Apparatus, systems, and methods for providing policy in network-based applications

• US 9,167,052 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Appsense Incorporated
• Inventors: Branton, Paul Keith, Boyce, Darren Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US13/969,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

The disclosed subject matter provides apparatus, systems, and methods for preventing a user from disabling a software extension to a network-based application, thereby allowing a computing device to enforce the software extension even if the user wants to disable the software extension. The disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods can prevent a user from disabling a software extension by blocking an access to a communications network via the network-based application when the software extension is disabled.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more interfaces configured to provide communication with a computing device via a communication network;

non-transitory memory configured to maintain computer readable instructions and a status table, wherein the status table includes information indicative of a status of a software extension associated with a network-based application instantiated on the computing device;

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to;

determine, based on the information in the status table, the status of the software extension associated with the network-based application, wherein the status of the software extension is indicative of whether the software extension is enabled or disabled; and

when the software extension is disabled, send a network stop message to the computing device to cause a network access of the network-based application to be disabled.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status table includes a first array and a second array, wherein the first array includes at least one process identifier of instances of the network-based application, and the second array includes at least one socket identifier of instances of the software extension, wherein each socket identifier identifies a communication connection between an instance of the software extension and the server.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to compare lengths of the first array and the second array, and if the length of the first array is different from the length of the second array, the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine that the software extension is disabled.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to:

receive a process start message from a first instance of the network-based application, wherein the process start message includes a first process identifier of the first instance of the network-based application;

store the first process identifier in the first array of the status table;

receive a startup event message from a first instance of the software extension, wherein the startup event message includes a first socket identifier of the first instance of the software extension; and

store the first socket identifier in the second array of the status table.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the memory includes a plurality of status tables, wherein the process start message includes an application identifier of the network-based application, and wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to identify the status table for the process start message based on the application identifier.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network stop message includes a process identifier of an instance of the network-based application whose network access is to be disabled.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to retrieve, from the status table, the process identifier of the instance of the network-based application whose network access is to be disabled.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine the status of the software extension in response to an external event, wherein the external event includes one of:

a receipt of a startup event message from the software extension;

a receipt of a termination message from the software extension;

a receipt of a process start message from the network-based application; and

a receipt of a process stop message from the network-based application.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured to cause the processor to cause a message to be sent to a user of the computing device that the software extension is disabled.

10. A method comprising:

establishing a communication channel between a server and a computing device over a communication network;

maintaining, at the server, a status table that includes information indicative of a status of a software extension associated with a network-based application instantiated on the computing device;

determining, at the server, based on the information in the status table, the status of the software extension associated with the network-based application, wherein the status of the software extension is indicative of whether the software extension is enabled or disabled; and

if the software extension is disabled, sending, by the server, a network stop message to the computing device to cause a network access of the network-based application to be disabled.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the status table includes a first array and a second array, wherein the first array includes at least one process identifier of instances of the network-based application, and the second array includes at least one socket identifier of instances of the software extension, wherein each socket identifier identifies a communication connection between an instance of the software extension and the server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the status of the software extension comprises comparing lengths of the first array and the second array, and if the length of the first array is different from the length of the second array, determining that the software extension is disabled.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, a process start message from a first instance of the network-based application, wherein the process start message includes a first process identifier of the first instance of the network-based application;

storing, by the server, the first process identifier in the first array of the status table;

receiving, at the server, a startup event message from a first instance of the software extension, wherein the startup event message includes a first socket identifier of the first instance of the software extension; and

storing, by the server, the first socket identifier in the second array of the status table.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the process start message includes an application identifier of the network-based application, and wherein the method comprises maintaining, by the server, a plurality of status tables, and identifying, by the server, the status table for the process start message based on the application identifier.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the status of the software extension comprises determining the status of the software extension in response to an external event, wherein the external event includes one of:

a receipt of a startup event message from the software extension;

a receipt of a termination message from the software extension;

a receipt of a process start message from the network-based application; and

a receipt of a process stop message from the network-based application.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising causing, by the server, a message to be sent to a user of the computing device that the software extension is disabled.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions operable to cause a server to:

establish a communication channel between the server and a computing device over a communication network;

maintain a status table that includes information indicative of a status of a software extension associated with a network-based application instantiated on the computing device;

determine based on the information in the status table, the status of the software extension associated with the instance of the network-based application, wherein the status of the software extension is indicative of whether the software extension is enabled or disabled; and

if the software extension is disabled, send a network stop message to the computing device to cause a network access of the instance of the network-based application to be disabled.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the status table includes a first array and a second array, wherein the first array includes at least one process identifier of instances of the network-based application, and the second array includes at least one socket identifier of instances of the software extension, wherein each socket identifier identifies a communication connection between an instance of the software extension and the server.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising executable instructions operable to cause the server to:

compare lengths of the first array and the second array, and

if the length of the first array is different from the length of the second array,

determine that the software extension is disabled.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the process start message includes an application identifier of the network-based application, and wherein the computer readable medium further comprises executable instructions operable to cause the server to maintain a plurality of status tables, and identify the status table for the process start message based on the application identifier.