Determining device location based on domain name response

• US 8,990,425 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2014
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iBoss
• Original Assignee: iBoss
• Inventors: Martini, Paul Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US14/184,592
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 790/203, 790217-218, 790223-229, 790245-246, 790/250
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing encrypted network traffic using spoofed addresses. One example method includes sending a domain name resolution query including a domain name; receiving a domain name resolution response including a network address; determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response; and applying to the computing device either an internal network configuration or an external network configuration depending on the determined current network location of the computing device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more processors in a computing device, the method comprising:

sending a domain name resolution query including a domain name;

receiving a domain name resolution response including a network address;

determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response; and

applying to the computing device either an internal network configuration or an external network configuration depending on the determined current network location of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the domain name resolution query includes sending a Domain Name System (DNS) request, and receiving the domain name resolution response includes receiving a DNS response.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the internal network configuration includes updating a network configuration on the computing device to use a proxy server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the external network configuration includes updating a network configuration on the computing device to not use a proxy server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response includes determining that the current network location is an internal location based on the network address being an internal network address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response includes determining that the current network location is an external location based on the network address being an external network address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the domain name is a predetermined location-determination domain name configured to resolve to an internal network address when the computing device is on an internal network and to resolve to an external network address when the computing device is on an external network.

8. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving a domain name resolution query from a device;

determining a current location of the device based on the domain name resolution query; and

sending a response to the domain name resolution query including either a local network address or an external network address depending on the determined current network location of the computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the domain name resolution query includes receiving a Domain Name System (DNS) request, and sending the response to the domain name resolution query includes sending a DNS response.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining a current location of the device based on the domain name resolution query includes examining a source address associated with the domain name resolution query.

11. A system comprising:

memory for storing data; and

one or more processors operable to perform operations comprising;

sending a domain name resolution query including a domain name;

receiving a domain name resolution response including a network address;

determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response; and

applying to the computing device either an internal network configuration or an external network configuration depending on the determined current network location of the computing device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein sending the domain name resolution query includes sending a Domain Name System (DNS) request, and receiving the domain name resolution response includes receiving a DNS response.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein applying the internal network configuration includes updating a network configuration on the computing device to use a proxy server.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein applying the external network configuration includes updating a network configuration on the computing device to not use a proxy server.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response includes determining that the current network location is an internal location based on the network address being an internal network address.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein determining a current network location of the computing device based on the received domain name resolution response includes determining that the current network location is an external location based on the network address being an external network address.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the domain name is a predetermined location-determination domain name configured to resolve to an internal network address when the computing device is on an internal network and to resolve to an external network address when the computing device is on an external network.

18. A system comprising:

memory for storing data; and

one or more processors operable to perform operations comprising;

receiving a domain name resolution query from a device;

determining a current location of the device based on the domain name resolution query; and

sending a response to the domain name resolution query including either a local network address or an external network address depending on the determined current network location of the computing device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein receiving the domain name resolution query includes receiving a Domain Name System (DNS) request, and sending the response to the domain name resolution query includes sending a DNS response.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein determining a current location of the device based on the domain name resolution query includes examining a source address associated with the domain name resolution query.