SELECTIVE FILTERING OF NETWORK TRAFFIC REQUESTS

• US 20090231998A1
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Howell, Nathan, Bharadwaj, Manjunath, Jiang, Wei
• Granted Patent: US 8,208,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212

Abstract

Several approaches to selectively filtering network traffic are described. One approach involves a system for selectively filtering network traffic. The system includes a helper application, which is coupled to a networking program, and is used to identify a user-initiated request. A network filter driver is coupled to the networking program, for intercepting the user-initiated request. A filtering service is coupled to both the helper application and the network filter driver, and is used to determine if the user-initiated request is allowable. If the request is allowable, the filtering service is configured to generate a special identifier, which the helper application is configured to include in a subsequent request. The filtering service is configured to allow a subsequent request which includes the special identifier, and the network filter driver'"'"'s configured to strip a special identifier from subsequent requests.

Claims

1. A method of selectively filtering network traffic, comprising:

determining if an initial request is allowable;

generating a special identifier corresponding to said initial request; and

including said special identifier in a subsequent request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

comparing said initial request with a filtering policy.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said comparing further comprises:

comparing said initial request with said filtering policy, with reference to a rating corresponding to content related to said initial request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating comprises generating said special identifier with reference to said initial request, a timestamp, and an identifier corresponding to a user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

intercepting said initial request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if said subsequent request includes a valid special identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing said subsequent request without reference to a filtering policy.

8. A system for selectively filtering network traffic, comprising:

a helper application, coupled to a networking program, for identifying a user-initiated request;

a network filter driver, coupled to said networking program, for intercepting said user-initiated request; and

a filtering service, coupled to said network filter driver and to said helper application, for determining if said user-initiated request is allowable,

wherein if said user-initiated request is allowable, said filtering service is configured to generate a special identifier, said helper application is configured to include said special identifier in a subsequent request, said filtering service is configured to allow said subsequent request which includes said special identifier, and said network filter driver is configured to remove said special identifier from said subsequent request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said filtering service is configured to perform said determining by comparing said user-initiated request to a local filtering policy.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said filtering service is further configured from said determining by comparing said user-inch a request to said a filtering policy and to a rating corresponding to said user-initiated request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said rating is obtained from a remote filtering server.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said rating is obtained from a local cache maintained by said filtering service.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said filtering service is configured to reject said special identifier after a predetermined length of time.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

intercepting a user-initiated request for network-accessible content;

checking said user-initiated request against a filtering policy;

generating an identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request;

including said identifier in a subsequent request;

intercepting said subsequent request;

determining if said identifier is valid; and

allowing said subsequent request, without reference to said filtering policy.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said checking further comprises:

comparing a rating corresponding to said network-accessible content with said filtering policy.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said generating comprises:

generating said identifier by hashing said user-initiated request, a timestamp, and a generated value corresponding to a user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said subsequent request comprises an automated request generated by a networking program related to said user-initiated request.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said user-initiated request comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said user-initiated request comprises a request for access to digital multimedia content.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said user-initiated request comprises a request for access to an online game.