Method and system for identifying and locating inappropriate content

• US 6,389,472 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackbird Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Cornerpost Software LLC
• Inventors: Hughes, Patrick Alan, Elswick, Paul Blair
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/570,559
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 709/200, 709/202, 709/203, 709/210, 709/211, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229, 709/232, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention are operative to adaptively fill holes in filter lists. A method and system for managing access to inappropriate content on a public computer network by users of a private computer network including a method and system for adaptively creating or modifying a filter list is disclosed. Users of the private network access content on the public network through an interface. Local memory of the interface is scanned and inappropriate content is identified. The location within the public computer network at which this inappropriate content is found is identified. These locations are then added to a filter list of sites that contain inappropriate content. The method and system can also be used in conjunction with local memory of individual computers.

Claims

1. A system for determining undesirable content on a public network comprising:

at least one computer;

an interface for facilitating communication between the computer and the public network, the interface comprising local storage;

means for scanning the local storage of the interface for undesirable content; and

,

means for determining the location of undesirable content within the public network,

wherein the location is used to update a filter list.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the public network comprises the Internet.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for uploading the determined locations to a central website; and

,

means for redistributing information regarding the determined locations.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the information regarding the determined locations is redistributed on a periodic basis.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the information regarding the determined locations is redistributed in near real-time.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising means for adding determined locations to a filter list.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the public network comprises the Internet and the means for determining the location of undesirable content comprises means for identifying URLs for locations at which undesirable content is found.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface comprises a proxy server.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface comprises a firewall.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the local storage comprises cache.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the public network comprises the Internet.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

uploading the determined locations to a central website; and

redistributing information regarding the determined locations.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the information regarding the determined locations is redistributed on a periodic basis.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the information regarding the determined locations is redistributed in near real-time.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the public network comprises the Internet and the step of determining the location of undesirable content comprises identifying URLs for locations at which undesirable content is found.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of updating comprises adding identified URLs to the filter list.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the interface comprises a proxy server.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the interface comprises a firewall.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the local storage comprises cache.

11. In a system for accessing content from a public network, the system comprising at least one computer and an interface for facilitating communication between the computer and the public network, the interface comprising local storage, a method for determining undesirable content on the public network, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning the local storage of the interface for undesirable content; and

determining the locations of undesirable content within the network; and

updating a filter list based on the step of determining the locations.

21. A method of processing filter lists for monitoring attempts to access inappropriate material in a private network having an interface to a public network, comprising:

scanning information in a local memory associated with the interface, the information comprising information accessed from the public network;

identifying locations in the public network corresponding to inappropriate material detected in the information;

updating a filter list based on the identified locations; and

uploading the identified locations or the updated filter list to a public network site.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of filtering using the updated filter list.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of filtering comprises sending a notice to an administrator when a user exhibits a disproportionate rate of attempted access to sites in the updated filter list, wherein the rate is considered disproportionate based on a time interval or based on a comparison to other users.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the identified locations or the updated filter list is made available on the public network site for redistribution.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying comprises processing URLs to identify the inappropriate material.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying comprises processing URLs and web page content to identify the inappropriate material.

27. A system for processing filter lists for monitoring attempts to access inappropriate material in a private network having an interface to a public network, comprising:

means for scanning information in a local memory associated with the interface, the information comprising information accessed from the public network;

means for identifying locations in the public network corresponding to inappropriate material;

means for updating a filter list based on the identified locations; and

means for uploading the identified locations or the updated filter list to a public network site.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for identifying is adapted to process URLs in order to identify the inappropriate material.

29. A computer program implemented on a memory for performing the following operations:

scanning information in a local memory associated with the interface, the information comprising information accessed from the public network;

identifying locations in the public network corresponding to inappropriate material;

updating a filter list based on the identified locations; and