A method for accessing a secure computer network address, comprising steps of: receiving a secure domain name; sending a query message to a secure domain name service, the query message requesting from the secure domain name service a secure computer network address corresponding to the secure domain name; receiving from the secure domain name service a response message containing the secure computer network address corresponding to the secure domain name; and sending an access request message to the secure computer network address using a virtual private network communication link. view more

The method according to claim 1, wherein the response message contains provisioning information for the virtual private network.

The method of claim 1, performed by a client computer.

A computer-readable storage medium, comprising: a storage area; and computer-readable instructions for a method for accessing a secure computer network address, the method comprising steps of: receiving a secure domain name; sending a query message to a secure domain name service, the query message requesting from the domain name service a secure computer network address corresponding to the secure domain name; receiving from the domain name service a response message containing the secure computer network address corresponding to the secure domain name; and sending an access request message to the secure computer network address using a virtual private network communication link. view more

The computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the response message contains provisioning information for the virtual private network.

The computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the method is performed by a client computer.

A data processing apparatus, comprising: a processor, and memory storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform a method for accessing a secure computer network address, said method comprising steps of: receiving a secure domain name; sending a query message to a secure domain name service, the query message requesting from the secure domain name service a secure computer network address corresponding to the secure domain name; receiving from the secure domain name service a response message containing the secure computer network address corresponding to the secure domain name; and sending an access request message to the secure computer network address using a virtual private network communication link. view more

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the response message contains provisioning information for the virtual private network.

A method of transparently creating a virtual private network (VPN) between a client computer and a target computer, comprising the steps of:</claim-text> (1) generating from the client computer a Domain Name Service (DNS) request that requests an IP ss corresponding to a domain name associated with the target computer; (2) determining whether the DNS request transmitted in step (1) is requesting access to a secure web site; and (3) in response to determining that the DNS request in step (2) is requesting access to a secure target web site, automatically initiating the VPN between the client computer and the target computer. view more

A system that transparently creates a virtual private network (VPN) between a client computer and a secure target computer, comprising:</claim-text> a DNS proxy server that receives a request from the client computer to look up an IP address for a n name, wherein the DNS proxy server returns the IP address for the requested domain name if it is determined that access to a non-secure web site has been requested, and wherein the DNS proxy server generates a request to create the VPN between the client computer and the secure target computer if it is determined that access to a secure web site has been requested; and a gatekeeper computer that allocates resources for the VPN between the client computer and the secure web computer in response to the request by the DNS proxy server. view more

The system of claim 10, wherein the gatekeeper computer determines whether the client computer has sufficient security privileges to create the VPN and, if the client computer lacks sufficient security privileges, rejecting the request to create the VPN. view more