Methods and systems for providing improved security when using a uniform resource locator (URL) or other address or identifier

• US 7,930,289 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cheshire, Stuart D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S
• Application Number:
  US11/497,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/101, 707/709, 707/783
• US Class Current: 707/709
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

Methods and systems for improving security when accessing a URL, such as a Web site. In one exemplary method, a user is warned if a previously unvisited Web site being accessed originated from an email message or other electronic source external to a Web browser being used to access the Web site. Other methods, as well as data processing systems and machine-readable media, are also described.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

obtaining a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) from an input source;

determining whether the input source includes typing by a user who is seeking to access a resource at the URL;

determining, by a data processing system in response to obtaining the URL, whether to add the URL to a list of trusted URLs, wherein if the input source includes typing by the user, the URL is added to the list of trusted URLs;

receiving an input from the user to access a Web site through the URL (Uniform Resource Locator);

verifying if the Web site is determined to be trusted, wherein verifying if the Web site is trusted comprises determining a host name of the URL and comparing the host name to a history of host names of Web sites visited and indicated to be trusted; and

presenting a warning to the user if the Web site is not trusted.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the host name is determined by heuristics based on the URL that is partly comprised of a host name and wherein the host name is further comprised of DNS labels.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the verifying if the Web site has been deemed trusted comprises examining a history list containing all sites previously visited by the user and wherein the history list is shared among a plurality of application programs.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein each entry in the user history list is one of a host name of a site visited by the user and accepted as trusted or a full URL.

5. The method as in claim 3 wherein a listing service run by an operating system maintains and updates the history list and interacts with a plurality of application programs through which the user can access a Web site.

6. The method as in claim 3 wherein entries to the history list are made by an importer program that reports at least a portion of the URL of any Web sites visited by the user using a plurality of application programs.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the presenting of the warning to the user further comprises generating and displaying a list of Web sites with similar host names that have been previously visited by the user.

7. The method as in claim wherein an electronic document, which includes the URL, is presented through a non-Web browser application program and may be one of an email message, an instant messaging message, a PDF document or any other form of electronic communication or electronic document that can include a URL in its content.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium providing executable program instructions for causing, when executed, a data processing system to perform a method of managing data, the method comprising:

obtaining a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) from an input source;

determining whether the input source includes typing by a user who is seeking to access a resource at the URL;

determining, by a data processing system in response to obtaining the URL, whether to add the URL to a list of trusted URLs, wherein if the input source includes typing by the user, the URL is added to the list of trusted URLs;

receiving an input from the user to access a Web site through the URL included in an electronic document;

verifying if the Web site is determined to be trusted, wherein verifying if the Web site is trusted comprises determining a host name of the URL and comparing the host name to a history of host names of Web sites visited and indicated to be trusted; and

presenting a warning to the user if the Web site is not trusted.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium as in claim 9 wherein the verifying if the Web site has been determined trusted further comprises examining a history list containing all sites previously visited by the user and wherein the history list is shared among a plurality of application programs.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium as in claim 10 wherein the electronic document is presented through a non-Web browser application program and may be one of an email message, an instant messaging message, a PDF document or any other form of electronic communication or electronic document that can include a URL in its content.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium as in claim 10 wherein each entry in the history list is one of a full URL or is a host name of a site visited by the user and accepted as trusted.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium as in claim 10 wherein a listing service run by an operating system maintains and updates the history list and interacts with a plurality of application programs through which the user can access a Web site.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium as in claim 10 wherein entries to the history list are made by an importer program that reports at least a portion of the URL of any Web sites visited by the user using a plurality of application programs.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium as in claim 9 wherein the presenting of the warning to the user further comprises generating and displaying a list of Web sites with similar host names that have been previously visited by the user.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) from an input source;

means for determining whether the input source includes typing by a user who is seeking to access a resource at the URL;

means for determining, by a data processing system in response to obtaining the URL, whether to add the URL to a list of trusted URLs, wherein if the input source includes typing by the user, the URL is added to the list of trusted URLs;

means for receiving an input from the user to access a Web site through the URL included in an electronic document;

means for verifying if the Web site is determined to be trusted, wherein verifying if the Web site is trusted comprises determining a host name of the URL and comparing the host name to a history of host names of Web sites visited and indicated to be trusted; and

means for presenting a warning to the user if the Web site is not trusted.