Patent US 9,769,213

A system and method for secure data object management system comprising a cloud-based host environment and a local secure container. The cloud-based host environment creates a controlled digital object from a master digital object, and activates a tether associated with the controlled digital object. The tether includes an access permission, and optionally an operation permission (e.g., view, delete, store, edit, and copy) and a command (e.g., timeout, destroy). The controlled digital object is stored to an isolated storage of the secure container. The tether contents control access and manipulation of the controlled digital object. Certain conditions (e.g., timeout period reached, anomalous data access pattern detected), cause the controlled digital object to be destroyed and/or the tether to be inactivated. In accordance with applicable law, the cloud-based host environment utilizes the tether to detect, identify, and/or thwart unauthorized host environments in possession of the controlled digital object.