user as well as the client machine from which the user will access the secured electronic data off-line. Depending on implementation, the AC may provide amended or tentative access rules, access privileges or user keys that will automatically expire when a predetermined time ends or become invalid the next time the client machine is connected to the server.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: Method and Apparatus for access secured electronic data are disclosed. According to one aspect, an off-line access mechanism in a client machine is activated to facilitate those users on the go to access secured electronic data. When a user decides to be away from a network premises or on a business trip, an off-line access request may be generated by the off-line access mechanism and forwarded to a server. In response, the server may grant the off-line access request to the user as well as the client machine from which the user will access the secured electronic data off-line. Depending on implementation, the AC may provide amended or tentative access rules, access privileges or user keys that will automatically expire when a predetermined time ends or become invalid the next time the client machine is connected to the server.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: In a system for providing access control management to electronic data, techniques to secure the electronic data and keep the electronic data secured at all times are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: an attachment, referred to as a header, and an encrypted document or data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes the access rules and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the secured document and essentially determine who/when/how/where the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion. Only those who have the proper access privileges are permitted to retrieve the file key to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion.

Abstract: Even with proper access privilege, when a secured file is classified, at least security clearance (e.g. a clearance key) is needed to ensure those who have the right security clearance can ultimately access the contents in the classified secured file. According to one embodiment, referred to as a two-0pronged access scheme, a security clearance key is generated and assigned in accordance with a user's security access level. A security clearance key may range from most classified to non-classified. Depending on implementation, a security clearance key with a security level may be so configured that the key can be used to access secured files classified at or lower than the security level or multiple auxiliary keys are provided when a corresponding security clearance key is being requested. The auxiliary keys are those keys generated to facilitate access to secured files classified respectively less than the corresponding security or confidentiality level.

Abstract: Improved system and approaches for decentralized key generation are disclosed. The keys that can be generated include both public keys and private keys. The public keys are arbitrary strings that embed or encode access restrictions. The access restrictions are used to enforce access control policies. The public keys are used to encrypt some or all portions of files. The private keys can be generated to decrypt the portions of the files that have been encrypted with the public keys. By generating keys in a decentralized manner, not only are key distribution burdens substantially eliminated but also off-line access to encrypted files is facilitated.

Abstract: Even with proper access privilege, when a secured file is classified, at least security clearance (e.g. a clearance key) is needed to ensure those who have the right security clearance can ultimately access the contents in the classified secured file. According to one embodiment, referred to as a two-Opronged access scheme, a security clearance key is generated and assigned in accordance with a user's security access level. A security clearance key may range from most classified to non-classified. Depending on implementation, a security clearance key with a security level may be so configured that the key can be used to access secured files classified at or lower than the security level or multiple auxiliary keys are provided when a corresponding security clearance key is being requested. The auxiliary keys are those keys generated to facilitate access to secured files classified respectively less than the corresponding security or confidentiality level.

Abstract: Improved system and approaches for decentralized key generation are disclosed. The keys that can be generated include both public keys and private keys. The public keys are arbitrary strings that embed or encode access restrictions. The access restrictions are used to enforce access control policies. The public keys are used to encrypt some or all portions of files. The private keys can be generated to decrypt the portions of the files that have been encrypted with the public keys. By generating keys in a decentralized manner, not only are key distribution burdens substantially eliminated but also off-line access to encrypted files is facilitated.

Abstract: Enhanced multi-level cryptographic transformations that secure electronic files are disclosed. The secured electronic files contain not only secured data but also security information. The security information includes cryptographic structure information, access rules and secrets (e.g., keys). The cryptographic structure information explains the multi-level cryptographic transformations associated with securing or unsecuring the electronic files. The access rules and the secrets are used by the cryptographic transformations to secure the electronic files. Since the secured electronic files contain the cryptographic structure information, the particular cryptographic transformations (including their sequencing) can vary with each electronic file, if so desired. Typically, the secured electronic files are secured and managed by a file security system, such as a distributed security system.

Abstract: Even with proper access privilege, when a secured file is classified, at least security clearance (e.g. a clearance key) is needed to ensure those who have the right security clearance can ultimately access the contents in the classified secured file. According to one embodiment, referred to as a two-pronged access scheme, a security clearance key is generated and assigned in accordance with a user's security access level. A security clearance key may range from most classified to non-classified. Depending on implementation, a security clearance key with a security level may be so configured that the key can be used to access secured files classified at or lower than the security level or multiple auxiliary keys are provided when a corresponding security clearance key is being requested. The auxiliary keys are those keys generated to facilitate access to secured files classified respectively less than the corresponding security or confidentiality level.

Abstract: Techniques for providing pervasive security to digital assets are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, a server is configured to provide access control (AC) management for a user (e.g., a single user, a group of users, software agents or devices) with a need to access secured data. Within the server module, various access rules for the secured data and/or access privileges for the user can be created, updated, and managed so that the user with the proper access privileges can access the secured documents if granted by the corresponding access rules in the secured data.

Abstract: Techniques for managing files in a designated location are disclosed. An example of the designated location is a folder, a directory, a repository, a device, or a storage place. A set of access rules is applied to a designated location such that all files in the designated location shall have substantially similar security. As a result, secured files can be easily created and managed with respect to the designated location and users with access privilege to the designated location can access most of the files, in not all, in the designated location.

Abstract: Digital assets are in a secured form that only those with granted access rights can access. Even with the proper access privilege, when a secured file is classified, at least a security clearance key is needed to ensure those who have the right security clearance can ultimately access the contents in the classified secured file. According to one embodiment, a secured file or secured document includes two parts: a header, and an encrypted data portion. The header includes security information that points to or includes access rules, a protection key and a file key. The access rules facilitate restrictive access to the encrypted data portion and essentially determine who the secured document can be accessed. The file key is used to encrypt/decrypt the encrypted data portion and protected by the protection key.