ENHANCED BROWSER SECURITY

• US 20120096511A1
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SDC Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SDC Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Plummer, David W.
• Application Number:
  US13/205,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096511A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A machine-executable method implementable in a system operable to execute a browser application having at least one security-context zone and operable to apply at least one security policy to interaction between the system and web sites corresponding to domain identifiers populating the at least one security-context zone includes comparing a first set of domain identifiers populating a first security-context zone of the at least one security-context zone with a second set of domain identifiers. The method further includes populating the first security-context zone with at least one second-set identifier not included in the first set of domain identifiers.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for enhancing browser security, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to update a first set of domain identifiers associated with a first security-context of a browser, the first security-context being associated with at least a first security policy;

responsive to the first request, comparing the first set of domain identifiers with a second set of domain identifiers and updating the first set of domain identifiers to include at least one domain identifier in the second set that is not already in the first set of domain identifiers;

receiving a second request to update a third set of domain identifiers associated with a second security-context of the browser, the second security-context being associated with at least a second security policy;

responsive to the second request, comparing the third set of domain identifiers with a fourth set of domain identifiers and updating the third set of domain identifiers to include at least one domain identifier in the fourth set that is not already in the third set of domain identifiers; and

providing data for presentation by the browser in accordance with at least one of the first security-context and the second security-context,

wherein the first security policy is more restrictive than the second security policy.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the browser is a web site browser and the domain identifiers correspond to at least portions of web sites.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least portions of web sites associated with the first set of domain identifiers populate the first security-context of the web site browser and the first security policy applies to said at least portions of web sites associated with the first set of domain identifiers.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second security policies control browser functionality that is able to be activated by said at least portions of web sites.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said at least portions of web sites under control of the more restrictive security policy are able to activate less browser functionality.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the browser comprises a user interface having at least one element configured at least to generate the first request when activated by a user.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

presenting, with a user interface of the browser, a list of domain identifiers in the second set that are not already in the first set of domain identifiers; and

receiving a selection of one or more of the list for inclusion in first set of domain identifiers.

29. A method for enhancing browser security, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to update a first set of domain identifiers associated with a first security-context of a first browser, the first security-context being associated with at least a first security policy;

responsive to the first request, sending a second request to obtain a second set of domain identifiers associated with the first security-context of the first browser;

responsive to the second request, receiving the second set of domain identifiers, the second set of domain identifiers including at least one domain identifier submitted for review by a browser user;

responsive to receiving the second set of domain identifiers, comparing the first set of domain identifiers with the second set of domain identifiers and updating the first set of domain identifiers to include at least one domain identifier in the second set that is not already in the first set of domain identifiers; and

providing data for presentation by the first browser in accordance with at least the first security-context.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a second request to update a third set of domain identifiers associated with a second security-context of the first browser, the second security-context being associated with at least a second security policy; and

responsive to the second request, comparing the third set of domain identifiers with a fourth set of domain identifiers and updating the third set of domain identifiers to include at least one domain identifier in the fourth set that is not already in the third set of domain identifiers,

wherein the first security policy is more restrictive than the second security policy.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising submitting said at least one domain identifier for review with a user interface of the first browser.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the first request to update the first set of domain identifiers is initiated by a first user of the first browser and said at least one domain identifier was submitted for review by at least a second user of at least a second browser.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one domain identifier was manually reviewed and included in the second set of domain identifiers responsive to the submission for review by the browser user.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one domain identifier was automatically reviewed and included in the second set of domain identifiers responsive to the submission for review by the browser user.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one domain identifier is reviewed by a service located remotely from the first browser.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the second set of domain identifiers is received from a service located remotely from the first browser.

37. A method for enhancing browser security, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to update a first set of domain identifiers associated with a first security-context of a browser, the first security-context being associated with at least a first security policy, the first request including at least one domain identifier to be considered for inclusion in the update;

responsive to the first request, sending a second request to obtain a second set of domain identifiers associated with the first security-context of the browser, the second request including said at least one domain identifier to be considered for inclusion in the update;

responsive to the second request, receiving the second set of domain identifiers, the second set of domain identifiers including said at least one domain identifier considered and found suitable for inclusion in the update;

responsive to receiving the second set of domain identifiers, comparing the first set of domain identifiers with the second set of domain identifiers and updating the first set of domain identifiers to include said at least one domain identifier; and

providing data for presentation by the browser in accordance with at least the first security-context.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said at least one domain identifier to be considered for inclusion in the update is included in the first request with a user interface of the browser.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the second request is sent from the browser to a service configured at least to consider said at least one domain identifier for association with the first security-context.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the browser is one of a plurality of browsers and the plurality of browsers has a plurality of security-contexts including the first security-context.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein inclusion of said at least one domain identifier in the update for the browser results in inclusion of said at least one domain identifier in updates associated with each of the plurality of browsers.