Patent ID: 8793768

Claim:
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions configured to cause a data processor coupled to one or more memory devices to perform operations comprising: receiving data characterizing a request for authorization to access a computer-based resource by a principal; determining whether the requesting principal is authorized for the access to the computer-based resource based on a context of the request, the determining occurring using a relationship repository comprising one or more data structures containing relationships, the data structures being separate and non-referential from the computer-based resource, the determining comprising: determining whether the requesting principal has an implicit or explicit relationship at the time of the request with a principal that has management rights of access to the computer-based resource, wherein the explicit relationship includes at least one of a user to user relationship, a user to organization relationship, and an organization to organization relationship, wherein determining an implicit relationship includes inferring an implicit relationship based on a combination of explicit relationships; and determining whether the relationship allows for the access to the computer-based resource if the requesting principal has a relationship with the principal that has management rights; otherwise, determining whether an organization of the requesting principal has a relationship, with the principal that has management rights, that allows for the access; and providing authorization for the requesting principal to the computer-based resource.