Automated method for establishing a record of internet browsing

Abstract

The invention relates to an automated method for establishing a record of internet browsing activity. The automated method implements the following steps: a) receiving by a recording server a request to establish a record of internet browsing activity, originating from a client used by a natural person; b) updating the recording server to comply with a standard for establishing a record of internet browsing activity; c) launching on the recording server a browsing application, conforming to said standard, to browse the internet; d) launching on the recording server a recording application allowing the real-time recording of a video stream as well as an audio stream, originating from the browsing application;e) establishment of a communication gateway between the monitoring server and the client, so as to allow a natural person to browse the internet via the browsing application; f) at the request of the natural person, transmission to the client of a browsing report carried out by the monitoring server, the browsing report including the recording made by the recording application.

Description

Title of the invention: Automated method for establishing an internet browsing report Technical field to which the invention relates

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of internet browsing and, more particularly, to an automated method for establishing an internet browsing report. Technological background

[0002] The Internet, as a vast global network, has revolutionized the way individuals and businesses interact, communicate, and conduct business. However, this digital ubiquity has also opened the door to a multitude of challenges, among which online fraud and scams occupy a worrying place.

[0003] Individuals and businesses are facing a growing range of fraudulent tactics designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the online world. From sophisticated phishing emails to fraudulent websites imitating legitimate businesses and misleading online sales ads, these malicious practices often target users' gullibility and trust. Individuals can suffer financial losses and a breach of privacy, while businesses face financial repercussions, reputational damage, and IT security challenges.

[0004] In this context, it has become essential to be able to prove these fraudulent actions, prior to any legal action, in order to obtain compensation for the damages suffered. Establishing incontestable proof is therefore of crucial importance. It is customary to use a bailiff to obtain this type of proof.

[0005] It should be noted that for an online bailiff's report to have the same probative force as a physical report, several prerequisites must be scrupulously observed by the bailiff. These requirements include a detailed description of the equipment used, precise traceability of the computer's IP address, identification of the internet browser used, as well as other technical parameters. If one of these elements is not mentioned, the bailiff's report may be called into question or even annulled.

[0006] A disadvantage associated with a bailiff's description of internet browsing lies in the internet browsing process. When a bailiff performs an online check, he must go through several steps to reach the page or specific content to be observed. This can include search engine searches, link clicks, form interactions, and many other actions. However, this approach may have limitations.

[0007] First of all, certain confidential information may be necessary to reach a desired web page. It will then be necessary to communicate this information to the bailiff in advance to enable him to reach said page. However, the transmission of confidential information always presents a risk of misappropriation. In addition, the disclosure of such information to a third party, even if it is a professional such as a bailiff, raises legitimate concerns regarding confidentiality and security. Finally, some sites require the entry of ephemeral codes (double authentication), which cannot be communicated in advance to the bailiff, given their very short validity period, making it impossible for the bailiff to independently determine them.

[0008] According to another disadvantage, the content as well as the appearance of a website can change depending on the connection address and the geographical location of the user. Thus, the description made by a bailiff may not correspond to the navigation carried out by his client, when the bailiff makes his report from a computer different from that of his client.

[0009] Another disadvantage is that some web pages may have content that loads asynchronously or based on user interaction. This can make the bailiff's task even more complex, as he or she may fail to describe important navigational elements due to the dynamic nature of page loading. It is then possible that the bailiff may unintentionally omit certain navigational steps or fail to comprehensively document all relevant elements of a web page. For example, if a page requires complex interactions such as scrolling, expanding sections, or entering specific data, it may be difficult for the bailiff to reproduce every detail with complete accuracy.

[0010] According to another disadvantage, in the dynamic environment of the Internet, online content can be modified or deleted quickly, thus compromising the availability of crucial evidence. It is therefore essential that the bailiff can be responsive, in order to carry out his description before any modification or disappearance of the incriminated web page. However, the bailiff may not be available at all times, which could result in the loss of the possibility of carrying out the proof in a timely manner. This can therefore cause very significant harm to the applicant who may see his evidence disappear in this time interval. This time constraint can create a real race against time to capture online elements before they disappear.

