Methods systems and articles of manufacture for implementing user access to remote resources

• US 9,262,621 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Subbiah, Thirugnanam, Hanscom, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US13/907,733
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 726/8, 340/5.8, 715/150
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing user access to remote resources residing on an external domain. Various implementations include authenticating and authorizing a user on a first system and receiving user request to access remote resources. The first system invokes processes or modules to initiate a new session to perform auto logon on behalf of the user on a second system by using stored user'"'"'s credentials and subdomain delegation techniques without user intervention. The second system authenticates and authorizes this new session to allow user access to remote resources residing thereupon. The first system further prepares the user'"'"'s system to take over the new session by setting cookie(s) and also by redirecting the URL so the user may continue to use the new session to access the desired remote resources residing on the second system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for implementing user access to a remote resource, comprising:

receiving, at a first computer, a request from a user computing device through a first network to access the remote resource, wherein the remote resource resides on a second computer accessible by the first computer through a second network;

performing, at the first computer;

identification of stored user credentials by identifying and retrieving the stored user credentials from a central store remote from the user computing device;

automatic logon for the user using at least a thin-client architecture to transmit, to the second computer, stored user credentials that are used to authenticate or authorize the user to access the remote resource on the second computer, wherein the stored user credentials are centrally stored in the central store, and the user computing device is authenticated or authorized to access the remote resource on the second computer without transmitting the stored user credentials from the user computing device;

initiation or identification of a new session between the first computer and the second computer through the second network without using a single-sign-on mechanism in which one or more tickets are passed between the first computer and the second computer to service the remote resource to the user, and

authentication of the user on the first computer grants the user access to the remote resource on the second computer; and

enabling, by the first computer, the user to access the remote resource by using the new session.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, receiving the request comprising:

identifying a first session between the user and the first computer;

allowing the user to access a product or a service on the first computer upon or after authenticating or authorizing the first session; and

receiving the request from the user via the first session.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, performing the automatic logon for the user being performed without user intervention.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the request from the user to access the remote resource comprising a single click in a user interface displayed by the user computing device.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, performing the automatic logon comprising identifying or creating the new session between the first computer and the second computer, the user being authenticated or authorized to the second computer via the new session.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, the user being authenticated or authorized to the second computer utilizing an aggregation process.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising invoking the aggregation process on the first computer.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, invoking the aggregation process comprising:

causing a subdomain delegation for a subdomain of a parent domain to be created on the second computer hosting the remote resource; and

creating or configuring a zone and domain name server records for the sub domain of the parent domain to direct access to the second computer to the first computer.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, the sub domain of the parent domain being created or configured on the first computer.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising creating or configuring a third system for the zone and the domain name server records for the sub domain of the parent domain.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, causing the sub domain delegation for the subdomain of the parent domain to be created on the second computer comprising:

identifying or creating a parent zone in the second computer hosting the parent domain in which the remote resource reside; and

creating or modifying a DNS (domain name server) zone file for the parent domain.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, causing the sub domain delegation for the sub domain of the parent domain to be created on the second computer comprising identifying or creating a sub domain zone on the first computer.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, identifying or creating the subdomain zone on the first computer comprises:

identifying or creating the subdomain zone on the first computer; and

identifying or generating a subdomain configuration file that includes configurations of the sub domain.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, causing the sub domain delegation for the sub domain of the parent domain to be created on the second computer further comprises modifying the sub domain configuration file.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 11, creating or modifying the DNS (domain name server) zone file for the parent domain comprising:

defining a name server for the parent domain in the DNS zone file; and

defining an address record for the name server in the DNS zone file.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, creating or modifying the DNS (domain name server) zone file for the parent domain further comprises at least one of:

defining a parent domain level server, host, or service in the DNS zone file; and

defining the sub domain configuration for the parent domain in the DNS zone file.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

utilizing the aggregation process to retrieve or identify a user credential stored and accessible by the first computer; and

transmitting the user credential to the second computer for authenticating or authorizing the user on the second computer.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, further comprising receiving a cookie from the second computer for authenticating or authorizing the user, transmitting the user credential comprising sending the cookie with the user credential to the second computer.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 17, the user being authenticated or authorized to the second computer utilizing a cookie, transmitting the user credential comprising transmitting the cookie with the user credential to the second computer.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 1, enabling the user to access the remote resource by using the new session comprising:

identifying a URL (uniform resource locator) redirection and a cookie received by the first computer from the second computer;

setting a browser cookie for a user browser on a parent domain of the second system; and

redirecting the user browser to a parent domain hosting the remote resource on the second computer via the new session.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20, setting the browser cookie comprising:

identifying content of the cookie;

identifying a session identifier for the new session based at least in part upon the content of the cookie; and

generating or modifying the browser cookie by using at least the session identifier.

22. A system for implementing user access to a remote resource, comprising a first computer that communicates with a user through a first network and is configured to at least receive at the first computer, a request from the user through the first network to access the remote resource, wherein the remote resource resides on a second computer accessible by the first computer through a second network, perform, at the first computer, identification of stored user credentials by identifying and retrieving the stored user credentials from a central store remote from the user computing device, automatic logon for the user using at least a thin-client architecture to transmit, to the second computer, stored user credentials, which are used to authenticate or authorize the user to access the remote resource on the second computer, wherein the stored user credentials are centrally stored in the central store, and the user computing device is authenticated or authorized to access the remote resource on the second computer without transmitting the stored user credentials from the user computing device, and initiation or identification of a new session between the first computer and the second computer through the second network without using a single-sign-on mechanism in which one or more tickets are passed between the first computer and the second computer to service the remote resource to the user, and authentication of the user on the first computer grants the user access to the remote resource on the second computer, and enable, by the first computer, the user to access the remote resource by using the new session.

