Method and system for providing security to a client server operating a browser

• US 7,287,274 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Data Services Corporation
• Original Assignee: Perot Systems Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Houlding, David Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shiferaw; Eleni A
• Application Number:
  US09/971,717
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 726/11, 726/12, 726/14
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

A method and system for providing security to a client computing system in communication with a host communication system across a network. The method includes executing a browser on the client computing system. A request to download data to be displayed in the browser may be communicated from the client to the host computing system. The data is downloaded from the host computing system to the client computing system via a client side firewall in response to the download request. An interactive software application is loaded in the browser, where the interactive software application utilizes the data downloaded from the host computing system. The interactive software application is executed in the browser on the client computing system, and may be in communication with at least one element, such as a browser or an element of an underlying architecture of a software application, on the client side of the client side firewall.

Claims

1. A method for providing security to a client computing system in communication with a host communication system across a network, said method comprising the steps of:

executing a browser on the client computing system;

communicating, from the client to the host computing system, a request to download data to be displayed in the browser;

downloading the data from the host computing system to the client computing system via a client side firewall in response to the download request;

loading an interactive software application in the browser, the interactive software application utilizing the data downloaded from the host computing system;

executing the interactive software application in the browser on the client computing system, the interactive software application being in communication with at least one element that is outside the browser and on the client side of the client side firewall;

wherein the communication between the interactive software application and the at least one element occurs after the loading of the interactive software application and exclusively on the client side of the client side firewall;

wherein the data includes a model representative of an underlying architecture of a software system; and

wherein the at least one element is one of the underlying architecture of the software system and another browser executing on the client computing system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication includes issuing and receiving events.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interactive software application is an applet.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the applet is a Java applet.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication commences after verification of a digital signature.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading a digital signature;

verifying the digital signature; and

opening a port of the browser to receive events from the at least one element.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the browser operates a graphical user interface to display data communicated by the at least one element.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the data includes content and format information.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the browser is a web browser.

10. A system for providing security to a client computing system operating a browser in communication with an interactive software application maintained by a host computing system, said system comprising:

at least one processor in the client computing system operable to generate and communicate a request to download the interactive software application from the host computing system to the client computing system;

a memory operating in the client computing system to store the interactive software application downloaded in response to the download request, said at least one processor executing the stored interactive software application inside the browser on the client computing system, the executed interactive software application and the browser being in communication with at least one element that is outside the browser and on the client side of the client side firewall;

wherein the communication between the interactive software application and the at least one element occurs after the storing of the interactive software application and exclusively on the client side of the client side firewall;

wherein the data includes a model representative of an underlying architecture of a software system; and

wherein the at least one element is one of the underlying architecture of the software system and another browser executing on the client computing system.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the communication includes issuing and receiving events.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the interfacing software application is an applet.

13. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a digital signature associated with the host computing system.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the browser is a web browser.

15. A method for providing security to a client computing system operating an interactive software application, said method comprising the steps of:

loading the interactive software application on the client computing system;

executing the interactive software application in a browser on the client computing system;

communicating a digital signature to the browser;

verifying the digital signature;

upon confirmation of the digital signature, opening a port of the browser for receiving data from at least one element that is outside the browser and on the client side of the client side firewall;

communicating data between the at least one element and the browser on the client computing system;

wherein the communication between the interactive software application and the at least one element occurs after the loading of the interactive software application and exclusively on the client side of the client side firewall;

wherein the data includes a model representative of an underlying architecture of a software system; and

wherein the at least one element is one of the underlying architecture of the software system and another browser executing on the client computing system.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the data includes at least one of events and requests.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the events and requests utilize the HTTP protocol.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the digital signature is associated with a host computing system.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one element operates on the client side of the client firewall.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the browser is a web browser.

21. A system for providing security to a client computing system comprising:

at least one processor; and

means for executing a browser on the client computing system;

means for communicating, from the client to the host computing system, a request to download data to be displayed in the browser;

means for downloading the data from the host computing system to the client computing system via a client side firewall in response to the download request;

means for loading an interactive software application in the browser, the interactive software application utilizing the data downloaded from the host computing system;

means for executing the interactive software application in the browser on the client computing system, the interactive software application being in communication with at least one element that is outside the browser and on the client side of the client side firewall; and

wherein the communication between the interactive software application and the at least one element occurs after the loading of the interactive software application and exclusively on the client side of the client side firewall;

wherein the data includes a model representative of an underlying architecture of a software system; and

wherein the at least one element is one of the underlying architecture of the software system and another browser executing on the client computing system.