Identification of undesirable content in responses sent in reply to a user request for content
First Claim
1. A system for identifying a computer virus in a response received in reply to a user request, the system comprising:
- a user input device that generates a user request including a protocol field;
a network component that executes a redirection program, the redirection program including a scan module that receives the user request before the request is processed for transmission to either a target server or to a destination server and is capable of identifying the request as a request for content by scanning the protocol field and identifying a protocol that is only for requesting and retrieving content and the redirection program also including a proxy module that modifies the request by adding a redirection destination header to the request so that it is redirected to a proxy server if the protocol is only for requesting and retrieving content, and wherein the proxy module leaves the user request unaltered if the protocol is not only for requesting and retrieving content, such that no redirection destination header is added and the user request is forwarded for processing by a gateway device and for transmission to the destination server;
a network that routes the request to the proxy server; and
the proxy server that receives user-defined configuration data during a negotiation phase of establishing a connection between the proxy module and proxy server, receives the request, removes the redirection destination header, forwards the request to the target server, and receives a response from the target server, the proxy server having a decoding module for decoding the response a content scanning module to scan a decoded response and a user-defined configuration data scanning module to apply user-defined configuration data to the decoded response and a return address appending module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system identifies undesirable content in responses sent to a user, such as in e-mail or in downloadable files, from an Internet or intranet site. The system utilizes a redirection program that identifies content requests from a user to a target server. The redirection program redirects the request to a proxy server that sends the request to the target server. Upon receipt of the response from the target server, the proxy server scans the response, which includes any attachments, for undesirable content, such as junk e-mails, computer viruses, pornographic material, and/or other undesirable content. The proxy server then acts upon the response, and any undesirable content, in accordance with default or user-defined parameters, such as removal of the undesirable content. The proxy server may then send the response, as modified, or a notification message to the redirection program forwarding to the user.
91 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for identifying a computer virus in a response received in reply to a user request, the system comprising:
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a user input device that generates a user request including a protocol field; a network component that executes a redirection program, the redirection program including a scan module that receives the user request before the request is processed for transmission to either a target server or to a destination server and is capable of identifying the request as a request for content by scanning the protocol field and identifying a protocol that is only for requesting and retrieving content and the redirection program also including a proxy module that modifies the request by adding a redirection destination header to the request so that it is redirected to a proxy server if the protocol is only for requesting and retrieving content, and wherein the proxy module leaves the user request unaltered if the protocol is not only for requesting and retrieving content, such that no redirection destination header is added and the user request is forwarded for processing by a gateway device and for transmission to the destination server; a network that routes the request to the proxy server; and the proxy server that receives user-defined configuration data during a negotiation phase of establishing a connection between the proxy module and proxy server, receives the request, removes the redirection destination header, forwards the request to the target server, and receives a response from the target server, the proxy server having a decoding module for decoding the response a content scanning module to scan a decoded response and a user-defined configuration data scanning module to apply user-defined configuration data to the decoded response and a return address appending module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for identifying undesirable content in responses received in reply to a user request, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a redirection program executing on a network computing device, input from a user computer including at least one request, the request having a protocol field; before the request is transmitted on a network, scanning at a scan module in the redirection program the protocol field of the request to determine whether a protocol of the request is only for requesting and retrieving content; if the protocol of the request is only for requesting and retrieving content, at a proxy module in the redirection program, modifying the request by adding a redirection destination header to the request, thereby redirecting the request to a proxy server from where the user request is transmitted to a target server; if the protocol of the request is not only for requesting and retrieving content, at the proxy module in the redirection program, passing the request unaltered such that the request bypasses the proxy server and is processed by a gateway network device and is transmitted to a destination server; receiving the request at the proxy server; receiving user-defined configuration data at the proxy server during a negotiation phase of establishing a connection between the proxy module and proxy server; removing the redirection destination header from the request at the proxy server; sending the request from the proxy server to the target server for generation of a response; receiving a response from the target server at the proxy server; decoding the response at the proxy server; scanning the decoded response for a computer virus, junk e-mail, or pornographic content at the proxy server; if a computer virus, junk e-mail, or pornographic content is detected, processing the decoded response at the proxy server according to the user-defined configuration data, re-encoding the response and appending a return address so that the response is sent to the user computer; and if a computer virus, junk e-mail, or pornographic content is not detected, re-encoding the response and appending the return address so that the response is sent to the user computer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification