Methods and apparatuses for providing Internet-based proxy services

• US 10,243,927 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CloudFlare Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CloudFlare Incorporated
• Inventors: Holloway, Lee Hahn, Prince, Matthew Browning, Pye, Ian Gerald, Tourne, Matthieu Philippe Francois, Zatlyn, Michelle Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Lisa C
• Application Number:
  US14/066,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20140059668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 726 23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/59 using proxies for addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0254 Stateful filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 : the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 : Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 : Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 : Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 : Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 : Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 : Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 : Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 : Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 : for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A proxy server receives, from multiple visitors of multiple client devices, a plurality of requests for actions to be performed on identified network resources belonging to a plurality of origin servers. At least some of the origin servers belong to different domains and are owned by different entities. The proxy server and the origin servers are also owned by different entities. The proxy server analyzes each request it receives to determine whether that request poses a threat and whether the visitor belonging to the request poses a threat. The proxy server blocks those requests from visitors that pose a threat or in which the request itself poses a threat. The proxy server transmits the requests that are not a threat and is from a visitor that is not a threat to the appropriate origin server.

Claims

1. A method in a proxy server for providing Internet-based proxy services, the method comprising:

receiving, at the proxy server from a first one of a plurality of client devices, a first request for an action to be performed on an identified network resource of domain of an origin server, wherein the first request is received at the proxy server as a result of a Domain Name System (DNS) request for the domain returning an IP address of the proxy server;

analyzing the first request to determine whether that first request itself poses a threat;

responsive to determining that the first request itself poses a threat, blocking that first request from being transmitted to the origin server;

receiving, at the proxy server from a second one of the plurality of client devices, a second request for an action to be performed on the identified network resource of the origin server;

analyzing the second request to determine whether that second request itself poses a threat; and

responsive to determining that the second request itself does not pose a threat, transmitting the second request to the origin server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to transmitting the second request origin server, receiving a corresponding response from that origin server that includes the identified network resource; and

transmitting the received response to the second client device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the identified network resource in cache available to the proxy server;

receiving, at the proxy server from a third one of the plurality of client devices, a third request for an action to be performed on the identified network resource of the origin server;

analyzing the third request to determine whether that third request itself poses a threat; and

responsive to determining that the third request itself does not pose a threat and the identified network resource is available in the cache, returning the cached requested network resource to the third client device without querying the origin server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the first request to determine whether that first request itself poses a threat includes performing one or more of the following:

determining whether that first request includes a malformed cookie,

determining whether that first request includes a malformed header,

determining whether that first request includes a malformed URL (Uniform Resource Locator),

determining whether that first request includes a URL that contains a known threat signature, and

responsive to determining that the first request is a POST request, analyzing content that is to be POSTed to determine whether that content is a threat; and

wherein the first request poses a threat due to it including one or more of a malformed cookie, a malformed header, a malformed URL, a URL that contains a known threat signature, and content to be POSTed that is a threat.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the second request to the origin sever, analyzing the second request to determine whether that second request is from a visitor that poses a threat including performing the following for that second request;

determining whether an IP address of the second request is on one or more of;

a global restricted IP address list that identifies IP addresses that are not allowed to access content of any one of a plurality of origin servers, and

a local IP restricted address list that identifies IP addresses that are not allowed to access content of the requested origin server;

responsive to determining that the IP address of the second request is on one or more of the global restricted IP address list and the local IP restricted IP address list, performing the following;

determining that the second request includes a cookie that is on one or more of;

a global allow cookie list that identifies cookies that indicate access to content of all of the plurality of origin servers is allowed, and

a local allow cookie list that identifies cookies that indicate access to content of the requested origin server is allowed.

6. A proxy server to provide Internet-based proxy services, the proxy server comprising:

a memory to store instructions;

a processor coupled with the memory to process the stored instructions to;

receive, from a first one of a plurality of client devices, a first request for an action to be performed on an identified network resource of domain of an origin server, wherein the first request is received at the proxy server as a result of a Domain Name System (DNS) request for the domain returning an IP address of the proxy server;

analyze the first request to determine whether that first request itself poses a threat;

responsive to a determination that the first request itself poses a threat, block that first request from being transmitted to the origin server;

receive, from a second one of the plurality of client devices, a second request for an action to be performed on the identified network resource of the origin server;

analyze the second request to determine whether that second request itself poses a threat; and

responsive to determining that the second request itself does not pose a threat, transmit the second request to the origin server.

7. The proxy server of claim 6, wherein the processor is further to process the stored instructions to:

responsive to transmission of the second request to the origin server, receive a corresponding response from that origin server that includes the identified network resource; and

transmit the received response to the second client device.

