Patent · US Expired

Method and system for controlling user access to a resource in a networked computing environment

US5956715A · kind A · utility

235Cited by
18References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 1996
Grant dateSep 21, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99944
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A unified and straightforward approach to managing file and other resource security in a networked computing environment is disclosed. The invention can be implemented in a multi-user computer network that includes a client computer, a server computer that controls a resource sharable among users of the network, such as a shared file folder or directory, and a communications pathway between the client computer and the server computer. The resource is organized as a hierarchy of elements with a root element at the top of the hierarchy and additional elements below the root element. According to the invention, a request is received to change a protection, such as an access permission, of an element of the resource hierarchy (other than the root) with respect to a particular network user. If the element in question lacks an associated access control list, a nearest ancestor element of the hierarchy is located that has an associated access control list. The first (descendant) element inherits the access control list of the second (ancestor) element. This inheritance is done by generating a copy of the access control list of the second element and associating the generated copy with the…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.