Secure network access

• US 20040139328A1
• Filed: 03/08/2004
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eWise Systems Pty Ltd. (eWise Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eWise Systems Pty Ltd. (eWise Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chazan, Mark, Kontorovich, Mike, Grinberg, Alexander, Reyburn, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6236 between heterogeneous systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating access to secure network sites, such as sites providing secure financial information. An active software agent is utilised to fetch passwords and user identifiers from a user computing system and to use the passwords and identifiers to extract required information from the secure site. The password sites and identifiers are encrypted and an encryption key is stored at a network mode remote from the user'"'"'s computer and is fetched in order to enable the passwords and identifiers to be decrypted so that the active agent can use them to obtain the required information.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating access by a user to a secure network site, the system including an active agent arranged to access the network site on behalf of the user, the active agent being arranged, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site, and to utilise the access means to extract private information from the secure network site.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the active agent includes security authorisation means, authorising the active agent for use with the system.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the user system includes authorisation means for checking the security authorisation means of the active agent.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3, further including a user access means depository storing user access means for the secure sites.

5. A system in accordance with any one of preceding claims, wherein the access means are stored in encrypted form.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a decryption key repository remote from the user system, the decryption key repository storing a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted access means.

7. A system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user access means is accessible only via the user computing system.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the user access means is stored on the user computer system.

9. A system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, being arranged to facilitate access to a plurality of secure network sites.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, including a plurality of active agents for accessing a plurality of respective secure network sites.

11. A system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an active agent repository stored at a network node remote from the user computing system, the active agent being available from the active agent repository.

12. A method of facilitating access to secure network sites, comprising the steps of utilising an active agent to obtain user access means and utilising the secure access means to obtain content from the secure network access site.

13. A security authorisation means arranged to authorise an active agent for access to a secure network site, the active agent being arranged to access the network site on behalf of the user, and being arranged, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site, and to utilise the access means to extract private information from the secure work sites.

14. A system for facilitating access by a user to a secure network site, the system comprising a decryption key repository which is accessible by a user system via the network to enable the user system to obtain a decryption key associated with the user, the decryption key being able to decrypt encrypted user access means so that they can be used to access secure sites.

15. A registration system for facilitating registration to a system for facilitating access by a user to a secure network site, the system for facilitating access by a user to a secure network site including an active agent arranged to access the network site on behalf of the user, the active agent being arranged, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site, and to utilise the access means to extract private information from the secure network site, the registration system including a directory listing active agents that a user may obtain access to

16. An agent provider site for providing an active agent arranged to access a secure network site on behalf of a user, the active agent being arranged, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site, and to utilise the access means to extract private information from the secure site, the provider site including an active agent repository storing an active agent for access by the user system.

17. A user system for facilitating access to secure network sites, the user system including an active agent engine, arranged to execute an active agent on behalf of the user, the active agent being arranged to access the network site on behalf of the user and, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to extract private information from the secure network site.

18. A method of operating a system facilitating access by a user to a secure network site, the system including an active agent arranged to access the network site on behalf of the user, the active agent being arranged, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to a secure site and to utilise the access means to extract private information from the secure network site, the method comprising the steps of making the active agent available to the first network node remote from a user system, and providing the active agent to the user system in response to a user request.

19. A computer program arranged, when loaded into a computing system, to control the computing system to provide an active agent arranged to access network sites on behalf of the user, the active agent being arranged, in response to a suer query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site, and to utilise the access means to extract private information form the secure network site.

23. A computer readable medium storing a computer program in accordance with any on of claims 19 to 22.

20. A computer program arranged, when loaded into a computing system, to control the computing system to provide a security authorisation means arranged to authorise an active agent for access to a particular network site, the active agent being arranged to access a network site on behalf of a user, and being arranged, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site, and to utilise the access means to extract private information from the secure network site.

21. A computer program arranged, when loaded into a computing system, to control the computing system to provide a decryption key, the decryption key being able to decrypt encrypted user access means so that they can be used to access secure sites.

22. A computer program arranged, when loaded into a computing system, to control the computing system to provide an active agent engine, the active agent engine being arranged to execute an active agent on behalf of a user, the active agent arranged to access a network site on behalf of the user and, in response to a user query, to obtain access means for enabling access to the secure site and to utilise the access means to extract private information form the secure network site.