SECREGATING ANONYMOUS ACCESS TO DYNAMIC CONTENT ON A WEB SERVER, WITH CACHED LOGONS

• US 20110282909A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Hicks, Brian C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A system and method are provided for segregating access to dynamic content on multiple websites hosted by a web server. When a request is received for dynamic content from a website, a UserRetriever module identifies a path to the content and retrieves a username and password corresponding to the website, from a database that is separate from the web server and used for other purposes (e.g., billing). A UserImpersonator module requests a logon handle for that username from a logon cache manager. The logon handle is used to associate the request with the impersonated user account instead of the default anonymous user account with which the request was initially associated. The dynamic content is retrieved and served under the context of the restricted impersonated user account session, after which the applied logon handle is stripped off and the request is re-associated with the default anonymous user account.

Claims

1. Apparatus for serving content from multiple websites, the apparatus comprising:

one or more computer servers executing a plurality of web server instances to serve content of multiple websites;

a single database, external to the one or more computer serves and shared among the plurality of web server instances, for mapping between a request for a content item of a website and a user account to be used to process the request;

wherein the user account is configured with permission to access content of the website associated with the dynamic content item, but not content of another website among the multiple websites.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one content repository configured to store content served by the websites.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each web server instance is configured to refer to the single database for said mapping, and not a metabase associated with the web service instance.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single database is a database other than a metabase implemented with Internet Information Services software.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single database comprises information for managing operation of the one or more computer servers, in addition to said mapping.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the information comprises a path to the requested content item.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

addresses of content repositories storing content served by the multiple websites; and

paths to content stored on the content repositories.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

billing data;

service provisioning information;

domain names of the websites; and

usage statistics of the websites.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single database is a database whose contents are altered every time the web servicing environment changes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple websites include more than 10,000 websites.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple websites include more than 100,000 websites.

12. A method of serving content, the method comprising:

receiving a content request at a first web server of a plurality of web server instances executing on one or more computer servers, wherein the content request is for content of a first website of multiple websites hosted by the plurality of web server instances;

associating the content request with a default anonymous user account on the first web server, wherein virtually all anonymous content requests received at the first web server are associated with the default anonymous user account;

querying a central database separate from the one or more computer servers for a custom user account corresponding to the first website;

associating the content request with the custom user account instead of the default anonymous user account, wherein the custom user account is configured with permission to access the first website but not another website hosted by the plurality of web server instances; and

serving the requested content.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating the central database whenever the web servicing environment changes.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the central database is a database other than a metabase implemented with Internet Information Services software.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the central database comprises information for managing operation of the one or more computer servers, in addition to said mapping.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information comprises a path to the requested content item.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

addresses of content repositories storing content served by the multiple websites; and

paths to content stored on the content repositories.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

billing data;

service provisioning information;

domain names of the websites; and

usage statistics of the websites.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the central database is configured to support over 10,000 websites hosted by the plurality of web server instances.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the central database is configured to support over 100,000 websites hosted by the plurality of web server instances.