[0011] In addition to this concern, the cost of having a bailiff produce a report of internet browsing can be expensive. The many tedious steps involved, such as manual browsing, capturing screenshots, and detailed descriptions of items, can result in substantial fees. These costs can add up quickly, especially when the evidence requires extensive documentation. This financial reality can create accessibility barriers for many parties involved, thus limiting the scope of this legal process.

[0012] The present invention aims to address the problems mentioned above, by proposing an innovative solution making it possible to automate the establishment of an internet browsing report, while guaranteeing the authenticity and integrity of the report, at a reduced cost and in a significantly shorter time. Subject of the invention

[0013] To this end, the invention proposes an automated method for establishing an internet browsing report, characterized in that the following steps are implemented:

[0014] a) reception by a reporting server of a request to establish a report of internet browsing, coming from a client used by a natural person;

[0015] b) updating the observation server so as to comply with a standard for establishing an observation on the Internet;

[0016] c) launching on the observation server a navigation application, compliant with said standard, for browsing the Internet;

[0017] d) launching on the observation server a recording application allowing the real-time recording of a video stream and / or an audio stream, originating from the navigation application;

[0018] e) establishing a communication gateway between the observation server and the client, so as to allow the natural person to browse the Internet via the browsing application;

[0019] f) at the request of the natural person, transmission to the client of a navigation report carried out by the reporting server, the navigation report including the recording carried out by the recording application.

[0020] According to the present invention, the term "server" refers to a computer or computer system designed to respond to the requests, queries and needs of other computers, devices or software, called clients. The term "client" refers to any device that can connect to the server, such as a workstation, a smartphone, a computer or the like.

[0021] According to the present invention, the term "navigation application", also known as a web browser, denotes software designed to allow the server to access and explore content on the internet. By way of non-limiting example, the browsing application may refer to one of the following applications: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave or equivalent.

[0022] According to the present invention, the term "communication gateway", also known as a network gateway, refers to a hardware or software device that allows connectivity and the exchange of information between two different computer networks or communication systems. Its role is to translate between the protocols, data formats or architectures used by each network, in order to allow smooth and efficient communication. By way of non-limiting example, the communication gateway can be established from at least one of the following applications: "Xvfb", "VNC", "noVNC", "FFmpeg", "PulseAudio", "GStreamer" or equivalent.

[0023] According to the present invention, the term "navigation report" refers to a document describing several parameters of the report server as well as the navigation application. Optionally, the navigation report may include at least one of the following elements: one or more screenshots, a reference to a video of at least part of the navigation carried out by the navigation application, information making it possible to identify the owner of at least one website consulted during the navigation.

[0024] Advantageously, the automated method according to the invention allows a natural person, through the client, to carry out an internet browsing report at any time and at will independently, without it being necessary to depend on a third party such as a bailiff. The invention therefore allows the production of internet browsing reports more independently and therefore more quickly.

[0025] According to an alternative embodiment, during step e) described above, the natural person can interact with the audio stream and / or the video stream originating from the navigation application executed by the observation server. In other words, the natural person is able to control, via the client, the navigation application operating on the observation server. The natural person can, for example, interact with these audio and / or video streams, via computer peripherals such as a keyboard, and / or a mouse, and / or a microphone or others.

[0026] This embodiment advantageously allows a natural person to be able to connect to secure sites, without necessarily having to communicate their confidential codes to a third party to establish a browsing report. The invention therefore makes it possible to preserve the confidentiality of information, when reporting internet browsing.

[0027] This embodiment also makes it possible to ensure that the content of the sites consulted by the natural person corresponds strictly to those described in the navigation report transmitted to said person, during step f).

[0028] Indeed, the automated method according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to faithfully record, through the recording of audio streams and / or video streams originating from the navigation application controlled by the natural person, operating on the observation server, both static and dynamic content of the sites consulted. In other words, the invention allows everyone to establish reliable navigation reports, by browsing the Internet in the usual way, without having to carry out complex and tedious updates on their computer.

[0029] Indeed, the invention allows a natural person who does not have any particular computer skills to have rapid and autonomous access, via the client, to a navigation application executed by a reporting server. The reporting server is advantageously configured to allow the establishment of a navigation report that meets the criteria of a standard.

