Privacy-protective data transfer
View Patent ↗A method is performed at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs executed by the one or more processors. The method includes generating a document, including marking one or more portions of the document as private; and sending the document to an intermediary system for transmission to a destination system. Prior to the document being transmitted to the destination system, the marked portions of the document are encrypted by the intermediary system using a key that is unavailable to the destination system.
1. A method, comprising:
at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors:
receiving authentication credentials for a user from a client device;
receiving a request from the user at the client device for a file stored on a remote storage system, wherein a portion of the file is encrypted and a corresponding decryption key is available only at the computer system and accessible only by the computer system, and wherein a remaining portion of the file is unencrypted;
retrieving the file from the remote storage system, including the encrypted portion and the unencrypted portion;
using the received authentication credentials to determine whether the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file;
when it is determined that the user is not authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
forming an alternative file by replacing the encrypted portion of the file with a substitute element; and
transmitting the alternative file to the client device; and
when it is determined that the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
decrypting the encrypted portion of the file using the decryption key, and combining the decrypted portion with the remaining unencrypted portion to form an updated file; and
transmitting the updated file to the client device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substitute element is selected from the group consisting of obscured text, a graphic, a blank area, or alternative text indicating that the encrypted portion has been omitted.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted portion of the file is contiguous within the file.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted portion of the file comprises two or more non-contiguous segments.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising when the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
receiving a modified version of the updated file from the client device, wherein the modified version of the updated file includes one or more privacy marked portions;
encrypting the privacy marked portions of the modified version of the updated file to form a partially encrypted modified file; and
transmitting the partially encrypted modified file to the remote storage system, wherein the partially encrypted modified file replaces the file.
6. A computer system, comprising:
one or more processing units; and
memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors units, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
receiving authentication credentials for a user from a client device;
receiving a request from the user at the client device for a file stored on a remote storage system, wherein a portion of the file is encrypted and a corresponding decryption key is available only at the computer system and accessible only by the computer system, and wherein a remaining portion of the file is unencrypted;
retrieving the file from the remote storage system, including the encrypted portion and the unencrypted portion;
using the received authentication credentials to determine whether the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file;
when it is determined that the user is not authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
forming an alternative file by replacing the encrypted portion of the file with a substitute element; and
transmitting the alternative file to the client device; and
when it is determined that the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
decrypting the encrypted portion of the file using the decryption key, and combining the decrypted portion with the remaining unencrypted portion to form an updated file; and
transmitting the updated file to the client device.
7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the substitute element is selected from the group consisting of obscured text, a graphic, a blank area, or alternative text indicating that the encrypted portion has been omitted.
8. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the encrypted portion of the file is contiguous within the file.
9. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the encrypted portion of the file comprises two or more non-contiguous segments.
10. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
when the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
receiving a modified version of the updated file from the client device, wherein the modified version of the updated file includes one or more privacy marked portions;
encrypting the privacy marked portions of the modified version of the updated file to form a partially encrypted modified file; and
transmitting the partially encrypted modified file to the remote storage system, wherein the partially encrypted modified file replaces the file.
11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
receiving authentication credentials for a user from a client device;
receiving a request from the user at the client device for a file stored on a remote storage system, wherein a portion of the file is encrypted and a corresponding decryption key is available only at the computer system and accessible only by the computer system, and wherein a remaining portion of the file is unencrypted;
retrieving the file from the remote storage system, including the encrypted portion and the unencrypted portion;
using the received authentication credentials to determine whether the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file; and
transmitting the updated file to the client device; and
when it is determined that the user is not authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
forming an alternative file by replacing the encrypted portion of the file with a substitute element; and
transmitting the alternative file to the client device; and
when it is determined that the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
decrypting the encrypted portion of the file using the decryption key, and combining the decrypted portion with the remaining unencrypted portion to form an updated file; and
transmitting the updated file to the client device.
12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the substitute element is selected from the group consisting of obscured text, a graphic, a blank area, or alternative text indicating that the encrypted portion has been omitted.
13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the encrypted portion of the file is contiguous within the file.
14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the encrypted portion of the file comprises two or more non-contiguous segments.
15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
when the user is authorized to view the encrypted portion of the file:
receiving a modified version of the updated file from the client device, wherein the modified version of the updated file includes one or more privacy marked portions;
encrypting the privacy marked portions of the modified version of the updated file to form a partially encrypted modified file; and
transmitting the partially encrypted modified file to the remote storage system, wherein the partially encrypted modified file replaces the file.