Profile-Based Whitelisting for Secure File Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file synchronization and sharing solutions face challenges in efficiently enforcing security policies while allowing users to share files and folders, as current methods are either too granular or overly coarse, making it difficult for administrators to manage sharing controls effectively.
Innovation Solution
Implementing profile-based whitelisting, where users are associated with profiles that define sharing permissions, allowing administrators to enable or disable sharing whitelisting and specify allowed profiles, thereby controlling access to shared folders and links based on profile memberships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sharing controls are implemented at the file and folder level, then access security is improved, but administrative complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments user access rights into distinct profiles (e.g., Viewer, Contributor, Administrator) that can be independently configured and assigned. This segmentation allows fine-grained control over sharing permissions while simplifying administration, as administrators only need to manage profile definitions rather than individual file-level permissions for each user.
Solution Approach 2:
Profiles serve as universal containers that encapsulate multiple sharing controls, access rights, and security policies. A single profile can be applied across multiple files and folders, making the system multi-functional and easier to administer. The profile-based approach allows one set of rules to govern multiple resources, reducing the overhead of managing individual permissions.
2Ease of operation
If sharing controls are implemented at the domain level, then administrative ease is improved, but access control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the domain-level control into finer profile-based segments. Instead of applying uniform domain-wide policies, administrators can create and assign specific profiles (e.g., External Viewer, Internal Contributor) that provide precise access control for different user groups while maintaining ease of administration through centralized profile management.
Solution Approach 2:
Different profiles can be assigned with locally tailored access rights based on specific needs. For example, a profile for external collaborators might have read-only access, while an internal team profile might have full edit rights. This local quality approach allows precise access control for different contexts while keeping the administrative interface simple through profile-based configuration.
3Manufacturing precision
If profile-based whitelisting is implemented, then sharing control precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Profiles serve as universal, reusable templates that can be applied across multiple files, folders, and sharing scenarios. By encapsulating sharing control logic within profiles, the system achieves precise control without proportionally increasing complexity, as profiles can be reused and inherited rather than being manually configured for each individual case.
Solution Approach 2:
Administrators can pre-define profiles with desired sharing controls and access rights before actual sharing events occur. This preliminary configuration allows the system to automatically apply appropriate controls when users attempt to share files, reducing runtime complexity and enabling precise control through pre-established rules rather than ad-hoc decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a computer system may receiving a request to allow a second user associated with a second user account to access at least one of a folder or a link associated with a first user account of a first user. The computer system may determine a first profile associated with the first user account, and may further determine whether sharing whitelisting is enabled for the first profile. Additionally, the computer system may determine a second profile associated with the second user account, and may determine whether the second profile is included in a sharing whitelist of the first profile. When sharing whitelisting is enabled for the first profile, the computer system may allow a client device associated with the second user account to access the folder and/or the link when the second profile is included in the sharing whitelist of the first profile.