Browser Logout Enablement Function for Session Resource Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multi-tier web environments, server-side resources remain active even after a user shuts down their web browser, leading to a performance drain and potential session hijacking risks due to unexpired cookies.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a browser logout enablement function that traps shutdown requests and issues logout requests to server-side applications, ensuring resources are released before the browser can shut down, thereby preventing session hijacking and conserving server resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If server-side resources remain active after browser shutdown, then session continuity is maintained, but server performance deteriorates due to resource drain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession continuityVSAvoidserver performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The browser logout enablement function performs preliminary action by intercepting the shutdown request before it can complete, and automatically initiating the logout sequence to server-side applications. This ensures server resources are cleaned up proactively before the browser actually shuts down, resolving the contradiction between maintaining session continuity and preventing server performance degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If server-side resources remain active after browser shutdown, then session state is preserved, but security risks increase due to potential session hijacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession state preservationVSAvoidsession hijacking risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary logout action by intercepting shutdown requests and automatically sending logout signals to server-side applications before the browser shuts down. This preliminary action ensures session state is cleaned up on the server side, preventing session hijacking while maintaining the appearance of continuous session management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The logout enablement function establishes a feedback mechanism where the browser monitors its own shutdown state and automatically triggers server-side logout in response. This feedback loop ensures that session state is properly terminated on the server when the browser shuts down, eliminating security risks while preserving session integrity during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If browser shutdown is blocked until logout completes, then server resources are properly released, but user convenience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver resource managementVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The browser logout enablement function implements self-service by automatically handling the logout process without requiring user intervention. The system intercepts shutdown requests, manages the logout sequence to server-side applications, and releases server resources automatically. This self-service mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing proper server resource management while maintaining user convenience, as users simply need to shutdown their browser normally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8244907B2Browser-based logoff from distributed and federated environments

Publication Date: 2012.08.14 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A web browser is provided with a logout enablement function that traps a browser or page shutdown request and prevents that request from completing until the browser (or page) has logged out from one or more current server-side application sessions. The logout enablement function ensures that server-side resources that have been invoked for a given session are released before the web browser can be shutdown. The function is implemented as native browser code, a web page applet, a Java server page, a script, a control associated with the browser, and a browser plug-in.