System and method for automatically detecting and then self-repairing corrupt, modified or non-existent files via a communication medium

• US 8,756,418 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vlcan, Steve, Bakshi, Bikram Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORTHY, ARAVIND K
• Application Number:
  US13/728,535
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 713/161, 713/165, 713/168, 713/176, 713/187, 726/22, 726/26
• US Class Current: 713/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/565 by checking file integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/034 Test or assess a computer or a system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A system and method of guaranteeing the presence of secure and tamper-proof remote files over a distributed communication medium, such as the Internet, is provided. The system and method automatically detects, and then self-repairs corrupt, modified or non-existent remote files. The method first performs an integrity check on a remote file and then determines whether the integrity check passed. If the integrity check passed, then the user goes through the authentication process as normal. If the integrity check fails, then the present invention redirects to an install module in order to prepare to reinstall the remote file. Via the install module, the present invention then reinstalls the remote file and the user is then taken through the authentication process as normal.

Claims

1. A method for installing a file at a remote location via a communication medium, comprising:

performing, by a computer, an integrity check by an integrity module to determine if the file exists at the remote location;

redirecting, by a computer, to an install module by a redirect module if the integrity check fails, wherein redirecting to the install module comprises;

modifying, by a computer, an address of the install module by the redirect module to include a parameter to indicate a remote location to install the file;

producing, by a computer, a request by an authentication module based on the modified address that indicates the remote location to install the file;

communicating, by a computer, the request by the authentication module to the install module in a login page that attempted to instantiate the file at the remote location; and

installing, by a computer, the file by the install module at the remote location via the communication medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein installing the remote file comprises:

generating, by a computer, an installation web page, by the install module, based on a request from the remote location;

communicating, by a computer, the installation web page, via the communication medium, to the remote location; and

installing, by a computer, the remote file at the remote location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication medium is the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication medium is a local network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication medium is a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote location is an authentication control component.

7. A method for maintaining the integrity of a file stored on a cellular device via a communication medium, comprising:

performing, by a computer, an integrity check on the file stored on the cellular device by an integrity module;

redirecting, by a computer, to an install module by a redirect module if the integrity check fails, wherein redirecting to the install module comprises;

modifying, by a computer, an address of the install module by the redirect module to include a parameter to indicate the remote location of the file on the cellular device;

producing, by a computer, a request by an authentication module based on the modified address that indicates the remote location of the file on the cellular device;

communicating, by a computer, the request by the authentication module to the install module in a login page that instantiated the file at the cellular device; and

reinstalling, by a computer, the file by the install module at the remote location on the cellular device via the communication medium, thereby maintaining the integrity of the file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein performing the integrity check comprises:

using, by a computer, an algorithm on the file to produce a remote value;

communicating, by a computer, the remote value to the integrity module via the communication medium;

using, by a computer, the algorithm on a mirror file to produce a secure value, wherein the mirror file is a valid copy of the file; and

communicating, by a computer, that the integrity check passed if the remote value and the secure value are equivalent.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the algorithm is a hash algorithm.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein reinstalling the remote file comprises:

generating, by a computer, a reinstallation web page, by the install module, based on a request from the cellular device;

communicating, by a computer, the reinstallation web page, via the communication medium, to the cellular device; and

reinstalling, by a computer, the remote file at the cellular device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication medium is the Internet.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication medium is a local network.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication medium is a wireless network.

14. A method for maintaining the integrity of a remote file on a remote location via a communication medium, comprising:

performing, by a computer, an integrity check on the remote file stored on the remote location by an integrity module;

redirecting, by a computer, to an install module by a redirect module if the integrity check fails; and

reinstalling, by a computer, the remote file by the install module at the remote location via the communication medium and through a protocol used by the web browser, thereby maintaining the integrity of the remote file, wherein reinstalling the remote file comprises;

generating, by a computer, a reinstallation web page, by the install module, based on a request from the web browser;

communicating, by a computer, the reinstallation web page, via the communication medium, to the web browser;

accessing, by a computer, a tag module for reinstallation of the remote file, wherein the tag module varies depending on the web browser; and

reinstalling, by a computer, the remote file using the tag module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the integrity check comprises:

using, by a computer, an algorithm on the remote file to produce a remote value;

communicating, by a computer, the remote value to the integrity module to the web browser;

using, by a computer, the algorithm on a mirror file to produce a secure value, wherein the mirror file is a valid copy of the remote file; and

communicating, by a computer, that the integrity check passed to the web browser if the remote value and the secure value are equivalent.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the algorithm is a hash algorithm.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

downloading, by a computer, a .cab file if the version specification of the remote file is newer than an existing version on the web browser.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication medium is the Internet.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication medium is a local network.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication medium is a wireless network.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein redirecting to the install module comprises:

modifying, by a computer, an address of the install module by the redirect module to include a parameter to indicate the remote location of the remote file;

producing, by a computer, a request by an authentication module based on the modified address that indicates the remote location of the remote file; and

communicating, by a computer, the request by the authentication module to the install module in a login page accessed by a web browser of the remote location that instantiated the remote file at the remote location.