Multi-identity for secure file sharing

1. A computer-implemented method for providing controlled collaborative access to a data file comprising:

selectively associating a personal identity or a work identity with a designated folder in which a shared data file originated by an individual user is stored;

when the personal identity is associated with the designated folder,

generating a personal recovery key;

storing the personal recovery key; and

protecting the shared data file with a unique file password generated from (a) the personal recovery key assigned to the designated folder in which the file is located and (b) a unique file identifier; else

when the work identity is associated with the designated folder,

generating a work recovery key;

storing the work recovery key; and

protecting the shared data file with a unique file password generated from (a) the work recovery key assigned to the designated folder in which the file is located and (b) a unique file identifier;

and further:

protecting access to the shared data file using the work recovery key and information concerning a present status of the individual user with respect to an organization associated with the work identity, by further

generating an organization recovery key associated with the organization;

protecting the unique password with the organization recovery key;

revoking the individual user's access to the organization recovery key when the organization no longer approves of the individual user's association with the organization; and

preventing the individual user from revoking access to the shared data file by the organization subsequent to revoking the individual user's access to the shared data file, even when the individual user was an original creator of the shared data file: and

when the personal identity is associated with the designated folder, further preventing access by the organization to the personal recovery key.

2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

assigning ownership privileges to the folder storing the shared data file, wherein the individual user is granted ownership privileges to the folder as long as the individual user is approved by the organization, but when the organization revokes approval for the individual user, the individual user is no longer granted ownership privileges and ownership privileges for the folder are instead granted to the organization.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein ownership privileges to the folder are controlled by a collaborative file sharing service that provides a cloud storage service.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

purging the work identity keys from a local key store accessible by the individual user, such that the individual user is not able to access the shared data file shared using the work identity key when the individual user's access is revoked by the organization.

5. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

protecting a folder containing one or more files to be shared securely by assigning a folder key to the folder, where the folder key is the respective one of the personal recovery key or the work recovery key; and

sharing the one or more files in the folder with other individual users by sharing the folder key.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of work identities are provided to a corresponding plurality of users, and a specific one of the plurality of users is granted access to a data file shared among users associated with the plurality of work related identities only so long as long as the organization associated with the specific individual approves of the specific individual user's access to the data file.

7. A system comprising:

one or more network interfaces adapted to communicate data over a computer network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:

associate a personal identity or a work identity with a designated folder originated by an individual user according to a selection made by input received from the individual user;

control access to a shared data file stored in the folder using the respective personal identity or the work identity, and information concerning a present status of the individual user with respect to an organization;

when the work identity is selected for the designated folder, to further

grant access to the shared data file associated with the work identity by the individual user, only so long as long as the organization approves of the individual user's access to the shared data file;

revoke access to the shared data file by the individual user when the organization no longer approves of the individual user's association with the organization;

protect the shared data file with a unique password that depends on (a) the work recovery key assigned to the designated folder and (b) a unique file identifier;

protect the unique password with an organization recovery key associated with the organization;

revoke access to the organization recovery key by the individual user when the organization no longer approves of the individual user's association with the organization;

prevent the individual from revoking access to the shared data file by the organization even subsequent to revoking the individual's access to the data file, even when the individual was an original creator of the file; and

when the personal identity is selected for the designated folder,

protect the shared data file with a unique password that depends on (a) the personal recovery key assigned to the designated folder and (b) a unique file identifier; and

prevent access to the personal recovery key by the organization.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the individual user is given ownership privileges to access the data file as long as the individual user is authorized by the organization, but when the organization revokes authorization for the file, the individual user is no longer granted ownership privileges and ownership privileges are granted to the organization.

9. The system of claim 8 additionally comprising a collaborative file sharing service for controlling ownership privileges for the file.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein one or more keys associated with the work identity are also purged from a local key store accessible by the individual user, such that the individual user is not able to access the shared data file using the work identity as soon as the individual's authorization is canceled by the organization.

11. The system of claim 7 additionally wherein the processor is further to assign the organization a unique key pair that is used as a recovery key for folders associated with the work identity.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is further to, for each individual user associated with an organization, assign a unique key pair that used as a work recovery key for folders associated with a work identity for the individual user.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor is further to, for a folder containing one or more files to be shared securely, protect the folder by assigning a folder key to the folder, where the folder key is selected from one of a personal identity key and a work identity key, and when the contents of the folder are shared with other individual users, to share the folder key.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor is further to provide a plurality of work identities to a corresponding plurality of users, and a specific one of the plurality of users is granted access to a data file shared among users associated with the plurality of work identities, but only so long as long as the organization associated with the specific individual approves of the specific individual user's access to the data file.