METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR NETWORK IDENTIFICATION VIA DNS

• US 20090241167A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sophos Limited (Sophos Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sophos Limited (Sophos Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Moore, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for accessing a DNS server, where the DNS server may be a DNS server within the control of a administrator. A pair of name and IP address may be stored on the DNS server. A client may then transmit the name to a DNS server to request the DNS server to lookup the IP address related to the client transmitted name. This client to DNS server communication may be performed as part of a network request from the client. The IP address may then be returned to the client in response to the connection request, which may allow the client to interpret the return of the security IP address as an indication of a known DNS server and therefore a known network. As a result, the client may then be able to set its security rules according to known network rules. Further, the identifying of a known network may be associated with location information associated with the DNS server, and thus the client, where the location information may be associated with multiple DNS IP address entries.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

accessing a DNS server;

storing a pair of name and IP address on the DNS server;

causing a client to transmit to the DNS server a request corresponding to the name to request the DNS server to lookup the IP address;

returning the IP address to the client in response to the request;

causing the client to interpret the return of the IP address as an indication of a known DNS server and therefore a known network; and

causing the client to set its policy based on the known network status.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the DNS server is an internal access point DNS server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the internal access point DNS server is within the control of an administrator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the policy is a security policy.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the request made by the client is an encrypted request and the DNS server decrypts the request.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the request made by the client is made through a secured transaction.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the client uses the IP address to access information pertaining to the known network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the information pertaining to the known network is information relating to the location of the known network.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the information pertaining to the known network is a set of information.

10. A system, comprising:

a DNS server, wherein a pair of name and IP address are stored on the DNS server;

a client transmitting to the DNS server a request corresponding to the name to request the DNS server to lookup the IP address;

the DNS server returning the IP address to the client in response to the request;

the client interpreting the return of the IP address as an indication of a known DNS server and therefore a known network; and

the client setting its policy based on the known network status.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the DNS server is an internal access point DNS server.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the internal access point DNS server is within the control of an administrator.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the policy is a security policy.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the request made by the client is an encrypted request and the DNS server decrypts the request.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the request made by the client is made through a secured transaction.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the client uses the IP address to access information pertaining to the known network.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the information pertaining to the known network is information relating to the location of the known network.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the information pertaining to the known network is a set of information.