[0030] According to an alternative embodiment, steps c) to e) described above are carried out at the same time or one after the other. Optionally, the order of steps c) to e) may be reversed. Preferably, step c) is carried out prior to step d), in order to hide from the user's point of view the technical prerequisites prior to the start of his or her browsing on the Internet.

[0031] According to another embodiment of the invention, the standard requires the implementation of at least one of the following steps:

[0032] - carry out an analysis of the observation server and, if necessary, a deletion spyware such as adware, Trojan horses, etc., present on the detection server, using dedicated software with an updated database of said spyware; and / or

[0033] - ensure the absence of viruses on the detection server, using a tool dedicated. The term "virus" means malicious software designed to infect, disrupt or damage the server, computer networks and electronic systems; and / or

[0034] - ensure the absence on the observation server of information which could be substitute data received by the navigation application; and / or

[0035] - synchronize the observation server with a reference time, from a authenticated external time source (accessible via the NTP protocol for example);

[0036] - ensure that the navigation application is configured to not use proxy server; and / or

[0037] - ensure that the navigation application is configured to accept cookies and the execution of local code (JavaScript or other), as well as the execution and downloading of add-ons necessary for browsing the Internet.

[0038] According to another embodiment of the invention, the navigation report transmitted to the server during step f), also comprises:

[0039] - at least one hardware reference of the observation server; and / or

[0040] - at least one name and possibly the name of a version of the system operating the observation server; and / or

[0041] - at least one reference of software installed on the observation server; and / or

[0042] - a description of the architecture of the local network of the observation server; and / or

[0043] - at least one piece of information concerning the access provider of the server finding; and / or

[0044] - at least one description of a header of a page consulted during navigation internet; and / or

[0045] - at least one IP of a page consulted during internet browsing; and / or

[0046] - at least one screenshot of a page viewed during internet browsing; and / or

[0047] - at least one video recording of internet browsing.

[0048] According to another embodiment of the invention, the navigation application is stopped, prior to establishing the navigation report.

[0049] Preferably, the stopping of the navigation application is controlled directly or indirectly by the client, at the time when the client requests the transmission of the report during step f). As a reminder, the natural person is able to control, via the client, the navigation application operating on the report server.

[0050] According to another embodiment of the invention, prior to the transmission of the report to the client, at least part of the report is time-stamped.

[0051] Preferably, part of the report is timestamped by blockchain technology, or by another type of certification such as “elDAS”.

[0052] According to another embodiment of the invention, the timestamp is subject to client approval. Preferably, the approval is subject to the natural person who controls or interacts with the client.

[0053] According to another embodiment of the invention, the timestamp is attached or included in the report.

[0054] According to another embodiment of the invention, the observation server is physically distant from the client. In other words, the observation server is connected to another server which is in this case the client. This advantageously allows the natural person carrying out the navigation observation to be present in a geographical area distinct from the observation server.

[0055] According to another embodiment, the request to establish a navigation report comes from a website hosted by a hosting server.

[0056] According to another embodiment, the website hosted by a hosting server is configured to allow the client or the natural person using the client to choose at least one element mentioned above which will be included in the navigation report. Thus, the natural person or the client can personalize the navigation report, before, during or after navigation, without these choices being visible in the recording of the recording application. As a result, the recording is not distorted or interfered with by these choices.

[0057] According to an alternative embodiment, the server designates a hosting server on which a website is executed. The website is configured to allow a natural person to access the navigation application executed by the observation server.

[0058] Optionally, the natural person may connect to the hosting server via a client. The client may comprise a computer of the natural person.

[0059] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments mentioned above can be combined with each other in various combinations, to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0060] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the steps of an automated method as described above.

[0061] The invention also relates to a computer-readable data carrier on which the above-mentioned computer program is recorded.

[0062] The invention also relates to a finding server comprising a readable data medium as described above. Detailed description of the invention

[0063] As a reminder, the invention proposes an innovative solution for automating the establishment of an internet browsing report, while guaranteeing the authenticity and integrity of the report, at a reduced cost and within a rapid timeframe.

