Secure file transaction system

Abstract

Embodiments of a secure file transaction system employ a host to receive a file manipulation request for a secure file from a requester, determine whether the requester is authorized for the file manipulation request, issue an authentication challenge to the requester, issue an approval request to the file owner and process the file manipulation request based upon obtained authentication and approval.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 storing data in a data vault repository; 
 establishing an owner for the data; 
 receiving a manipulation request for the data from a requester; 
 determining whether the requester is authorized for the manipulation request; 
 upon determining the requester is authorized for the manipulation request, issuing an authentication challenge to the requester; 
 upon receiving a positive response to the authentication challenge, issuing an approval request to an established owner of the data via a network; and 
 upon receiving a positive response to the approval request from the established owner of the data via the network, processing the manipulation request. 
   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the requester is authorized is based on an attribute of the requester and a time when the manipulation request is received. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein processing the manipulation request comprises opening the data vault repository, conducting the manipulation request and closing the data vault repository. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to establish one or more permitted manipulation actions associated with the data. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the established owner comprises a plurality of owners, wherein issuing the approval request comprises issuing an approval request to each of the plurality of owners, and wherein receiving the positive response to the approval request comprises receiving a positive response from each of the plurality of owners. 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 storing, by a host, data in a data vault repository;   establishing, by the host, an owner for the data;   receiving, by the host, a manipulation request for the data from a requester;   in response to receiving the manipulation request, determining, by the host, that the requester is authorized for the manipulation request and issuing, by the host, an approval request to an established owner of the data via a network;   receiving, by the host, a positive response to the approval request from the owner via the network; and   in response to receiving the positive response to the approval request from the established owner of the data, processing, by the host, the manipulation request via the network.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining that the requester is authorized is based on an attribute of the requester and a time when the manipulation request is received. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein processing the manipulation request comprises opening the data vault repository, conducting the manipulation request and closing the data vault repository. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising establishing one or more permitted manipulation actions associated with the data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the established owner comprises a plurality of owners, wherein issuing the approval request comprises issuing an approval request to each of the plurality of owners, and wherein receiving the positive response to the approval request comprises receiving a positive response from each of the plurality of owners. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, upon determining that the requester is not authorized, denying the manipulation request. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the established owner comprises a plurality of owners, and further comprising notifying the plurality of owners that the manipulation request has been denied. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, upon receiving a negative response to the approval request, denying the manipulation request. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the established owner comprises a plurality of owners, and further comprising notifying the plurality of owners that the manipulation request has been denied.