Systems and methods for enhancing domain-name-server responses

• US 8,694,659 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gen Digital Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Stahl, George, Cooley, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu Ha
• Application Number:
  US12/754,904
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709226-230, 709/238, 709/246, 709/250, 726/11, 726/14, 726/22, 340 58- 586, 380/23
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for enhancing domain-name-server responses may include: 1) receiving a domain-name-system request, 2) identifying a domain of the domain-name-system request, 3) retrieving classification information relating to the domain from a third-party system, and 4) including the classification information in a response to the domain-name-system request. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enhancing domain-name-server responses, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving a domain-name-system request;

identifying a domain of the domain-name-system request;

retrieving classification information relating to the domain from a third-party system, wherein the classification information comprises information that is separate from or additional to information that is required to resolve the IP address;

including both the information required to resolve the IP address and the classification information in a response to the domain-name-system request;

identifying a time-to-live value for the classification information;

including the time-to-live value for the classification information in the response by;

identifying a time-to-live value for a resolution of the domain;

determining that the time-to-live value for the classification information is less than the time-to-live value for the resolution of the domain;

using the time-to-live value for the classification information as the time-to-live value for the resolution of the domain in the response.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the classification information comprises:

identifying an Internet classification provider;

transmitting information identifying the domain to the Internet classification provider;

receiving the classification information from the Internet classification provider.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein identifying the Internet classification provider comprises identifying a plug-in for the Internet classification provider.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the classification information comprises:

identifying a time-to-live value for the classification information;

determining that the time-to-live value for the classification information has not expired;

retrieving the classification information from a local cache.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein including the time-to-live value for the classification information in the response comprises including the time- to-live value for the classification information as a separate record within the response.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the classification information comprises at least one of:

a rating;

a trust level;

a content category.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein including the classification information in the response comprises including the classification information in a text record in the response.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the domain-name-system request is made within a domain-name-system hierarchy;

the third-party system comprises a system outside of the domain-name-system hierarchy.

9. A system for enhancing domain-name-server responses, the system comprising:

a receiving module programmed to receive a domain-name-system request;

an identification module programmed to identify a domain of the domain-name-system request;

a retrieval module programmed to retrieve classification information relating to the domain from a third-party system, wherein the classification information comprises information that is separate from or additional to information that is required to resolve the IP address;

a response module programmed to;

include both the information required to resolve the IP address and the classification information in a response to the domain-name-system request;

identify a time-to-live value for the classification information;

include the time-to-live value for the classification information in the response by;

identifying a time-to-live value for a resolution of the domain;

determining that the time-to-live value for the classification information is less than the time-to-live value for the resolution of the domain;

using the time-to-live value for the classification information as the time-to-live value for the resolution of the domain in the response;

at least one processor configured to execute the receiving module, the identification module, the retrieval module, and the response module.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the retrieval module is programmed to retrieve the classification information by:

identifying an Internet classification provider;

transmitting information identifying the domain to the Internet classification provider;

receiving the classification information from the Internet classification provider.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the retrieval module is programmed to identify the Internet classification provider by identifying a plug-in for the Internet classification provider.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the retrieval module is programmed to retrieve the classification information by:

identifying a time-to-live value for the classification information;

determining that the time-to-live value for the classification information has not expired;

retrieving the classification information from a local cache.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the response module is programmed to include the time-to-live value for the classification information in the response by including the time-to-live value for the classification information as a separate record within the response.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the classification information comprises at least one of:

a rating;

a trust level;

a content category.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the response module is programmed to include the classification information in the response by including the classification information in a text record in the response.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive a domain-name-system request;

identify a domain of the domain-name-system request;

retrieve classification information relating to the domain from a third-party system, wherein the classification information comprises information that is separate from or additional to information that is required to resolve the IP address;

include both the information required to resolve the IP address and the classification information in a response to the domain-name-system request;

identify a time-to-live value for the classification information;

include the time-to-live value for the classification information in the response by;

identifying a time-to-live value for a resolution of the domain;

determining that the time-to-live value for the classification information is less than the time-to-live value for the resolution of the domain;

using the time-to-live value for the classification information as the time-to-live value for the resolution of the domain in the response.