23. The system of claim 22, in which the first computer that is configured to receive the request is further configured to identify a first session between the user and the first computer, allow the user to access a product or a service on the first system upon or after authenticating or authorizing the first session, and receive the request from the user via the first session.

24. The system of claim 22, in which the first computer that is configured to perform the automatic logon for the user is further configured to identify or create the new session between the first computer and the second computer, cause the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer via the new session by using an aggregation process, invoke the aggregation process on the first computer, use the aggregation process to retrieve or identify a user credential that is stored and accessible by the first computer, transmit the user credential from the aggregation process to the second computer for authenticating or authorizing the user on the second computer, cause a sub domain delegation for a sub domain of a parent domain to be created on the second computer hosting the remote resource, wherein the first computer that is configured to cause the subdomain delegation to be created is further configured to create or configure a zone and domain name server records for the sub domain of the parent domain;

and create or configure a third system for the zone and the domain name server records for the sub domain of the parent domain.

25. The system of claim 22, the at least one of the one or more processor cores configured for performing the action of causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer, the action of causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer further comprising identifying or creating a parent zone in the second computer hosting the parent domain in which the remote resource reside, creating or modifying a DNS (domain name server) zone file for the parent domain, and identifying or creating a sub domain zone on the first computer.

26. The system of claim 22, the at least one of the one or more processor cores configured for performing the action of causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer, the action of causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer further comprising receiving a cookie from the second computer for authenticating or authorizing the user, wherein the action of transmitting the user credential further comprises sending the cookie with the user credential to the second computer.

27. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer accessible storage medium having one or more instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a process for implementing user access to a remote resource, the process comprising:

receiving, at a first computer, a request from a user through a first network to access the remote resource, wherein the remote resource resides on a second computer accessible by the first computer through a second network, performing, at the first computer, identification of stored user credentials by identifying and retrieving the stored user credentials from a central store remote from the user computing device, automatic logon for the user using at least a thin-client architecture to transmit, to the second computer, stored user credentials, which are used to authenticate or authorize the user to access the remote resource on the second computer, wherein the stored user credentials are centrally stored in the central store, and the user computing device is authenticated or authorized to access the remote resource on the second computer without transmitting the stored user credentials from the user computing device, and initiation or identification of a new session between the first computer and the second computer through the second network without using a single-sign-on mechanism in which one or more tickets are passed between the first computer and the second computer to service the remote resource to the user, and authentication of the user on the first computer grants the user access to the remote resource on the second computer, and enabling, by the first computer, the user to access the remote resource by using the new session.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, the action of receiving the request comprises further comprising:

identifying a first session between the user and the first computer, allowing the user to access a product or a service on the first computer upon or after authenticating or authorizing the first session, and receiving the request from the user via the first session.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 27, the action of performing the automatic logon for the user further comprising:

identifying or creating the new session between the first computer and the second computer, causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer via the new session by using an 5 aggregation process, invoking the aggregation process on the first computer, using the aggregation process to retrieve or identify a user credential that is stored and accessible by the first computer, transmitting the user credential from the aggregation process to the second computer for authenticating or authorizing the user on the second computer, causing a subdomain delegation for a sub domain of a parent domain to be created on the second computer hosting the remote resource, the action of causing the subdomain delegation to be created comprising;

creating or configuring a zone and domain name server records for the sub domain of the parent domain, and creating or configuring a third system for the zone and the domain name server records for the subdomain of the parent domain.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 27, the action of causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer further comprising:

identifying or creating a parent zone in the second computer hosting the parent domain in which the remote resource reside, creating or modifying a DNS (domain name server) zone file for the parent domain, and identifying or creating a subdomain zone on the first computer.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 27, the action of causing the user to be authenticated or authorized to the second computer further comprising:

receiving a cookie from the second computer for authenticating or authorizing the user, wherein the action of transmitting the user credential further comprises sending the cookie with the user credential to the second computer.

32. A computer implemented method for implementing user access to a remote resource, comprising:

receiving, at a first computer, a request from a user computing device through a first network to access the remote resource residing on a second computer accessible by the first computer through a second network;

performing, at the first computer;

identification of stored user credentials by utilizing an aggregation mechanism to identify and retrieve user credentials stored in a central store accessible by the first computer and remote from the user computing device;

automatic logon for the user using at least a thin-client architecture to transmit, from the central store rather than from the user computing device to the second computer, the stored user credentials for authenticating or authorizing the user to access the remote resource on the second computer, without using a single-sign-on mechanism in which one or more tickets are passed between the first computer and the second computer to service the remote resource to the user;

initiation or identification of a new session between the first computer and the second computer through the second network, and

authentication of the user on the first computer grants the user access to the remote resource on the second computer; and

enabling, by the first computer, the user to access the remote resource by using the new session.