Enabling ordered page flow browsing using HTTP cookies

• US 8,886,620 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mukerji, Arindum
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Huen
• Application Number:
  US11/243,872
• Time in Patent Office: 3,324 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/4, 707/10, 707/100, 709/223, 709/224, 709/229, 709/201, 709/203, 709/225
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method are directed to managing an ordered page flow browsing of a website. As a request is received for a webpage on the website, a referrer is examined. If the referrer indicates that the request is from another website, the request may be redirected to a pre-selected webpage on the website. In addition, a cookie may be generated that includes, in part, the request and a secret. The request and rotating secret may also be encrypted. The cookie may then be provided along with a response to the request. When another request is received with the cookie, the cookie may be compared, in part, with the referrer and the secret to determine if the request is from an ordered page within the website. If it is not, the request may be redirected to the pre-selected webpage, thereby enforcing orderly page flow browsing.

Claims

1. A network device for managing web page flow over a network, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and sending packets; and

a processor that is programmed to perform actions comprising;

receiving from a client a request for a webpage at a website, wherein the website is configured as a hierarchically structured website and wherein the webpage is associated with a first sub-directory or first leaf node within the website;

providing to the client a cookie with a response to the request;

receiving from the client a second request for another webpage within the same website, the second request including the cookie and additional information, the additional information including a referrer that identifies the previously requested webpage; and

in response to determining that the cookie or the additional information identifying the previously requested webpage indicate that the second client request to the other webpage within the same website violates browsing of the same website according to the hierarchical structure of the website, redirecting the client to a pre-determined webpage other than the requested other webpage to maintain orderly browsing of the website, wherein violation of browsing of the hierarchical structure is based on examining the cookie and additional information to determine that the second client request is an improper access, such that the second client request is determined to be an improper access where;

     1) the second client request is a request within the hierarchical structure of the same website where the second client request would result in a transition without using a structured flow through the hierarchical structure according to the hierarchical structure of the same website, and is also determined to be an improper access where;

     2) the second client request is a request to a second sub-directory within the hierarchical structure of the second leaf node within the hierarchical structure of the same website where the second client request would result in a transition without using a structured flow through the hierarchical structure according to the hierarchical structure of the same website; and

in response to determining that the cookie and the additional information identifying the previously requested webpage indicate that the second client request to the other webpage is consistent with orderly browsing of the hierarchical structure of the same website, enabling the client to access the other webpage.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the cookie further comprises at least one of at least a portion of the request for the webpage, a secret, or information about the client.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein the cookie is encrypted or hashed.

4. The network device of claim 1, wherein the cookie identifies the webpage.

5. The network device of claim 1, wherein determining orderly browsing of the hierarchical structure of the website is further based on whether the cookie and the additional information identify the same webpage.

6. The network device of claim 1, wherein the webpage and the other webpage are the same webpage.

7. The network device of claim 1, wherein in response to determining that the cookie or the additional information identifying the previously requested webpage indicate that the second client request to the other webpage violates browsing of the website based on the hierarchical structure of the website further comprises:

in response to determining that at least a portion of the additional information is, at least in part, different from the cookie, redirecting the second request to the pre-determined webpage other than the requested other webpage.

8. The network device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the additional information further comprises at least a portion of a Universal Resource Identifier (URI).

9. The network device of claim 1, wherein providing the cookie further comprises:

in response to determining that the requested webpage is a leaf webpage, providing a cookie that is associated with a request for a non-leaf webpage.

10. The network device of claim 1, wherein in response to determining that the cookie and the additional information identifying the previously requested webpage indicate that the second client request to the other webpage is consistent with orderly browsing further comprises being based on whether the additional information identifying the previously requested webpage matches at least a portion of the cookie.

11. The network device of claim 1, wherein a response to the request comprises a redirect message directing the client to send the other request.

12. A method of managing web page flow over a network, comprising:

receiving from a client a request over a network for a webpage at a website, the website being configured as a hierarchically structured website, wherein the request includes a cookie and wherein the webpage is associated with a first sub-directory or first leaf node within the website;

extracting information from the request about where the client was last browsing;

determining a digest by, in part, combining at least a portion of the extracted information with at least a secret; and

in response to determining that the digest matches the cookie, enabling the client to access the webpage for display at a client device, such that the client is restricted to browsing the website according to the hierarchical structure of the website, and wherein the client is inhibited from violating browsing of the same website according to the hierarchical structure at least by comparing the digest with the cookie to determine whether the client is attempting an improper access, such that an access is improper where

     1) the client is attempting to access a second subdirectory within the hierarchical structure where the access is without following a structured path of directories to the requested second sub-directory according to the hierarchical structure of the website, and such that

     2) the access is also improper where the client is attempting to access a second leaf node within the hierarchical structure where the access is without following a structured path of directories to the requested second leaf node according to the hierarchical structure of the website.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cookie is encrypted or otherwise cryptographically obscured and protected against inspection or tampering.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the webpage and the extracted information about where the client was last browsing indicate a same webpage.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the digest further comprises combining at least the portion of information, the secret, and at least one of another cookie, or a network address associated with the client.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein extracting information from the request further comprises extracting an HTTP referrer.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to determining that the digest is different from the cookie, redirecting the request to a preselected webpage within the hierarchical structure of the website to enforce a structured and orderly browsing of web pages within the website by the client.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the extracted information further comprises at least a portion of a Universal Resource Identifier (URI).

19. The method of claim 12, wherein restricting the client to orderly browsing through the website according to the hierarchical structure of the website further comprises enabling access to the requested webpage if the webpage and a webpage that the client was last browsing are within a pre-defined set of subdirectories within the hierarchical structure of the website.

20. A computer-readable storage medium for storing program instructions for performing the method of claim 12 by a network device.

21. A traffic management device for managing an orderly website browsing, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and sending packets;

program code that receives from a client a request for a webpage at a website, wherein the request is associated with a cookie and wherein the webpage is associated with a first sub-directory or a first leaf node within the website; and

means for selectively allowing the client to receive the requested webpage based on examining the cookie and additional information identifying a previously requested webpage by the client such that the client is restricted to orderly browsing through the website according to a hierarchical structure of the website such that the client is restricted from improper access, such that an access is improper where

     1) the client is attempting to access a second sub-directory within the hierarchical structure wherein the access is without following a structured path of directories to the requested second sub-directory within the same website according to the hierarchical structure of the website, and the access is also improper where

     2) the client is attempting to access a second leaf node within the hierarchical structure wherein the access is without following a structured path of directories to the second leaf node within the same website according to the hierarchical structure of the website.

22. The traffic management device of claim 21, wherein the cookie identifies the previously requested webpage.

23. The traffic management device of claim 21, wherein the means for selectively allowing the client comprises program code that generates a cookie associated with the previously requested webpage, and compares the cookie with an HTTP referrer within the additional information that identifies the previously requested webpage.