System and method for enabling and controlling anonymous file transfer protocol communications

• US 6,092,198 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lanzy, Garrett Roman, Pflug, Francis Alan, Stange, Gary Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US08/806,896
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/187.01, 395/188.01
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Control of anonymous file transfer protocol server using exit programs: FTP and anonymous FTP communications are enabled and controlled by operating a server logon exit program to deny or authorize a logon request based on any combination of a user authentication string and/or client network address; and operating a request validation exit program to deny or authorize an action request based on any combination of type of request, user, client network address, and specific data requested.

Claims

1. A method for operating a digital computer for building a server to enable and control FTP and anonymous FTP processing, comprising the steps of:

defining a server logon exit program interface including user identifier, authentication string, client IP address and return code parameters, said exit program being a program for controlling access to said server and to data residing on said server and a program which is callable by an existing computer application, using a defined interface, which is not part of said application;

defining a request validation exit program interface including an operation identifier, user name, client IP address, operation specific information, and return code parameters; and

providing in a server program a data transformation routine, and routines for controlling server commands

including commands for session initialization, directory creation, directory deletion, set current directory, list files, delete file, send file, receive file, rename file and execute operating system command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

building and installing a logon exit program and a request validation exit program for enforcing the security policies of a user enterprise with respect to the FTP server.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

operating said server to establish a client session, including;

receiving a request for connection from a client;

calling said request validation exit to validate the request;

receiving a return code from said request validation exit program authorizing or rejecting the connection request;

responsive to the return code, if not authorized, rejecting the connection;

otherwise;

activating the connection to the client;

receiving a user subcommand containing the user name;

responsive to a user name of anonymous, requesting an electronic mail address from said user; and

thereafter receiving a command from said user containing the electronic mail address as an authentication string;

responsive to a user name other than anonymous, requesting a password from said user, and thereafter receiving a command from said user containing the password as an authentication string;

calling the server logon exit program, including user name and authentication string and the client network address;

receiving a return code from said server logon exit program;

responsive to a reject return code, rejecting the logon request;

responsive to an unconditional accept return code, accepting the logon request without further authentication; and

responsive to a conditional accept return code, validating the authentication string as a logon password.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

operating said server to process requests from the client session, including

receiving an action request to perform an action on the server system;

calling said request validation exit to validate the action request;

receiving a return code from said request validation exit program authorizing or rejecting the action request;

responsive to the return code, if not authorized, rejecting the action request;

otherwise processing said action request;

whereby said server logon exit program denies or authorizes said logon request based on any combination of user authentication string and client network address; and

said request validation exit program denies or authorizes said action request based on any combination of type of request, user, client network address, and specific data requested.

5. A method for operating a digital computer to enable and control FTP and anonymous FTP processing on a digital computer, comprising the steps of:

building a server, including;

defining a server logon exit program interface including user identifier, authentication string, client IP address and return code parameters;

defining a request validation exit program interface including an operation identifier, user name, client IP address, operation specific information, and return code parameters;

providing in a server program a data transformation routine, and routines for controlling server commands such as commands for session initialization, directory creation, directory deletion, set current directory, list files, delete

file, send file, receive file, rename file and execute operating system command;

building and installing a logon exit program and a request validation exit program for enforcing the security policies of a user enterprise with respect to the FTP server;

operating said server to establish a client session, including;

receiving a request for connection from a client;

calling said request validation exit to validate the request;

receiving a return code from said request validation exit program authorizing or rejecting the connection request;

responsive to the return code, if not authorized, rejecting the connection;

otherwise;

activating the connection to the client;

receiving a user subcommand containing the user name;

responsive to a user name of anonymous, requesting an e-mail address from said user; and

thereafter receiving a PASS subcommand from said user containing the e-mail address as an authentication string;

responsive to a user name other than anonymous, requesting a password from said user, and thereafter receiving a command from said user containing the password as an authentication string;

calling the server logon exit program, including user name and authentication string and the client network address);

receiving a return code from said server logon exit program;

responsive to a reject return code, rejecting the logon request;

responsive to an unconditional accept return code, accepting the logon request without further authentication; and

responsive to a conditional accept return code, validating the authentication string as a logon password;

operating said server to process requests from the client session, including

receiving an action request to perform an action on the server system;

calling said request validation exit to validate the action request;

receiving a return code from said request validation exit program authorizing or rejecting the action request;

responsive to the return code, if not authorized, rejecting the action request;

otherwise processing said action request;

whereby said server logon exit program denies or authorizes said logon request based on any combination of user authentication string and client network address; and

said request validation exit program denies or authorizes said action request based on any combination of type of request, user, client network address, and specific data requested.

6. A method for operating a digital computer for building a server to enable and control FTP and anonymous FTP processing, comprising the steps of:

defining a server logon exit program interface including user identifier, authentication string, client IP address and return code parameters;

defining a request validation exit program interface including an operation identifier, user name, client IP address, operation specific information, and return code parameters;

providing in a server program a data transformation routine, and routines for controlling server commands including commands for session initialization, directory creation, directory deletion, set current directory, list files, delete file, send file, receive file, rename file and execute operating system command;

building and installing a logon exit program and a request validation exit program for enforcing the security policies of a user enterprise with respect to the FTP server;

operating said server to establish a client session, including;

receiving a request for connection from a client;

calling said request validation exit to validate the request;

receiving a return code from said request validation exit program authorizing or rejecting the connection request;

responsive to the return code, if not authorized, rejecting the connection;

otherwise;

activating the connection to the client;

receiving a user subcommand containing the user name;

responsive to a user name of anonymous, requesting an electronic mail address from said user; and

thereafter receiving a command from said user containing the electronic mail address as an authentication string;

responsive to a user name other than anonymous, requesting a password from said user, and thereafter receiving a command from said user containing the password as an authentication string;

calling the server logon exit program, including user name and authentication string and the client network address;

receiving a return code from said server logon exit program;

responsive to a reject return code, rejecting the logon request;

responsive to an unconditional accept return code, accepting the logon request without further authentication; and

responsive to a conditional accept return code, validating the authentication string as a logon password.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

operating said server to process requests from the client session, including

receiving an action request to perform an action on the server system;

calling said request validation exit to validate the action request;

receiving a return code from said request validation exit program authorizing or rejecting the action request;

responsive to the return code, if not authorized, rejecting the action request;

otherwise processing said action request;

whereby said server logon exit program denies or authorizes said logon request based on any combination of user authentication string and client network address; and

said request validation exit program denies or authorizes said action request based on any combination of type of request, user, client network address, and specific data requested.