Processing data using information embedded in a data request

• US 8,713,695 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harada, Larry T., Dolecki, Mark A., Hendren, C. Hudson III, Purdum, Christopher S
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nobahar, Abdulhakim
• Application Number:
  US13/616,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0471 applying encryption by an intermediary, e.g. receiving clear information at the intermediary and encrypting the received information at the intermediary before forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A data transfer method performed at a proxy server includes intercepting a data request from a client computer that is directed to a target server, encrypting profile information, augmenting the data request by adding the encrypted profile information to the data request, and sending the augmented data request to the target server. A data transfer method that is performed at an information server includes receiving a data request from a proxy server, extracting profile information added to the data request by the proxy server, using the extracted profile information to generate a response, and sending the response to the proxy server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first server device, a request for data from a second server device, the request being generated at a client application;

extracting, by the first server device, user profile information from the request;

customizing, by the first server device, data based on the extracted user profile information;

generating, by the first server device, a response to the request, the response including the customized data;

sending, by the first server device, the response to the client application;

receiving, by the first server device, a flush directive; and

in response to receiving the flush directive, discarding, by the first server device, stored user profile information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request comprises an HTTP request.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the user profile information is included in one or more headers of the HTTP request.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the user profile information is encrypted.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

extracting an encrypted key from the request;

decrypting the encrypted key; and

using the decrypted key to decrypt the user profile information.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein:

decrypting the encrypted key comprises decrypting the encrypted key using a public key algorithm and a private key of the first server device, and

decrypting the encrypted user profile information comprises decrypting the user profile information using a symmetric decryption algorithm and the key.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the key comprises a session key.

8. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising storing the user profile information in a non-transitory storage medium.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

generating a token referencing the user profile information stored in the non-transitory storage medium.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first server device, a request generated at a client application and forwarded from a second server device;

extracting, by the first server device, encrypted user profile information from the request;

decrypting, by the first server device, the encrypted user profile information;

generating, by the first server device, a response to the request using the user profile information;

sending the response to the request to the second server device;

receiving, by the first server device, a flush directive; and

in response to receiving the flush directive, discarding, by the first server device, stored user profile information.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the request comprises an HTTP request.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the encrypted user profile information is encrypted using a symmetric encryption algorithm.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the encrypted user profile information is included in a header of the HTTP request.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

extracting an encrypted key from the request;

decrypting the encrypted key; and

using the decrypted key to decrypt the encrypted user profile information.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein decrypting the encrypted key comprises decrypting the encrypted key using a public key algorithm and a private key of the first server device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising storing the user profile information in a non-transitory storage medium.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

generating a token referencing the user profile information stored in the non-transitory storage medium.

18. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a decryption key and instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause a first server device to;

receive a request for data from a second server device, the request being generated at a client application;

extract user profile information from the request;

customize data based on the extracted user profile information;

generate a response to the request, the response including the customized data;

send the response to the client application;

receive a flush directive; and

in response to receiving the flush directive, discard stored user profile information.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the request comprises an HTTP request.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein one or more headers in the HTTP request includes the user profile information.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the user profile information is encrypted.

22. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

extract an encrypted key from the request;

decrypt the encrypted key; and

store the decrypted key in the non-transitory storage medium.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to decrypt the encrypted key using a public key algorithm and a private key of the first server device.