Selective filtering of network traffic requests

• US 8,208,375 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bharadwaj, Manjunath, Howell, Nathan, Jiang, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): MIAN, OMER S
• Application Number:
  US12/050,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 726/11, 726/13, 726/7
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212

Abstract

Several approaches to selectively filtering network traffic are described. One approach involves a system for selectively filtering network traffic. The system includes a helper application, which is coupled to a networking program, and is used to identify a user-initiated request. A network filter driver is coupled to the networking program, for intercepting the user-initiated request. A filtering service is coupled to both the helper application and the network filter driver, and is used to determine if the user-initiated request is allowable. If the request is allowable, the filtering service is configured to generate a special identifier, which the helper application is configured to include in a subsequent request. The filtering service is configured to allow a subsequent request which includes the special identifier, and the network filter driver'"'"'s configured to strip a special identifier from subsequent requests.

Claims

1. A method of selectively filtering network traffic, comprising:

receiving, on a client computing device, an initial request for network-accessible content generated by a networking program on said client computing device;

determining whether said initial request is allowable by a filtering service on said client computing device that is configured to monitor said networking program;

generating, by said filtering service, a special identifier corresponding to said initial request if said initial request is allowable with reference to a filtering policy;

passing, by said filtering service, identifier to an application or object installed on said client computing device that is configured to intercept requests for network-accessible content generated by said networking program and to include said special identifier corresponding to said initial request in subsequent requests for network-accessible content intercepted from said networking program which are related to said initial request for network-accessible content;

receiving, at said filtering service, a subsequent request for network-accessible content generated by said networking program; and

allowing, by said filtering service, said subsequent request without reference to said filtering policy if said subsequent request includes said special identifier corresponding to said initial request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said filtering policy comprises a local policy on Web traffic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said filtering service references a rating corresponding to content related to said initial request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said special identifier corresponding to said initial request is generated from a timestamp, an identifier corresponding to a user, and a portion of the initial request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial request is a user-initiated request and said subsequent request is an automated request related to said user-initiated request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if said special identifier included in said subsequent request is valid.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging said initial request; and

allowing said subsequent request without logging said subsequent request.

8. A system for selectively filtering network traffic, comprising:

a helper application on a client computing device, coupled to a networking program on said client computing device, for identifying a user-initiated request for network-accessible content generated by said networking program; and

a filtering service on said client computing device, coupled to said helper application, for determining if said user-initiated request is allowable, wherein;

said filtering service is configured to monitor said networking program on said client computing device, generate a special identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request if said user-initiated request is allowable with reference to a filtering policy, and pass said special identifier to said helper application;

said helper application is configured to intercept requests for network-accessible content generated by said networking program and include said special identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request in subsequent requests for network accessible content intercepted from said networking program which are related to said user-initiated request; and

said filtering service is configured to allow said subsequent request without reference to said filtering policy if said subsequent request includes said special identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request and instruct a network filter driver to remove said special identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request from said subsequent request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said filtering policy is a local policy on Web traffic.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said filtering service references a rating corresponding to content related to said user-initiated request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said rating is obtained from a remote filtering server.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said rating is obtained from a local cache maintained by said filtering service.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said filtering service is configured to reject said special identifier after a predetermined length of time.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a client computing device to perform steps comprising:

receiving a user-initiated request for network-accessible content generated by a networking program on said client computing device;

determining whether said user-initiated request is allowable;

generating an identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request if said user-initiated request is allowable with reference to a filtering policy;

passing said identifier to an application or object installed on said client computing device that is configured to intercept requests for network-accessible content generated by said networking program and to include said identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request in subsequent request requests for network-accessible content intercepted from said networking program which are related to said user-initiated request;

receiving a subsequent request for network-accessible content generated by said networking program;

determining that said subsequent request includes said identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request;

determining that said identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request is valid; and

allowing said subsequent request, without reference to said filtering policy.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said steps comprise:

comparing a rating corresponding to said network-accessible content with said filtering policy.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said identifier corresponding to said user-initiated request is generated by hashing a timestamp, a generated value corresponding to a user, and a portion of said user-initiated request.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein:

said user-initiated request is initiated in response to a user entering a uniform resource locator or clicking a hyperlink of a requested web site, and

said subsequent request comprises an automated request for an image on said requested web site that is generated by said networking program in response to said user-initiated request.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said user-initiated request comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said user-initiated request comprises a request for access to digital multimedia content.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said user-initiated request comprises a request for access to an online game.