Browser URL Redirection Rules for Secure VDI Session Launch
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment, users face inefficiencies and poor user experience when switching between local and remote desktops to access URL content due to security policies and the need to manually transfer URLs between browsers, which reduces productivity.
Innovation Solution
A method for URL content redirection using browser extensions that update redirection rules, establish communication channels, and redirect URLs between local and remote browsers based on predefined rules, leveraging native messaging to access storage locations and manage permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users manually switch between local and remote desktops to access URL content, then security policies can be enforced, but user efficiency and productivity deteriorate due to time-consuming manual URL transfer operations
Solution Approach 1:
A URL redirection service is introduced as an intermediary component that automatically handles URL routing between local and remote desktops. The service receives URLs from the local desktop, determines the appropriate destination based on security policies and user profiles, and redirects them to the remote desktop without requiring manual user intervention, thus maintaining security while improving efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automatic self-service URL redirection where the redirection service autonomously manages the URL routing process. It automatically queries user profiles, determines redirection targets, and forwards URLs without requiring users to manually switch desktops or copy-paste URLs, thereby maintaining security enforcement while eliminating manual operations
2Reliability
If users manually transfer URLs between browsers, then security control is maintained, but time consumption increases and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The URL redirection service performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring user profiles with preferred browser settings, security policies, and access permissions. When a URL is received, the service already has the necessary information to determine the correct redirection target and format the URL appropriately, eliminating the need for manual copy-paste operations and reducing time consumption while maintaining security control
Solution Approach 2:
The redirection service acts as an intermediary that automatically handles the URL transfer process. It receives URLs from the local desktop, applies security control rules, and forwards them to the appropriate remote browser instance, eliminating manual user intervention and time-consuming transfer operations while maintaining security oversight
3Productivity
If URLs are redirected automatically, then user efficiency improves, but system complexity increases due to redirection rules and communication channels
Solution Approach 1:
The URL redirection service is designed as a universal component that handles multiple functions: it manages user profile queries, applies security policies, determines redirection targets, formats URLs, and establishes communication channels. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional service, the system achieves automatic URL redirection and improved user efficiency without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The redirection service serves as a centralized intermediary that simplifies the complexity of automatic URL redirection. It encapsulates the complex logic for determining redirection targets, managing communication channels, and applying security rules, thereby providing simple automatic redirection functionality while containing the complexity within a dedicated service component
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a method for launching a browsing session. The method generally includes upon initiation of a browser extension of a browser at a first device, establishing a communication channel between the browser extension and a uniform resource locator (URL) native application; requesting, by the browser extension via the communication channel, one or more URL redirection rules, wherein the one or more URL redirection rules are associated with one or more URLs; receiving the one or more URL redirection rules; receiving a URL; sending, from the first device to the second device, a request to launch another browser at the second device based on the received URL matching at least one URL of the one or more URLs associated with the one or more URL redirection rules; sending, from the first device to the second device, the received URL; and displaying the launched browser of the second device.