Limited-use browser and security system

• US 7,130,831 B2
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CDN Innovations, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
• Inventors: HOWARD, CHRISTOPHER J., LEVY, PETER S., DE LA CUESTA, JOSHUE D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELISCA, PIERRE E
• Application Number:
  US09/393,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20020069365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,608 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/191, 713/201, 713/192, 713/202, 713/193, 713/188, 380/201, 380/202, 380/205, 380/239, 380/241, 380/210, 709/229, 705/57, 705/58, 705/59, 348/7, 348/10, 717/11, 726/17, 726/3
• US Class Current: 705/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1064 Restricting content processing at operating system level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A limited-use browser and related security system control access to content stored on a server computer linked to a network. The security system secures the content on the server and only permits it to be downloaded to a client computer running the limited-user browser or a general purpose browser executing an add-in security module providing the same functions as the limited-user browser. The limited-use browser or module secures the downloaded content on the client computer and displays it in a “view-only” mode. While the secured content is being displayed, menu selections, key combination, or pointing device commands initiated on the client computer that would modify the content or create a copy on another medium are either disabled as a default or monitored to determine if the action is permitted.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser; and

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function that affects the downloaded content when the downloaded content is within the browser window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the disallowed user function is one of a plurality of default disallowed user functions and further comprising:

leaving active one of the plurality of default disallowed user functions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing information with the downloaded content that determines the one of the plurality of default disallowed user functions to be left active.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the disallowed user function is selected from the group consisting of print, page setup, save, save as, view source, save picture as, set as wallpaper, copy, screen capture, screen print, cut.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising managing authentication of a web client.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing a request from a web client for encrypted content.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating a unique identifier for a web client.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting content before downloading with a key based on the unique identifier for the web client.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded content comprises user perceivable information in a hyper-text markup language (HTML) format.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded content comprises user perceivable streaming information.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded content comprises at least one of video information and audio information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded content comprises user perceivable information in a scripting language format.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded content comprises user perceivable information in a common gateway interface (CGI) language format.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded content comprises user perceivable information in a JAVA language format.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information comprises a plug-in program that is downloaded before the content is downloaded.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is part of a document that includes the content.

17. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by intercepting a message posted to the browser window; and

hiding the downloaded content if the browser is not a foreground application.

18. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser; and

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by clearing a commonly shared inter-application memory that can contain the downloaded content.

19. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser; and

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by hiding a user menu selection that affects the downloaded content corresponding to the disallowed user function.

20. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by intercepting a keyboard message that affects the downloaded content; and

discarding the keyboard message if it corresponds to the disallowed user function.

21. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by monitoring a context for a device; and

discarding a user action directed to the device when the context matches the downloaded content.

22. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;

downloading content from the source to the local computer system;

presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser; and

as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system when the downloaded content is within the browser window, a user function that provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the content.

23. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause a client digital processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving from a server digital processing system, authorization information that configures a browser window client executing on the client digital processing system to process content in a manner determined by the server digital processing system;

receiving protected content from the server digital processing system;

presenting the protected content within the browser window client executing on the client digital processing system; and

as determined by the server digital processing system in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the client digital processing system disallowed user functions when the protected content is in the browser window, wherein the disallowed user function comprises a user function which, when allowed, provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the protected content.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the medium has stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause the client digital processing system to perform the method further comprising:

intercepting a message posted to the browser window; and

hiding the protected content if the browser is not a foreground application.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein the medium has stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause the client digital processing system to perform the method in which the disallowed user function is enabled when content in the browser window is not designated to be protected such that non-ephemeral reproduction of such content is allowed.

26. A system for controlling reproduction of content downloaded from a source over a network to a client computer system comprising:

means for receiving from the source, authorization information that configures a web browser executing in the client computer system to process content in a manner determined by the source;

means responsive to the authorization information for modifying the web browser to prevent the web browser from being used to reproduce, in at least one form, content received by the web browser;

means for receiving at the client computer system the downloaded content to be protected; and

means for displaying in the web browser the protected content.

