Enhanced browser security

• US 8,020,190 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Support.com Incorporated (Greenidge Generation Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SDC Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Plummer, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw; Eleni A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIMS, JING F
• Application Number:
  US11/549,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 713164-167, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A machine-executable method implementable in a system operable to execute a browser application having at least one security-context zone and operable to apply at least one security policy to interaction between the system and web sites corresponding to domain identifiers populating the at least one security-context zone includes comparing a first set of domain identifiers populating a first security-context zone of the at least one security-context zone with a second set of domain identifiers. The method further includes populating the first security-context zone with at least one second-set identifier not included in the first set of domain identifiers.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for customizing security policy settings in a browser application that will be applied to domain identifiers corresponding to websites, the method comprising:

displaying, by a computing device, a user interface to customize the security policy settings in the browser application, wherein the user interface enables a user to send a first request to update a first set of domain identifiers that correspond to a first set of websites that populate a first security-context zone of the browser application, wherein the first security-context zone is associated with a first security policy;

in response to receiving the first request, comparing the first set of domain identifiers that populate the first security-context zone with a second set of domain identifiers that correspond to a second set of websites;

presenting, on the user interface, a list of domain name identifiers found within the second set of domain identifiers that are not currently found within the first set of domain identifiers that populate the first security-context zone;

populating the first security-context zone with at least one identifier found within the second set of identifiers that is not included in the first set of domain identifiers;

displaying the user interface, wherein the user interface enables a user to send a second request to update a third set of domain identifiers that correspond to websites that populate a second security-context zone of the browser application, wherein the second security-context zone is associated with a second security policy;

in response to receiving a second request, comparing the third set of domain identifiers that populate the second security-context zone with a fourth set of domain identifiers corresponding to a third set of websites;

presenting, on the user interface, a list of domain name identifiers found within the fourth set of domain identifiers that are not currently found within the third set of domain identifiers that populate the second security-context zone; and

populating the second security-context zone with at least one identifier found within the fourth set of domain identifiers that is not included in the third set of domain identifiers,

wherein the first security policy is more restrictive than the second security policy.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the second set of domain identifiers from first computer to second computer through a communications medium.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising restricting the number of domain identifiers that can populate the first security-context zone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user to customize the security policy associated with the first security-context zone.

5. A computer system for customizing security policy settings in a browser application that will be applied to domain identifiers corresponding to websites, the system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform steps of;

displaying a user interface to customize the security policy settings in the browser application, wherein the user interface enables a user to send a first request to update a first set of domain identifiers that correspond to a first set websites that populate a first security-context zone of the browser application, wherein the first security-context zone is associated with a first security policy;

in response to receiving the first request, comparing the first set of domain identifiers that populate the first security-context zone with a second set of domain identifiers that correspond to a second set of websites;

presenting, on the user interface, a list of domain name identifiers found within the second set of domain identifiers that are not currently found within the first set of domain identifiers that populate the first security-context zone;

populating the first security-context zone with at least one identifier found within the second set of identifiers that is not included in the first set of domain identifiers;

displaying the user interface, wherein the user interface enables a user to send a second request to update a third set of domain identifiers that correspond to websites that populate a second security-context zone of the browser application, wherein the second security-context zone is associated with a second security policy;

in response to receiving a second request, comparing the third set of domain identifiers that populate the second security-context zone with a fourth set of domain identifiers corresponding to a third set of websites;

presenting, on the user interface, a list of domain name identifiers found within the fourth set of domain identifiers that are not currently found within the third set of domain identifiers that populate the second security-context zone; and

populating the second security-context zone with at least one identifier found within the fourth set of domain identifiers that is not included in the third set of domain identifiers,

wherein the first security policy is more restrictive than the second security policy.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for customizing security policy settings in a browser application that will be applied to domain identifiers corresponding to websites that, when executed in a computing system, perform steps of:

displaying a user interface to customize the security policy settings in the browser application, wherein the user interface enables a user to send a first request to update a first set of domain identifiers that correspond to a first set websites that populate a first security-context zone of the browser application, wherein the first security-context zone is associated with a first security policy;

in response to receiving the first request, comparing the first set of domain identifiers that populate the first security-context zone with a second set of domain identifiers that correspond to a second set of websites;

presenting, on the user interface, a list of domain name identifiers found within the second set of domain identifiers that are not currently found within the first set of domain identifiers that populate the first security-context zone;

populating the first security-context zone with at least one identifier found within the second set of identifiers that is not included in the first set of domain identifiers;

displaying the user interface, wherein the user interface enables a user to send a second request to update a third set of domain identifiers that correspond to websites that populate a second security-context zone of the browser application, wherein the second security-context zone is associated with a second security policy;

in response to receiving a second request, comparing the third set of domain identifiers that populate the second security-context zone with a fourth set of domain identifiers corresponding to a third set of websites;

presenting, on the user interface, a list of domain name identifiers found within the fourth set of domain identifiers that are not currently found within the third set of domain identifiers that populate the second security-context zone; and

populating the second security-context zone with at least one identifier found within the fourth set of domain identifiers that is not included in the third set of domain identifiers,

wherein the first security policy is more restrictive than the second security policy.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises restricting the number of domain-identifiers that can populate the first security-context zone.

8. The medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises enabling a user to customize the security policy associated with the first security-context zone.