Method and system for operating multiple web pages with anti-spoofing protection

• US 20060271861A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Walters, David Anton, Yolleck, Stephen Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Method and system for operating tabbed browsing with anti-spoofing protection. Tabbed browsing operates to detect pop-up dialogs sent from malicious web pages operating in a background browser. Keystrokes and keyboard messages are prevented from being delivered to background browsers. Unauthorized movement of background browsers are detected. URLs are inspected before being saved or restored.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying unscrupulous popup dialogs when operating a web browser with tabbed browsing, comprising:

inspecting one or more software messages associated with one or more browser instances operating in tabbed browsing; and

automatically repositioning a browser instance from a background position to a foreground position when the browser instance provides at least one of a dialog box, a message box, another web browser, and another browser instance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inspecting the one or more software messages by one or more computer programs not associated with tabbed browsing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser instance is a browser window with a web browsing functionality associated with a tab on a tab band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein inspecting the one or more software messages comprises monitoring an activity of the one or more browser instances located in the background position.

5. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method as recited in claim 1.

6. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

7. A computer-implemented method for preventing messages from being delivered to a browser instance in a background position when operating a web browser with tabbed browsing, comprising:

inspecting one or more software messages associated with one or more browser instances operating in tabbed browsing;

determining if the one or more software messages are at least one of a keystroke and a keyboard message; and

discarding the at least one of the keystroke and the keyboard message associated with the browser instance in the background position in tabbed browsing wherein the at least one of the keystroke and the keyboard message are not processed.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising inspecting the one or more software messages by one or more computer programs not associated with tabbed browsing.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser instance is a browser window with a web browsing functionality associated with a tab on a tab band.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the keystroke and the keyboard message are directed to the browser instance in the background position.

11. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method as recited in claim 7.

12. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 7.

13. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon for facilitating tabbed browsing with anti-spoofing protection, comprising:

a tab manager, one or more tab bar components, and one or more browser interface components operable to provide tabbed browsing; and

the tab manager operable to at least one of monitor one or more messages between an operating system and the one or more browser interface components, receive the one or more messages directed to the one or more browser interface components, verify a position of one or more browser instances with the one or more tab bar components, identify spoofing from the one or more messages, and mitigate spoofing from the one or more messages.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further comprising the tab manager operable to instruct the operating system to send the one or more messages destined for the one or more browser interface components to the tab manager.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further comprising the tab manager operable to instruct a browser interface component to reposition a browser instance from a background position to a foreground position when the browser instance provides at least one of a dialog box, a message box, another web browser, and another browser instance.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further comprising the tab manager operable to determine if the one or more messages are at least one of a keystroke and a keyboard message, and to discard the at least one of the keystroke and the keyboard message associated with the browser instance in a background position.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further comprising the one or more tab bar components operable to manage one or more positions of the one or more browser instances.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further comprising the one or more browser interface components operable to provide a web browsing functionality associated with one or more tabs on a tab band.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein spoofing is selected from a group including phishing, web page hijacking, shadow creation, malicious message sending, and unauthorized access gain.