[0064] The automated method according to the invention, as described below, is implemented from a so-called observation server. The observation server is connected to a remote server, hereinafter referred to as the hosting server, in order to allow the transmission of information between said servers.

[0065] The hosting server hosts a website, allowing a natural person to implement an automated process for establishing a report of Internet browsing. In other words, access to the observation server is via a website, hosted by the hosting server.

[0066] The website is advantageously accessible at any time or almost at any time, to allow a natural person to implement an automated method according to the invention, autonomously and quickly. To do this, the natural person can optionally connect to the hosting server via a client. Preferably, the client includes conventional peripherals such as a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, a microphone, etc. The client can designate a workstation or a computer.

[0067] Advantageously, the website is configured to allow a natural person to interact with commands of the site, via at least one device mentioned above.

[0068] When a specific command of the website is activated, a request to establish an internet browsing report is transmitted to the report server. Upon receipt of this request by the report server, the automated method according to the invention is triggered, according to a first step a) of said method.

[0069] According to a second step b), the observation server is updated so as to comply with a standard for establishing an observation on the internet. The update in accordance with said standard includes the implementation of the following actions.

[0070] A virus analysis of the detection server is carried out, in order to ensure the absence of viruses using an antivirus tool. This virus analysis is carried out using an updated database of signatures of existing viruses.

[0071] An analysis of spyware present on the detection server is also carried out. By "spyware" we mean adware, Trojan horses or other. If necessary, the spyware is removed from the detection server using dedicated software with the latest available database, or the automated process is abrogated.

[0072] Any historical elements from previous internet browsing are deleted from the observation server. Elements saved in the observation server's cache are also purged. More specifically, the following elements are deleted from the observation server: temporary files, cookies, identification sessions, history of pages visited, downloads made, auto-completion of data entered in forms and identifiers and passwords used.

[0073] The clock of the observation server is synchronized from an authenticated external time source (accessible via the “NTP” protocol for example).

[0074] The observation server includes at least one navigation application of the type Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave or equivalent.

[0075] The browser application is configured to not use a proxy server in the local network. The browser application is also configured to accept cookies and the execution of local code (JavaScript or other), as well as the execution and downloading of add-ons necessary for browsing the Internet.

[0076] According to a third step c), the navigation application mentioned above is launched on the observation server. Preferably, a private navigation session, proposed by the navigation application, is favored. This private navigation mode offers the advantage of being able to carry out “virgin” navigation, i.e., not influenced by previous navigations.

[0077] The navigation application is coupled with a virtual display application, allowing the operation of the browser when the observation server has neither a screen nor a display device. In other words, the display application allows emulation on a virtual screen of the navigation application. By way of non-limiting example, the display application may be an application implementing the “XI1” display protocol, known in particular under the name “Xvfb”.

[0078] According to a fourth step d), a recording application is launched on the observation server. The recording application is an application capable of reading an audio stream as well as a video stream, then encoding said streams. According to the present example, the recording application implemented is known as “FFmpeg”. This recording application is configured to be able to record, in real time, the audio stream coming from the audio application of the observation server, in this case the “PulseAudio” application, as well as the video stream coming from the display application mentioned above. These streams are encoded to allow them to be saved in a storage space of the observation server. Optionally, as a precautionary measure, this recording can be saved or duplicated on another remote server.

[0079] According to a fifth step e), a sound and image manipulation software library, such as “GStreamer”, is used to enable the real-time transmission of the audio stream originating from the “PulseAudio” application. More precisely, the audio stream is adapted so that it can be transmitted by a communication protocol of the “TCP / IP” type.

[0080] A proxy application is also launched on the observation server, to allow the transmission of the above-mentioned audio and video streams, from the internal network of the observation server, to the client. According to the present example, the video stream is transmitted to the client via a "NoVNC" type application, and the audio stream via an application of the type “GStreamer”.

[0081] Of course, the website includes reading and display means, to allow a natural person connected to the website hosted by said hosting server, via the client, to perceive the streams coming from the “NoVNC” and “GStreamer” applications. The client also includes means for interacting with these streams, so as to allow a natural person to browse the internet, from the browsing application executed on the observation server.

