Automatic enforcement of obligations according to a data-handling policy

A method for automatically enforcing obligations that apply to access of data items stored in a data repository, said method comprising:

• intercepting a request by a user for accessing data stored in said repository;
• executing said request on a content of said data repository;
• determining whether access of each data item returned in response to said executed request is governed by a rule having an associated obligation;
• associating said data items governed by rules with respective ones of said obligations;
• automatically tracking data items and associated obligation pairs to determine appropriate times when said obligations are to be executed;
• and
• automatically executing said obligations at said appropriate times.

A system for automatically enforcing obligations in accordance with a data handling policy, said system comprising:

• a request interceptor adapted to intercept a request by a user for accessing data stored in a repository;
• an event handler adapted to determine whether any obligations apply to each data item requested by said user in accordance with said data handling policy;
• and
• a processing unit adapted to execute said associated obligation at an appropriate time after access of said data.

A system for automatically enforcing obligations that apply to data items stored in a data repository, said system comprising:

• means for intercepting a request by a user for accessing data stored in said data repository;
• means for executing said request on a content of said data repository;
• means for determining whether access of each data item returned in response to said executed request is governed by a rule having an associated obligation;
• means for associating said data items governed by rules with respective ones of said obligations;
• means for automatically tracking data items and associated obligation pairs to determine when said obligations should be executed;
• and
• means for automatically executing said obligations at appropriate times.

A system for automatically enforcing obligations in accordance with a data-handling policy, said system comprising:

• a memory unit for storing data and instructions to be performed by a processing unit;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to said memory unit, said processing unit programmed to:
• intercept a request by a user for accessing data stored in a repository;
• determine whether any obligations apply to each data item requested by said user in accordance with said data handling policy;
• and
• execute said obligations at an appropriate time after access of said data.

A system for automatically enforcing obligations that apply to data items stored in a data repository, said system comprising:

• a memory unit for storing data and instructions to be performed by a processing unit;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to said memory unit, said processing unit programmed to:
• intercept a request by a user for accessing data stored in said repository;
• execute said request on a content of said data repository;
• determine whether access of each data item returned in response to said executed request is governed by a rule having an associated obligation;
• associate said data items governed by rules with respective ones of said obligations;
• automatically track data item and associated obligation pairs to determine when said obligations should be executed;
• and
• automatically execute said obligations at appropriate times.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium comprising a computer program recorded therein for automatically enforcing obligations in accordance with a data-handling policy, said computer program product comprising:

• computer program code for intercepting a request by a user for accessing data stored in said repository;
• computer program code for determining whether any obligations apply to each data item requested by said user in accordance with said data handling policy;
• and
• computer program code for automatically executing said associated obligation at an appropriate time after access of said data.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium comprising a computer program recorded therein for automatically enforcing obligations that apply to data items stored in a data repository, said computer program product comprising:

• computer program code for intercepting a request by a user for accessing data stored in said repository;
• computer program code for executing said request on the a content of said data repository;
• computer program code for determining whether access of each data item returned in response to said executed request is governed by a rule having an associated obligation;
• computer program code for associating said data items governed by rules with respective ones of said obligations;
• computer program code for automatically tracking data item and associated obligation pairs to determine when said obligations should be executed;
• and
• computer program code for automatically executing said obligations at appropriate times.