27. In a local computer system operatively connectable to a source of content and capable of executing a web browser and a viewer program that runs within the web browser, the viewer program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

(A) downloading the viewer program from the source;

(B) receiving from the source function authorization data indicating which of the viewer functions may be performed at the local computer system on the content;

(C) receiving content from the source;

(D) presenting the content with the viewer program; and

(E) disabling at the local computer system selected viewer functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the disabled viewer functions are selected from the group consisting of print, page set-up, save, save as, view source, save picture as, set as wallpaper, copy, screen capture, print screen and cut functions.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the viewer program comprises an add-in security module that modifies the web browser at the local computer system.

30. A computer program product for use with a local computer system operatively coupled to a source of content, the local computer system capable of executing a web browser and a viewer program that runs within the web browser, the viewer program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:

(A) program code for downloading the viewer program from the source to the local computer system;

(B) program code for receiving, at the local computer system and from the source, function authorization data indicating which of the viewer functions may be performed at the local computer system on the content;

(C) program code for receiving content from the source at the local computer system;

(D) program code for presenting the content with the viewer program; and

(E) program code for disabling at the local computer system selected viewer functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

31. The computer program product of claim 30 wherein the disabled viewer functions are selected from the group consisting of print, page set-up, save, save as, view source, save picture as, set as wallpaper, copy, screen capture, print screen and cut functions.

32. The computer program product of claim 30 wherein the viewer program comprises an add-in security module that modifies the web browser at the local computer system.

33. Apparatus for use with a local computer system operatively coupled to a source of content, the local computer system capable of executing a web browser and a viewer program that runs within the web browser, the viewer program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, the apparatus comprising:

(A) a processor;

(B) a memory coupled to the processor;

(C) a network interface coupled to the processor and the memory;

(D) program logic for downloading the viewer program from the source to the local computer system;

(E) program logic for receiving, at the local computer system and from the source, function authorization data indicating which of the viewer functions may be performed at the local computer system on the content;

(F) program logic for receiving, at the local computer system, content from the source;

(G) program logic for presenting the content with the viewer program; and

(H) program logic for disabling at the local computer system selected viewer functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the disabled viewer functions are selected from the group consisting of print, page set-up, save, save as, view source, save picture as, set as wallpaper, copy, screen capture, print screen and cut functions.

35. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the viewer program comprises an add-in security module that modifies the web browser.

36. In a local computer system operatively connected to a source of content and capable of executing a presentation program, the presentation program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

(A) receiving, at the local computer system, a document containing function authorization data and content from the source, the function authorization data specifying which presentation program functions are enabled and disabled;

(B) displaying the content with the presentation program;

(C) monitoring user command input to the presentation program; and

(D) selectively enabling at the local computer system presentation program functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein (D) comprises:

(D1) determining if the authorization data associated with the content defines restrictions on the presentation program functions;

(D2) if restrictions are defined, disallowing at the local computer system selected program functions; and

(D3) if no restrictions are defined, allowing at the local computer system all presentation program functions.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the disallowed user functions are selected from the group consisting of print, page set-up, save, save as, view source, save picture as, set as wallpaper, copy, screen capture, print screen and cut functions.

39. In a local computer system operatively connected to a source of content and capable of executing a presentation program, the presentation program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

(A) receiving, at the local computer system, a document containing authorization information and content from the source, the authorization information specifying which presentation program functions are enabled and disabled;

(B) displaying the content with the presentation program;

(C) monitoring user command input to the presentation program; and

(D) using the authorization information to enable at the local computer system less than all of the presentation program functions while the content is being presented.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the disallowed user functions are selected from the group consisting of print, page set-up, save, save as, view source, save picture as, set as wallpaper, copy, screen capture, print screen and cut functions.

41. In a local computer system operatively connected to a source of content and capable of executing a presentation program, the presentation program capable of presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

(A) running the presentation program in a web browser executing on the local computer system;

(B) receiving, at the local computer system, a document containing authorization information and content from the source, the authorization information specifying which presentation program functions are enabled and disabled;

(C) displaying the content with the presentation program; and

(D) using the authorization information to control the presentation program to prevent non-ephemeral reproduction of the content being displayed with the presentation program.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein (D) comprises:

(D1) limiting at the local computer system user control over the content through a technique selected from the group consisting of window subclassing, clipboard flushing, disabling of browser functions, source code encryption, user level encryption, document package securing, drag and drop disabling, cache content securing, and device context monitoring.