System and method for manipulating and managing computer archive files
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an archive management application that operates within a host application to provide access to an archive and/or allow access to and/or modification of files in an archive using the host application's interface, instead of operating as a separate standalone archive management application. In an embodiment of the present invention, a file archiving system may include a user interface component, a file management component and a compression/extraction engine component. The user interface component may include an enhanced user interface of a host application that provides an interface for a user. The file management component may include a central directory that provides a representation of the contents of an archive. The compression/extraction engine component may include a file size module and/or a security module. The file size module may be used to compress and/or decompress a file in an archive. The security module may be used to encrypt, decrypt, digitally sign and/or authenticate a file in an archive.
1. A method for accessing a .ZIP archive file on a computer, said method including:
receiving a request from a first user to access a .ZIP archive file on a computer, said request including first access data;
comparing, using a computer, said first access data to first security information stored in a repository inside said .ZIP archive file on a computer-readable medium to determine a first access control decision;
providing access to second security information inside said repository inside said .ZIP archive file based on said first access control decision;
receiving, from a second user, second access data;
comparing, using said computer, said second access data to said second security information stored in a repository inside said .ZIP archive file to determine a second access control decision; and
providing access to said .ZIP archive file based on said second access control decision.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said archive includes a file and said repository is separate from said file.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository is encrypted.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository is accessible by a plurality of computing devices.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository is accessible from a remote location.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository is accessible from a plurality of locations.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a digital certificate.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a password.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a plurality of passwords.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a private key.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a public key.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a contingency key.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes key material.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes a segmented key.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first security information and said second security information includes biometric data.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository resides on a computing device.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository resides on a portable storage device.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein said repository is a shared repository.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol is used to access said shared repository.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first access data and said second access data includes a user token.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein said user token is a Universal Serial Bus token.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first access data and said second access data includes a portable token.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein said portable token is a portable Smart Card.
24. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first access data and said second access data includes biometric data.
25. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first access data and said second access data includes a password.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first access data and said second access data includes a Personal Identification Number code.