Method for controlling access to a web server operating on an IP-compliant network

• US 20050240992A1
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Original Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Inventors: Coley, Christopher D., Wesinger, Ralph E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/071,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240992A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• 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 63/1458 Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are dislosed for controlling access to a web server operating on an IP-compliant network. Disclosed embodiments include a network device disposed between the IP-compliant network and the web server and including at least one proxy agent configured to receive an access request from a user seeking to access the web server. The disclosed network device may then determine whether said user is authorized to access said web server, and make a connection if the user is so authorized.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a web server operating on an IP-compliant network comprising:

receiving an access request from a user over the IP-compliant network to access the web server;

presenting the access request to a firewall associated with said web server;

assigning a proxy agent operable within said firewall to process said access request according to the port number designation of said access request; and

determining, by said proxy agent, whether said user is authorized to access said web server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of determining whether said user is authorized to access said web server further comprises comparing the source address of said access request against a list of addresses.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the act of performing additional verification checks on suspect addresses.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of performing additional verification based on the suspect addresses'"'"' port designation.

5. A network device for controlling access to a web server operating on an IP-compliant network comprising:

a network device disposed between the IP-compliant network and the web server,

at least one proxy agent operable in said network device, the at least one proxy agent configured to;

receive an access request from a user over the IP-compliant network to access the web server; and

determine whether said user is authorized to access said web server.

6. The network device of claim 5, wherein said at least one proxy agent is further configured to compare the source address of said access request against a list of addresses.

7. The network device of claim 6, wherein said at least one proxy agent is further configured to perform additional verification checks on suspect addresses.

8. The network device of claim 7, wherein said at least one proxy agent is further configured to perform additional verification based on the suspect addresses'"'"' port designation.

9. An apparatus for controlling access to a web server operating on an IP-compliant network comprising:

means for receiving an access request from a user over the IP-compliant network to access the web server;

means for assigning a proxy agent operable within said apparatus to process said access request according to the port number designation of said access request; and

means for determining whether said user is authorized to access said web server.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising means for comparing the source address of said access request against a list of addresses.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising means for performing additional verification checks on suspect addresses.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising means for performing additional verification based on the suspect addresses'"'"' port designation.

13. A computer readable device containing instructions for performing a method for controlling access to a web server operating on an IP-compliant network, the method comprising:

receiving an access request from a user over the IP-compliant network to access the web server;

presenting the access request to a firewall associated with said web server;

assigning a proxy agent operable within said firewall to process said access request according to the port number designation of said access request; and

determining, by said proxy agent, whether said user is authorized to access said web server.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said act of determining whether said user is authorized to access said web server further comprises comparing the source address of said access request against a list of addresses.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising the act of performing additional verification checks on suspect addresses.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising the act of performing additional verification based on the suspect addresses'"'"' port designation.