Dual Scripting Engine Browser for Privacy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of third-party Internet services with UPnP devices in home networks raises concerns about privacy and security, as scripts embedded in electronic documents can potentially tamper with systems or access sensitive information without proper control.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dual-scripting engine approach within a runtime environment, where a public scripting engine handles non-sensitive tasks and a private scripting engine, with restricted access, manages privacy-sensitive functions, ensuring that only approved communication occurs with external servers and preventing data propagation between engines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single scripting engine is used to execute scripts from third-party Internet services, then the browser can provide full functionality and interactivity, but the system becomes vulnerable to security breaches and privacy violations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the scripting engine into two separate engines: a public scripting engine that executes scripts from Internet services with limited access, and a private scripting engine that handles local resources with restricted external communication. This segmentation isolates the harmful effects to the public engine while protecting the private engine and its access to sensitive local resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different security policies and access rights to different scripting engines based on their specific functions. The public scripting engine has broader network access but limited local resource access, while the private scripting engine has full local resource access but restricted network communication. This local quality approach tailors security characteristics to each engine's operational context.
2Adaptability or versatility
If scripts are allowed unrestricted access to local resources and network communication, then third-party services can fully utilize home network devices, but privacy-sensitive information can be exposed to external servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scripting environment into public and private engines with distinct resource access rights. The private scripting engine controls access to local resources and prevents unauthorized data transmission to external servers, thereby protecting privacy while still enabling device control through the public engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The private scripting engine acts as an intermediary between the public scripting engine and local resources. It mediates access requests by the public engine to local resources and filters outgoing communications, allowing necessary device control while blocking privacy-violating data transmissions.
3Reliability
If a dual-scripting engine architecture is implemented with separate public and private engines, then security and privacy are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of two scripting engines into a unified browser architecture where both engines share common infrastructure such as the rendering engine, event loop, and user interface. This merging approach reduces the overall complexity compared to completely separate systems while maintaining the security benefits of separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The scripting engine architecture is designed with universal components that serve both public and private engines. Common functions such as script parsing, execution context management, and resource coordination are implemented as shared services, reducing redundancy and simplifying the overall system while maintaining distinct security boundaries.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A data processing system has a browser with scripting engine means for executing a script. The scripting engine means implements a public scripting engine and a private scripting engine. The browser is configured to have the script executed by the public scripting engine if the script does not require access to a pre-determined resource at the system. The browser is configured to have the script executed by the private scripting engine if the script requires access to the pre-determined resource. Only the private scripting engine has an interface for enabling the script to access the predetermined resource. The scripting engine means is configured to prevent the private scripting engine from communicating data to the public scripting engine or to a non-approved server external to the data processing system.