[0082] Advantageously, the website allows a natural person to have quick and easy access to a navigation application executed by the observation server. However, according to the invention, the observation server has been previously configured so that the navigation application can run in a secure environment. The term "secure environment" means an environment that is not likely to modify the audio and video streams of the navigation application. Thus, the recording of said streams by the recording application is complete.

[0083] Optionally, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, when the natural person uses a navigation application implemented by the client, to interact with the hosting server, the “Websockify” application is used so that the audio stream coming from the observation server can be readable from the navigation application used by the client. For this, a bidirectional communication channel of the “WebSocket” type can be implemented between the observation server and the client.

[0084] According to a sixth step f), at the request of the natural person using the navigation application of the observation server, a report of his or her internet navigation is made.

[0085] The navigation report may include at least one of the following elements:

[0086] - a description of the hardware making up the report server; and / or

[0087] - the name and possibly the version of the operating system of the server finding; and / or

[0088] - the references of the software installed on the observation server (security, filtering, internet client); and / or

[0089] - a description of the architecture of the local network of the observation server; and / or

[0090] - elements relating to the access provider used by the observation server to browse the internet; and / or

[0091] - a description of the header of at least one page, consulted by the person physical; and / or

[0092] - an IP address of at least one page consulted, relating to at least one target domain ; and / or

[0093] - at least one screenshot of a website.

[0094] Optionally, the description of the report is certified by blockchain technology, prior to its transmission to the client.

[0095] Thus, advantageously, the automated method described above allows a natural person to carry out, at any time and at will, an internet browsing report independently, without it being necessary to depend on a third party such as a bailiff or to carry out complex and tedious steps of updating their client or computer. The invention thus makes it possible to establish incontestable proof of internet abuse, quickly and at low cost.

Claims

Claims

1. Automated method for establishing an internet browsing report, characterized in that the following steps are implemented: a) reception by a reporting server of a request to establish an internet browsing report, coming from a client used by a natural person; b) updating the reporting server so as to comply with a standard for establishing an internet report; c) launching on the reporting server a navigation application, compliant with said standard, for browsing the internet; d) launching on the reporting server a recording application allowing the recording in real time of a video stream and / or an audio stream, coming from the navigation application;e) establishment of a communication gateway between the observation server and the client, so as to allow the natural person to browse the internet via the navigation application; f) at the request of the natural person, transmission to the client of a navigation report made by the observation server, the navigation report including the recording made by the recording application.;

2. Automated method according to claim 1, characterized in that during step e), the natural person can interact with the audio stream and / or the video stream coming from the navigation application.

3. Automated method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the standard requires: - carrying out an analysis of the detection server and, where appropriate, removing spyware present on said server, using dedicated software having an updated database of said spyware; and / or - ensuring the absence of viruses on the detection server, using a dedicated tool; and / or - ensuring the absence on the detection server of information that could replace the data received by the navigation application; and / or - synchronizing the detection server with a reference time, from an authenticated external time source; and / or - ensure that the browser application is configured not to use a proxy server; and / or - ensure that the browser application is configured to accept cookies and the execution of local code, as well as the execution and downloading of add-ons necessary for browsing the internet.

4. Automated method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the browsing report transmitted to the client during step f), also comprises: - at least one hardware reference of the reporting server; and / or - at least one name and possibly the name of a version of the operating system of the reporting server; and / or - at least one reference of software installed on the reporting server; and / or - a description of the architecture of the local network of the reporting server; and / or - at least one information concerning the access provider of the reporting server; and / or - at least one description of a header of a page consulted during internet browsing; and / or - at least one IP of a page consulted during internet browsing; and / or - at least one screenshot of a page consulted during internet browsing.

5. Automated method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the navigation application is stopped, prior to the establishment of the navigation report.

6. Automated method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that prior to transmission to the client of the navigation report, at least part of said report is certified by blockchain technology.

7. Automated method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the observation server is physically remote from the client.

8. Automated method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the request to establish a navigation report comes from a website hosted by a hosting server.

9. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to put implementing the steps of the automated method according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A computer-readable data carrier on which the computer program according to claim 9 is recorded.