Protecting client-side code

• US 20080072069A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Heithcock, Jeffery Gordon, Barry, David William
• Application Number:
  US11/521,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20080072069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/192
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/128 involving web programs, i.e. using technology especially used in internet, generally interacting with a web browser, e.g. hypertext markup language [HTML], applets, java

Abstract

Protecting client-side code is disclosed. In some embodiments, when a request for a page is received via a network from a client, an initial definition of the page is sent to the client wherein the initial definition comprises a client-side code configured to cause the client to request on an as-needed basis download of a client-executable code associated with the page. A client receives such an initial definition of a requested page from an associated server of the page via a network. When an indication that the client-executable code referenced in the initial definition of the page is required to be executed, the server is sent via the network a request to download the client-executable code.

Claims

1. A method for protecting code associated with a page, comprising:

receiving from a client via a network a request for a page;

sending to the client an initial definition of the page, the initial definition comprising a client-side code configured to cause the client to request on an as-needed basis download of a client-executable code associated with the page.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client-side code comprises a client-side module configured to request download of the client-executable code.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the client-side module is configured to request download of the client-executable code in response to receiving an indication that the client-executable code is required to be executed at the client.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the indication is received in response to one or more of the following:

a user input, a user input associated with the initial definition of the page, an indication that a user has selected an option associated with the initial definition of the page, and an indication that a user has or desires to navigate from the page to another page.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the indication comprises one or more of the following:

an indication from a stub associated with the client-executable code, an indication from a function associated with the client-executable code, an indication from an object with respect to which the client-executable code is desired to be executed, an indication from a dedicated function associated with facilitating the execution of the client-executable code, an exception thrown due to the client-executable code being undefined at the client, and an error generated due to the client-executable code being undefined at the client.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial definition includes an initial display data for the page.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the initial display data comprises HTML or other display page definition code.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial definition of the page comprises a shell of the page.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial definition of the page includes code associated with a user interface of the page.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial definition of the page includes an associated script.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client-side code comprises a stub in the place of the client-executable code.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the initial definition of the page further comprises a client-side module configured to use the stub to retrieve the client-executable code.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein a browser used by the client to request the page comprises a module configured to use the stub to retrieve the client-executable code.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein a browser used by the client to request the page is configured to use the stub to retrieve the client-executable code.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client-side code is configured to cause the client to request download of the client-executable code after determining that the client-executable code does not already exist at the client.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial definition of the page is saved to a disk or other persistent storage at the client.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client-executable code, if downloaded, is saved in memory at the client.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client-executable code, if downloaded, is not saved to a disk or other persistent storage at the client.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising downloading and executing the client-executable code at the client.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the page is associated with an application hosted by a server.

21. A method for obtaining code associated with a page, comprising:

receiving from a server via a network an initial definition of the page, the initial definition comprising a client-side code configured to cause download of a client-executable code associated with the page to be requested on an as-needed basis;

receiving an indication that the client-executable code referenced in the initial definition of the page is required to be executed; and

sending to the server via the network a request to download the client-executable code.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising receiving the client-executable code.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the client-executable code comprises a software object associated with the page and further comprising storing and executing the client-executable code as an instance in memory of the software object, without storing the client-executable code to a disk or other persistent storage.

24. A system for protecting code associated with a page, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive from a client via a network a request for a page; and

send to the client an initial definition of the page, the initial definition comprising a client-side code configured to cause the client to request on an as-needed basis download of a client-executable code associated with the page; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

25. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the client-side code comprises a client-side module configured to request download of the client-executable code.

26. A system as recited in claim 25, wherein the client-side module is configured to request download of the client-executable code in response to receiving an indication that the client-executable code is required to be executed at the client.

27. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the initial definition includes an initial display data for the page.

28. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the initial definition of the page comprises a shell of the page.

29. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the client-side code comprises a stub in the place of the client-executable code.

30. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein the initial definition of the page further comprises a client-side module configured to use the stub to retrieve the client-executable code.

31. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the client-side code is configured to cause the client to request download of the client-executable code after determining that the client-executable code does not already exist at the client.

32. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the initial definition of the page is saved to a disk or other persistent storage at the client.

33. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the client-executable code, if downloaded, is saved in memory at the client.

34. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the client-executable code, if downloaded, is not saved to a disk or other persistent storage at the client.

35. A computer program product for protecting code associated with a page, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving from a client via a network a request for a page;

sending to the client an initial definition of the page, the initial definition comprising a client-side code configured to cause the client to request on an as-needed basis download of a client-executable code associated with the page.