US 9,807,100 B2Granted

System and method for private social networking

AssigneeAnchorfree, Inc.

InventorDavid Gorodyansky

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Abstract

System protects user's data on social networking websites by creating a data filter, which operates between the user and the social networks accessed by the user. The filter may be deployed as a user's web browser plug-in and operates in the following way. First, the filter encrypts all or some information that is posted by the user on a social network using SSL encryption technology. Second, to enable select other users of the social networking site to view the encrypted information, the instances of the filter executing on the accessing users' computers verify whether these users have access permission from the owner of the content and, if so, use the decryption key to decrypt the private data and enable the users to view it. The decryption key may be automatically passed to the instances of the filter running on the accessing users' computers. In an alternative implementation, the encryption and access control may be performed by a security/privacy mediator deployed on the network.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A computerized system comprising a server comprising a processor and a memory, the computerized system further comprising:

a. a privacy mediator enabling a first user of a first user terminal to post at least a first content to a social networking web site and enabling a second user of a second user terminal to retrieve at least the first posted content from the social networking website, the privacy mediator secures at least a portion of the first content prior to posting on the social networking website and to render accessible the secured portion of the first content prior to furnishing to the second user terminal, wherein the privacy mediator directly communicates with the social networking website and posts the first content comprising the secured portion directly to the social networking website and wherein the privacy mediator secures the at least a portion of the first content by encrypting the at least a portion of the first content and render accessible the secured portion of the first content by decrypting the encrypted at least a portion of the first content;
and
b. a web server communicatively coupled with the privacy mediator, the first user terminal and the second user terminal and furnishing the retrieved first content to the second user terminal, wherein the web server is further receiving the first content from the first user terminal and to transmit the first content to the privacy mediator for posting to the social networking website, wherein the first content comprises personal information of the first user, the personal information of the first user being secured by the privacy mediator before reaching the social networking website, wherein the personal information of the first user is directly posted to the social networking website and stored therein in a secure encrypted form and wherein the access to the unencrypted first content posted to the social networking website is controlled independently and outside of the social networking website and an operator of the social networking website and any user of the social networking website other than the first user and the second user have access to the secured encrypted first content but do not have access to the unencrypted first content posted to the social networking website,
wherein the privacy mediator encrypts the at least a portion of the first content using an encryption key and wherein the encryption key is provided to the second user;
and
wherein the privacy mediator receives from the first user terminal designation of the portion of the first content for encryption, wherein the designated portion of the first content comprises at least a portion of the personal information of the first user.

3 more elements

A computerized system comprising:

a. a first user terminal comprising a first networking interface establishing a first connection with a social networking website and a first central processing unit executing a first instance of a filter application that receives from the first user at least a first content and to post the received at least first content to the social networking website, the first instance of the filter application secures at least a portion of the first content prior to posting to the social networking website, wherein the first instance of the filter application directly communicates with the social networking website and posts the first content comprising the secured portion directly to the social networking web site, wherein the first instance of the filter application securing the at least a portion of the first content by encrypting the at least a portion of the first content and wherein the second instance of the filter application is rendering accessible the secured portion of the first content by decrypting the encrypted at least a portion of the first content;
and
b. a second user terminal comprising a second networking interface establishing a second connection with the social networking website and a second central processing unit executing a second instance of the filter application enabling a second user of the second user terminal to retrieve the at least the first posted content from the social networking website, the second instance of the filter application rendering accessible the secured portion of the first content prior to furnishing to the second user, wherein the first content comprises personal information of the first user, the personal information of the first user being secured by the first instance of the filter application before reaching the social networking website, wherein the personal information of the first user is directly posted to the social networking website and stored therein in a secure encrypted form and wherein the access to the unencrypted first content posted to the social networking website is controlled independently and outside of the social networking website and the operator of the social networking website and any user of the social networking web site other than the first user and the second user have access to the secured encrypted first content but do not have access to the unencrypted first content posted to the social networking website,
wherein the first instance of the filter application encrypts the at least a portion of the first content using an encryption key and wherein the encryption key is provided to the second instance of the filter application based on authentication of the second user by the second instance;
and
wherein the first instance of the filter application receives from the first user designation of the portion of the first content for encryption, wherein the designated portion of the first content comprises at least a portion of the personal information of the first user.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/190,286Filed 25 Jul 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 23 Jul 2010
Published: US 2012/0023332 A126 Jan 2012
Granted: 31 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H04L 63/105
For controlling access to devices or network resources: multiple levels of security
H04L 63/0428
For providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks: wherein the data content is protected, e.g.…
H04L 63/061
For supporting key management in a packet data network: for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks
H04L
Digital communication