8. The proxy server of claim 7, wherein the processor is further to process the stored instructions to:

store the identified network resource in cache available to the proxy server;

receive, at the proxy server from a third one of the plurality of client devices, a third request for an action to be performed on the identified network resource of the origin server;

analyze the third request to determine whether that third request itself poses a threat;

responsive to a determination that the third request itself does not pose a threat and the identified network resource is available in the cache, return the cached requested network resource to the third client device without querying the origin server.

9. The proxy server of claim 6, wherein analyzing the first request to determine whether that first request itself poses a threat includes the processor to perform one or more of the following:

determine whether that first request includes a malformed cookie,

determine whether that first request includes a malformed header,

determine whether that first request includes a malformed URL (Uniform Resource Locator),

determine whether that first request includes a URL that contains a known threat signature, and

responsive to a determination that the request is a POST request, analyze content that is to be POSTed to determine whether that content is a threat; and

wherein the first request poses a threat due to it including one or more of;

a malformed cookie, a malformed header, a malformed URL, a URL that contains a known threat signature, and content to be POSTed that is a threat.

10. The proxy server of claim 6, wherein prior to transmission of the second request to the origin server, the processor is further to process the stored instructions to analyze the second request to determine whether that second request is from a visitor that poses a threat including the processor to perform the following for that second request:

determine whether an IP address of the second request is on one or more of;

a global restricted IP address list that identifies IP addresses that are not allowed to access content of any one of a plurality of origin servers, and

a local IP restricted address list that identifies IP addresses that are not allowed to access content of the requested origin server;

responsive to a determination that the IP address of the second request is on one or more of the global restricted IP address list and the local IP restricted IP address list, perform the following;

determine that the second request includes a cookie that is on one or more of;

a global allow cookie list that identifies cookies that indicate access to content of all of the plurality of origin servers is allowed, and

a local allow cookie list that identifies cookies that indicate access to content of the requested origin server is allowed.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a processor of a proxy server, cause said processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at the proxy server from a first one of a plurality of client devices, a first request for an action to be performed on an identified network resource of domain of an origin server, wherein the first request is received at the proxy server as a result of a Domain Name System (DNS) request for the domain returning an IP address of the proxy server;

analyzing the first request to determine whether that first request itself poses a threat;

responsive to determining that the first request itself poses a threat, blocking that first request from being transmitted to the origin server;

receiving, at the proxy server from a second one of the plurality of client devices, a second request for an action to be performed on the identified network resource of the origin server;

analyzing the second request to determine whether that second request itself poses a threat; and

responsive to determining that the second request itself does not pose a threat, transmitting the second request to the origin server.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further provides instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause said processor to further perform operations comprising:

responsive to transmitting the second request to the origin server, receiving a corresponding response from that origin server that includes the identified network resource; and

transmitting the received response to the second client device.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further provides instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause said processor to further perform operations comprising:

storing the identified network resource in cache available to the proxy server;

receiving, at the proxy server from a third one of the plurality of client devices, a third request for an action to be performed on the identified network resource of the origin server;

analyzing the third request to determine whether that third request itself poses a threat; and

responsive to determining that the third request itself does not pose a threat and the identified network resource is available in the cache, returning the cached requested network resource to the third client device without querying the origin server.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein analyzing the first request to determine whether that first request itself poses a threat includes performing one or more of the following:

determining whether that first request includes a malformed cookie,

determining whether that first request includes a malformed header,

determining whether that first request includes a malformed URL (Uniform Resource Locator),

determining whether that first request includes a URL that contains a known threat signature, and

responsive to determining that the first request is a POST request, analyzing content that is to be POSTed to determine whether that content is a threat; and

wherein the first request poses a threat due to it including one or more of a malformed cookie, a malformed header, a malformed URL, a URL that contains a known threat signature, and content to be POSTed that is a threat.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further provides instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause said processor to further perform operations comprising:

prior to transmitting the second request to the origin sever, analyzing the second request to determine whether that second request is from a visitor that poses a threat includes performing the following for that request;

determining whether an IP address of the second request is on one or more of;

a global restricted IP address list that identifies IP addresses that are not allowed to access content of any one of a plurality of origin servers, and

a local IP restricted address list that identifies IP addresses that are not allowed to access content of the requested origin server;

responsive to determining that the IP address of the second request is on one or more of the global restricted IP address list and the local IP restricted IP address list, performing the following;

determining that the second request includes a cookie that is on one or more of;

a global allow cookie list that identifies cookies that indicate access to content of all of the plurality of origin servers is allowed, and

a local allow cookie list that identifies cookies that indicate access to content of the requested origin server is allowed.