Method and system for providing document retention using cryptography

摘要

Techniques for utilizing security criteria to implement document retention for electronic documents are disclosed. The security criteria can also limit when, how and where access to the electronic documents is permitted. The security criteria can pertain to keys (or ciphers) used to secure (e.g., encrypt) electronic files (namely, electronic documents), or to unsecure (e.g., decrypt) electronic files already secured. At least a portion of the security criteria can be used to implement document retention, namely, a document retention policy. After a secured electronic document has been retained for the duration of the document retention policy, the associated security criteria becomes no longer available, thus preventing subsequent access to the secured electronic document. In other words, access restrictions on electronic documents can be used to prevent access to electronic documents which are no longer to be retained.

主权项

1. A method for restricting access to an electronic document, comprising:
identifying an electronic document to be secured, the electronic document having at least a data portion that contains data; encrypting the data portion of the electronic document using a document key to produce an encrypted data portion; encrypting the document key using a retention access key to produce an encrypted document key, the retention access key being used to enforce a document retention policy on the electronic document; and forming a secured electronic document based on at least the encrypted data portion and the encrypted document key, wherein the document retention policy is dependent on a future event that is presently unscheduled, wherein the document retention policy expires at a determined time after the future event occurs, and wherein the future event is scheduled after the document retention policy is associated with the electronic document.