Systems and methods for utilizing uni-directional inter-host communication in an air gap environment

• US 9,306,906 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Fry, Benjamin, Kral, Timothy, Chen, Simon, Falko, Andrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason K
• Application Number:
  US14/225,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20140289792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A request message is generated with a trusted network entity executing trusted code on a first network layer. The request message to target a non-trusted network entity executing non-trusted code on a second network layer. The request message is transmitted from the trusted network entity to the non-trusted network entity through at least a policy enforcement entity. The policy enforcement entity applies one or more network traffic rules to enforce a unidirectional flow of traffic from the first network layer to the second network layer. A response check message is generated with the trusted network entity. The response check message to determine whether response information is available on the non-trusted network entity in response to the request message. The response check message is transmitted from the trusted network entity to the non-trusted network entity through at least the policy enforcement entity. The response check message to determine whether the response information is stored in a conceptual mailbox on the non-trusted network entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a request message, with a trusted network entity executing trusted code on a first network layer, the request message to target a non-trusted network entity executing non-trusted code, on a second network layer;

transmitting the request message from the trusted network entity to the non-trusted network entity through at least a policy enforcement entity, wherein the policy enforcement entity applies one or more network traffic rules to enforce a unidirectional flow of traffic from the first network layer to the second network layer;

generating a response check message with the trusted network entity, the response check message to determine whether response information is available on the non-trusted network entity in response to the request message; and

transmitting the response check message from the trusted network entity to the non-trusted network entity through at least the policy enforcement entity, the response check message to determine whether the response information is stored in a conceptual mailbox on the non-trusted network entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted network entity comprises a management server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the non-trusted network entity comprises a compute layer server.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted network entity is part of a first virtual private network (VPN), the non-trusted network entity is part of a second VPN, and the firewall is configured to communicate with both the first VPN and the second VPN.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted network entity is part of a first virtual local area network (VLAN), the non-trusted network entity is part of a second VLAN, and the firewall is configured to communicate with both the first VLAN and the second VLAN.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted network entity is a management server within an on demand services environment and the non-trusted network entity is a content server within the on demand services environment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the on demand services environment comprises a multi-tenant database environment.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, is configurable to:

generate a request message, with a trusted network entity executing trusted code on a first network layer, the request message to target a non-trusted network entity executing non-trusted code, on a second network layer;

transmit the request message from the trusted network entity to the non-trusted network entity through at least a policy enforcement entity, wherein the policy enforcement entity applies one or more network traffic rules to enforce a unidirectional flow of traffic from the first network layer to the second network layer;

generate a response check message with the trusted network entity, the response check message to determine whether response information is available on the non-trusted network entity in response to the request message; and

transmit the response check message from the trusted network entity to the non-trusted network entity through at least the policy enforcement entity, the response check message to determine whether the response information is stored in a conceptual mailbox on the non-trusted network entity.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the trusted network entity comprises a management server.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the non-trusted network entity comprises a compute layer server.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the trusted network entity is part of a first virtual private network (VPN), the non-trusted network entity is part of a second VPN, and the firewall is configured to communicate with both the first VPN and the second VPN.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the trusted network entity is part of a first virtual local area network (VLAN), the non-trusted network entity is part of a second VLAN, and the firewall is configured to communicate with both the first VLAN and the second VLAN.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the trusted network entity is a management server within an on demand services environment and the non-trusted network entity is a content server within the on demand services environment.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the on demand services environment comprises a multi-tenant database environment.