Method of reconstructing network communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for reconstructing network communications comprising the steps of:
- capturing network packets by;
attaching a network capture device to a network;
using the network capture device to capture network packets as the packets are passed across the network;
storing the plurality of network packets on a first mass storage device in chronological order;
selecting a portion of the captured network packets based on a first predetermined set of criteria;
sorting the selected packets, by the steps of;
(a) reading a first packet from the selected packets;
(b) decoding the first packet;
(c) determining whether the first packet relates to a request or to a response;
(d) if the first packet relates to a request or to a response, adding the packet to a sorted list corresponding to a second predetermined set of criteria that are satisfied by the packet; and
(e) repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) on additional captured packets until all packets relating to the first predetermined set of criteria have been sorted;
recreating a predetermined network communication by the steps of;
(f) retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the predetermined network communication;
(g) determining whether the retrieved packet is a request packet or a response packet;
(h) if the retrieved packet is a request packet, storing request information as formatted data in a designated storage medium;
(i) if the retrieved packet is a response packet, determining whether there is a given file associated with the response packet;
(j) if the retrieved packet is the first response packet containing data from the given file and that is a response to at least one request packet, initiating reconstruction of the content from the given file into a reconstructed file;
(k) if the given file is a script-type file, appending a name that represents the given file to a script master list;
(l) appending data in the response packet that is related to the given file to the reconstructed file;
(m) determining whether the response packet is the last response packet associated with the given file;
(n) if the response packet is not the last response packet associated with the given file, retrieving the next packet from the sorted list and repeating steps (f) through (m) for all of the packets from the sorted list; and
(o) if the response packet is the last response packet associated with the given file, closing the reconstructed file; and
displaying on a computer monitor;
a hexadecimal representation of the content of at least one packet;
a decode of at least one packet;
a listing of packets associated with the network communication;
a visual representation of request and response packets associated with the network communication; and
a composite visual reconstruction of any text or graphic information contained in at least one packet;
wherein the data from the first response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval;
wherein the data from the first response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes.
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Abstract
A method for reconstructing network communication sessions is disclosed. The packets comprising the communication are captured and sorted into a sorted list. The sorted packets are decoded and the information from those packets is used to reconstruct the content and context of the network communication. The reconstructed communication is then displayed on a computer monitor using a web browser or other display program. The user is provided with commands to facilitate navigation of the reconstructed network communication.
186 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for reconstructing network communications comprising the steps of:
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capturing network packets by;
attaching a network capture device to a network;using the network capture device to capture network packets as the packets are passed across the network; storing the plurality of network packets on a first mass storage device in chronological order; selecting a portion of the captured network packets based on a first predetermined set of criteria; sorting the selected packets, by the steps of; (a) reading a first packet from the selected packets; (b) decoding the first packet; (c) determining whether the first packet relates to a request or to a response; (d) if the first packet relates to a request or to a response, adding the packet to a sorted list corresponding to a second predetermined set of criteria that are satisfied by the packet; and (e) repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) on additional captured packets until all packets relating to the first predetermined set of criteria have been sorted; recreating a predetermined network communication by the steps of; (f) retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the predetermined network communication; (g) determining whether the retrieved packet is a request packet or a response packet; (h) if the retrieved packet is a request packet, storing request information as formatted data in a designated storage medium; (i) if the retrieved packet is a response packet, determining whether there is a given file associated with the response packet; (j) if the retrieved packet is the first response packet containing data from the given file and that is a response to at least one request packet, initiating reconstruction of the content from the given file into a reconstructed file; (k) if the given file is a script-type file, appending a name that represents the given file to a script master list; (l) appending data in the response packet that is related to the given file to the reconstructed file; (m) determining whether the response packet is the last response packet associated with the given file; (n) if the response packet is not the last response packet associated with the given file, retrieving the next packet from the sorted list and repeating steps (f) through (m) for all of the packets from the sorted list; and (o) if the response packet is the last response packet associated with the given file, closing the reconstructed file; and displaying on a computer monitor; a hexadecimal representation of the content of at least one packet; a decode of at least one packet; a listing of packets associated with the network communication; a visual representation of request and response packets associated with the network communication; and a composite visual reconstruction of any text or graphic information contained in at least one packet; wherein the data from the first response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the first response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for reconstructing network communications comprising the steps of:
