Firewall providing enhanced network security and user transparency

• US 7,249,378 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GraphOn Nes Sub, LLC (Hopto Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GraphOn Nes Sub, LLC (Hopto Inc.)
• Inventors: Wesigner, Ralph E., Coley, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIA, SYED
• Application Number:
  US10/700,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/15
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/004 in blanks, e.g. sheets precut and creased for folding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2521 Translation architectures other than single NAT servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/256 NAT traversal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a firewall that achieves maximum network security and maximum user convenience. The firewall employs “envoys” that exhibit the security robustness of prior-art proxies and the transparency and ease-of-use of prior-art packet filters, combining the best of both worlds. No traffic can pass through the firewall unless the firewall has established an envoy for that traffic. Both connection-oriented (e.g., TCP) and connectionless (e.g., UDP-based) services may be handled using envoys. Establishment of an envoy may be subjected to a myriad of tests to “qualify” the user, the requested communication, or both. Therefore, a high level of security may be achieved. The usual added burden of prior-art proxy systems is avoided in such a way as to achieve fall transparency—the user can use standard applications and need not even know of the existence of the firewall. To achieve full transparency, the firewall is configured as two or more sets of virtual hosts. The firewall is, therefore, “multi-homed,” each home being independently configurable. One set of hosts responds to addresses on a first network interface of the firewall. Another set of hosts responds to addresses on a second network interface of the firewall. In one aspect, programmable transparency is achieved by establishing DNS mappings between remote hosts to be accessed through one of the network interfaces and respective virtual hosts on that interface. In another aspect, automatic transparency may be achieved using code for dynamically mapping remote hosts to virtual hosts in accordance with a technique referred to herein as dynamic DNS, or DDNS.

Claims

1. A virtual private network comprising:

a first private network including a first firewall interposed between the first private network and a public network;

a second private network including a second firewall interposed between the second private network and the public network;

the first and second firewalls being configured to provide an encrypted path for traffic flowing between the first and second firewalls; and

wherein a dedicated domain name server is associated with each of the first and second firewalls for establishing DNS mappings for the virtual private network.

2. The virtual private network of claim 1, where the dedicated domain name server comprises a virtual host on the same physical machine as either of the first or second firewalls.

3. The virtual private network of claim 2, wherein either of said first or second firewalls further comprises a plurality of virtual hosts, each of said virtual hosts corresponding to a home through which a connection may be made through either of said first or second firewalls.

4. The virtual private network of claim 3, wherein said domain name server responds with address information to the virtual host responding to a connection request.

5. The virtual private network of claim 1, wherein either of said first or second firewalls further comprise a configurator for providing a web-based front-end for configuring either of said first or second firewalls through a point-and-click interface using a web browser.

6. A virtual private network comprising:

a first firewall means interposed between first private network and a public network means;

a second firewall means interposed between a second private network and the public network;

means for providing an encrypted path for traffic flowing between the first and second firewall means; and

means for establishing DNS mappings for the virtual private network associated with each of the first and second firewalls means.

7. The virtual private network of claim 6, where the means for establishing DNS mappings comprises a virtual host means on the same physical machine as either of the first or second firewall means.

8. The virtual private network of claim 7, wherein either of said first or second firewall means further comprises a plurality of virtual hosts means for allowing a connection may be made through either of said first or second firewall means.

9. The virtual private network of claim 8, wherein said means for establishing DNS mappings responds with address information to the virtual host responding to a connection request.

10. The virtual private network of claim 6, wherein either of said first or second firewall means further comprise a configurator means for providing a web-based front-end for configuring either of said first or second firewall means through a point-and-click interface using a web browser.

11. A virtual private network comprising:

a first firewall interposed between a first private network and a public network;

a second firewall interposed between a second private network and the public network;

an encrypted path for traffic flowing between the first and second firewalls; and

a dedicated domain name server associated with each of the first and second firewalls for establishing DNS mappings for the virtual private network.

12. The virtual private network of claim 11, where the dedicated domain name server comprises a virtual host on the same physical machine as either of the first or second firewalls.

13. The virtual private network of claim 12, wherein either of said first or second firewalls further comprises a plurality of virtual hosts, each of said virtual hosts corresponding to a home through which a connection may be made through either of said first or second firewalls.

14. The virtual private network of claim 13, wherein said domain name server responds with address information to the virtual host responding to a connection request.

15. The virtual private network of claim 11, wherein either of said first or second firewalls further comprise a configurator for providing a web-based front-end for configuring either of said first or second firewalls through a point-and-click interface using a web browser.