Access control via organization charts

A system for controlling access to a resource, the system comprising:

• a network interface connected to a network;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor constructed and arranged to:
• receive, from a requesting user, a request to access the resource, the request having a requesting identifier which identifies the requesting user among a set of organization users;
• locate a security classification associated with the requesting identifier of the request in response to receiving the request from the requesting user;
• and
• perform an access control operation which:
• provides, to the requesting user, access to the resource when the security classification satisfies a security class requirement;
• and
• denies, to the requesting user, access to the resource when the security classification does not satisfy the security class requirement, the security class requirement being derived from access information defined by prior accesses to the resource by other organization users of the set of organization users;
• wherein the security classification associated with the requesting identifier is based upon an organization chart, the organization chart including a set of hierarchal levels and a set of organization identifiers, each organization identifier of the set of organization identifiers being associated with an organization user of the set of organization users, each organization identifier being associated with a hierarchal level of the set of hierarchal levels;
• wherein the requesting identifier includes a value of a requesting hierarchal level;
• and
• wherein locating the security classification includes:
• matching the requesting identifier to an organization identifier of the set of organization identifiers;
• and
• setting the value of the requesting hierarchal level equal to a value of the hierarchal level with which the matched organization identifier is associated.

A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable storage medium which stores code to control access to a resource within an organization, the code including instructions to:

• receive, from a requesting user, a request to access the resource, the request having a requesting identifier which identifies the requesting user among a set of organization users;
• locate a security classification associated with the requesting identifier of the request in response to receiving the request from the requesting user;
• and
• perform an access control operation which:
• provides, to the requesting user, access to the resource when the security classification satisfies a security class requirement;
• and
• denies, to the requesting user, access to the resource when the security classification does not satisfy the security class requirement, the security class requirement being derived from access information defined by prior accesses to the resource by other organization users of the set of organization users;
• wherein the security classification associated with the requesting identifier is based upon an organization chart, the organization chart including a set of hierarchal levels and a set of organization identifiers, each organization identifier of the set of organization identifiers being associated with an organization user of the set of organization users, each organization identifier being associated with a hierarchal level of the set of hierarchal levels;
• wherein the requesting identifier includes a value of a requesting hierarchal level;
• and
• wherein locating the security classification includes:
• matching the requesting identifier to an organization identifier of the set of organization identifiers;
• and
• setting the value of the requesting hierarchal level equal to a value of the hierarchal level with which the matched organization identifier is associated.