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capturing network packets; selecting a portion of the captured network packets based on a first predetermined set of criteria; sorting the selected packets by a process comprising the steps of; (a) decoding a first packet from the selected packets; (b) if the first packet relates to a request or to a response, adding the packet to a sorted list corresponding to a second predetermined set of criteria that are satisfied by the packet; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) on additional captured packets until all packets relating to the first predetermined set of criteria have been sorted; recreating a predetermined network communication by a process comprising the steps of; (d) retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the predetermined network communication; (e) if the retrieved packet is a request packet, storing request information; (f) if the retrieved packet is a response packet having a given file associated therewith and tat is a response to at least one request packet, reconstructing the content from the given file into a reconstructed file; (g) determining whether the response packet is the last response packet associated with the given file; (h) if the response packet is not the last response packet associated with the given file, retrieving the next packet from the sorted list and repeating steps (d) through (g) for all of the packets from the sorted list; and (i) if the response packet is the last response packet associated with the given file, closing the reconstructed file; and displaying a representation of at least a portion of the network communication on a computer monitor; wherein data from a first response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the first response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for reconstructing network communications comprising the steps of:
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selecting a plurality of network packets based on a first predetermined set of criteria; sorting the selected packets into a sorted list; recreating a network communication by a process comprising the steps of; (a) retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication; (b) if the retrieved packet is a request packet, storing request information; (c) if the retrieved packet is a response packet having a given file associated therewith and that is a response to at Least one request packet, reconstructing the content from the given file into a reconstructed file; and (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for all of the packets from the sorted list that are associated with the network communication; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for reconstructing network communications, comprising:
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selecting a plurality of network packets; sorting the selected packets into a sorted list; and recreating a network communication by; retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication, if the retrieved packet is a request packet, storing request information, and if the retrieved packet is a response packet that is a response to at least one request packet, reconstructing content associated with the retrieved packet; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes.
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23. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for reconstructing network communications, comprising:
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computer code for selecting a plurality of network packets; computer code for sorting the selected packets into a sorted list; and computer code for recreating a network communication by; retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication, if the retrieved packet is a request packet, storing request information, and if the retrieved packet is a response packet that is a response to at least one request packet, reconstructing content associated with the retrieved packet; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stared in the cache unless the data includes script attributes.
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24. A system for reconstructing network communications, comprising:
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a network analyzer for selecting a plurality of network packets, sorting the selected packets into a sorted list, and recreating a network communication; wherein the network communication is recreated by retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication, storing request information if the retrieved packet is a request packet, and reconstructing content associated with the retrieved packet if the retrieved packet is a response packet that is a response to at least one request packet; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stored in the cache unless the data include script attributes.
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25. A system for reconstructing network communications, comprising:
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means for selecting a plurality of network packets, means for sorting the selected packets into a sorted list, and means for recreating a network communication; wherein the network communication is recreated by retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication, storing request information if the retrieved packet is a request packet, and reconstructing content associated with the retrieved packet if the retrieved packet is a response packet that is a response to at least one request packet; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes.
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26. A method for displaying a reconstructed network communication, comprising:
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acquiring packets associated with a network communication; displaying a hexadecimal representation associated wit at least one of the packets; displaying a decode associated with at least one of the packets; displaying a listing of the packets associated with the network communication and displaying a visual representation of request packets and response packets associated with the network communication; wherein a network analyzer selects a plurality of the packets, sorts the packets into a sorted list, and recreates the network communication; wherein the network communication is recreated by retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication, storing request information if the retrieved packet is a request packet, and reconstructing content associated with the retrieved packet if the retrieved packet is a response packet that is a response to at least one request packet; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for permitting a user to control the display of a network communication, comprising:
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capturing a plurality of network communications between a first computer and a second computer; playing a script master list in chronological order by displaying the captured network communications in the chronological order; stopping the playing of the script master list; going to a next script in the script master list; and going to a previous script in the script master list; wherein a network analyzer selects a plurality of network packets, sorts the network packets into a sorted list, and recreates the network communications; wherein each of the network communications is recreated by retrieving a packet in the sorted list that is associated with the network communication, storing request information if the retrieved packet is a request packet, and reconstructing content associated with tho retrieved packet if the retrieved packet is a response packet that is a response to at least one request packet; wherein data from the response packet is stored in a cache to expedite subsequent retrieval; wherein the data from the response packet is stored in the cache unless the data includes script attributes. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification