Microsoft patents system for sharing secure resources between companies
Microsoft describes a method for letting users from one organization access specific files or tools in another organization's system. It creates a fixed list of permissions that the resource owner must approve before any external user can log in and receive a digital pass to enter.
In the filing’s own words
Methods of secure resource authorization for external identities using remote principal objects are performed by systems and devices. An external entity creates a user group and defines entitlements to an owning entity’s secure resource as a set of permissions for the group. An immutable access template with the permissions and an access policy for the secure resource are provided to the owning entity for approval. On approval, a remote principal object is created in the owner directory according to the permissions and access policy. A remote principal that is a group member requests access via an interface to the owner domain using external domain credentials. The identity of the remote principal is verified against the remote principal object by a token service. Verification causes generation and issuance of a token, with the enumerated entitlements, to the remote principal interface affecting a redirect for access to the secure resource.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system comprising: an access controller comprising a processor circuit and a memory, the memory storing program code structured to cause the processor circuit to: generate a data structure based on an access requirement to a resource in a first domain, the data structure specifying a group associated with a second domain different from the first domain; obtain a permissions template generated in the second domain, the permissions template defining an entitlement for members of the group to the resource; utilize the permissions template to generate an access policy of the resource; cause a domain host of the first domain to utilize the access policy to determine whether to approve a request to access the resource.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- DATA STRUCTURE AND ACCESS POLICY GENERATION FOR SECURE RESOURCE ACCESS
- Publication number
- US20260322824A1
- Application number
- 19458236
- Filed
- Jan 23, 2026
- Published
- Oct 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04L 63/104 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/0853 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/20 Electricity & electronicsMore from Microsoft in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.