Access control using social network associations

#The specification relates to system access control. In particular, the specification relates to controlling access to a cloud-based service. A cloud-based service includes one or more of a web service, an application and an operating system.

#Cloud computing technology delivers computing power and storage capacity as a service to a community of user devices via a network. Application and data are stored on a cloud server. A user device accesses the applications and data using a client that stores and executes a browser application.

#According to one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure, a system for controlling access to a cloud-based service includes: a controller for receiving an access request from a first user, the access request indicating a request to access a cloud-based service managed by a second user; an authentication module for authenticating the first user responsive to receiving the access request; and a permission module for determining a first social network association that exists between the first user and the second user based at least in part on a social graph, the permission module determining whether access to the cloud-based service is permitted for the first social network association based at least in part on an access setting of the cloud-based service, and responsive to determining that the access is permitted for the first social network association, the permission module generating access permission data to permit the first user to access the cloud-based service.

#The disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used to refer to similar elements.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example system for controlling access to a cloud-based service.

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an access application.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of some implementations of a system 100 for controlling access to a cloud-based service. A cloud-based service includes one or more of a web service, an application and an operating system.

#For implementations in which the cloud-based service is a web service, the web service can be any service accessed by a user device 115 via the network 105. For example, the web service is any service stored and executed by the cloud server 119.

#For implementations in which the cloud-based service is an application, the application can be any web application accessed by a user device 115 via the network 105. For example, the web service is any web application stored and executed by the cloud server 119.