Systems and methods for managing web browser histories

• US 9,262,646 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Yeo, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thanh T
• Application Number:
  US13/907,378
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for managing web browser histories may include (1) identifying a website visited via a web browser, (2) selecting one or more website categories for which websites are not to be referenced in the web browser history, (3) querying a website categorization database to verify whether the visited website belongs to a selected website category, (4) receiving, in response to querying the website categorization database, an indication that the website belongs to a selected website category, and (5) blocking, based on the website belonging to a selected category, the website from being referenced in the web browser history. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing web browser histories, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying a visit to a website, wherein the website was visited via a web browser installed on the computing device;

selecting at least one website category for which websites are not to be referenced in a web browser history that is accessible to the web browser;

querying, with an identifier for the visited website, a remote centralized website categorization database that maps websites to website categories for a category indication that indicates that the website belongs to the website category;

receiving, at the computing device from the remote centralized website categorization database, the category indication that indicates that the website belongs to the website category;

using the category indication to cache, in a local cache at the computing device a history indication, in an encrypted form, that indicates that the website belongs to the website category and as a result should not be referenced in the web browser history;

after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database;

identifying a subsequent visit to the website;

querying the local cache to identify the history indication that indicates that the website should not be referenced in the web browser history; and

blocking the website from being referenced in the web browser history in response to identifying the history indication that indicates that the website should not be referenced in the web browser history.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the website category comprises:

displaying a user interface element that enables a user to select the website category;

receiving from the user a selection of the website category.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

querying the remote centralized website categorization database for a list of website categories, prior to displaying the user interface element;

including the website category in the user interface element based on identifying the website category within the list of website categories.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the website category previously selected via the user interface to not be referenced in the web browser history is encrypted, and stored in a data store;

selecting the website category comprises retrieving the encrypted website category from the data store and decrypting the website category to determine that the website category is not to be referenced in the web browser history.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein decrypting the website category comprises authenticating a user that previously selected the website category via the user interface to preserve the website category having been selected as private to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

caching the history indication comprises;

caching an encrypted version of the identifier for the visited website in the local cache;

caching, in response to receiving the category indication from the remote centralized website categorization database, the website category in the local cache in association with the encrypted version of the identifier;

identifying the subsequent visit to the website comprises identifying a subsequent website identifier of the website;

blocking the website from being referenced in the web browser history comprises searching the local cache with the subsequent website identifier and determining that the website category is associated with the subsequent website because the subsequent website identifier matches the identifier for the visited website.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

caching the encrypted version of the identifier for the visited website comprises encrypting the identifier for the visited website using a one-way hash function;

searching the local cache with the subsequent website identifier comprises encrypting the subsequent website identifier with the one-way hash function and searching the local cache with the encrypted subsequent website identifier to identify the website category associated with the visited website without revealing the identifier for the visited website.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the website category comprises a category of website content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the visited website comprises retrieving the identifier for the visited website from the web browser history;

blocking the website from being referenced in the web browser history comprises deleting the identifier for the visited website from the web browser history.

10. A system for managing web browser histories, the system comprising:

a memory that stores;

an identification module that identifies a visit to a website, wherein the website was visited via a web browser;

a selection module that selects at least one website category for which websites are not to be referenced in a web browser history that is accessible to the web browser;

a query module that queries, with an identifier for the visited website, a remote centralized website categorization database that maps websites to website categories for a category indication that indicates that the website belongs to the website category;

a receiving module that receives, from the remote centralized website categorization database, the category indication that indicates that the website belongs to the website category;

a caching module that uses the category indication to cache, in a local cache a history indication, in an encrypted form, that indicates that the website belongs to the website category and as a result should not be referenced in the web browser history, wherein;

the identification module further identifies, after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database, a subsequent visit to the website;

the query module further queries, after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database, the local cache to identify the history indication that indicates that the website should not be referenced in the web browser history;

a blocking module that blocks, after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database, the website from being referenced in the web browser history in response to identifying the history indication that indicates that the website should not be referenced in the web browser history;

at least one processor that executes the identification module, the selection module, the query module, the receiving module, and the blocking module.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the selection module selects the website category by:

displaying a user interface element that enables a user to select the website category;

receiving from the user a selection of the website category.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection module:

queries the remote centralized website categorization database for a list of website categories, prior to displaying the user interface element;

includes the website category in the user interface element based on identifying the website category within the list of website categories.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the website category previously selected via the user interface to not be referenced in the web browser history is encrypted, and stored in a data store;

the selection module selects the website category by retrieving the encrypted website category from the data store and decrypting the website category to determine that the website category is not to be referenced in the web browser history.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein decrypting the website category comprises authenticating a user that previously selected the website category via the user interface to preserve the website category having been selected as private to the user.

15. The system of claim 10:

wherein the caching module caches the history indication by;

caching an encrypted version of the identifier for the visited website in the local cache;

caching the website category in the local cache in association with the encrypted version of the identifier in response to the category indication having been received from the remote centralized website categorization database;

wherein the identification module identifies the subsequent visit to the website by identifying a subsequent website identifier of the website;

wherein the blocking module blocks the website from being referenced in the web browser history based on searching the local cache with the subsequent website identifier and determining that the website category is associated with the subsequent website because the subsequent website identifier matches the identifier for the visited website.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the caching module caches the encrypted version of the identifier for the visited website by encrypting the identifier for the visited website using a one-way hash function;

the blocking module searches the local cache with the subsequent website identifier by encrypting the subsequent website identifier with the one-way hash function and searches the local cache with the encrypted subsequent website identifier to identify the website category associated with the visited website, without revealing the identifier for the visited website.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the blocking module blocks the website from being referenced in the web browser history by preventing the website identifier from being saved in the web browser history.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the identification module identifies the visited website by retrieving the identifier for the visited website from the web browser history;

the blocking module blocks the website from being referenced in the web browser history by deleting the identifier for the visited website from the web browser history.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions executed by at least one processor of a computing device that cause the computing device to:

identify a visit to a website, wherein the website was visited via a web browser installed on the computing device;

select at least one website category for which websites are not to be referenced in a web browser history that is accessible to the web browser;

query, with an identifier for the visited website, a remote centralized website categorization database that maps websites to website categories for a category indication that indicates that the website belongs to the website category;

receive, at the computing device from the remote centralized website categorization database, the category indication that indicates that the website belongs to the website category;

use the category indication to cache, in a local cache at the computing device, a history indication, in an encrypted form, that indicates that the website belongs to the website category and as a result should not be referenced in the web browser history;

identify, after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database, a subsequent visit to the website;

query, after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database, the local cache to identify the history indication that indicates that the website should not be referenced in the web browser history;

block, after the category indication is received from the remote centralized website categorization database and without querying the remote centralized website categorization database, the website from being referenced in the web browser history in response to identifying the history indication that indicates that the website should not be referenced in the web browser history.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the computing device, further cause the computing device to:

display a user interface element that enables a user to select the website category;

receive from the user a selection of the website category.