Network Policy Enforcement via Context-Aware Landing Pages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network policy enforcement methods, such as DNS redirection, are too coarse and lack intuitive user options, as they affect all requests to a specific IP address or domain, even when only a few pages hosted at that address need to be blocked, and do not provide sufficient guidance to users when content is blocked.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that provides a landing page displaying search results related to the requested content, tailored to the user's identity, allowing for more granular policy enforcement and intuitive user guidance by redirecting content requests through a gateway server, interceptor server, policy server, and message server, which authenticate users and apply policies based on content and user identity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If DNS redirection is used to enforce network policy, then all requests to a specific IP address or domain are blocked, but this approach is too coarse and affects all content at that address even when only one or a few pages need to be blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the policy enforcement from the domain level to the individual URL level. Instead of blocking all traffic to a domain via DNS redirection, the system intercepts individual HTTP requests, identifies the specific URL being accessed, and applies policy decisions to each URL independently. This allows selective blocking of only the problematic pages while permitting access to other legitimate content on the same domain.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different policy treatments to different URLs within the same domain based on their specific characteristics. Each URL is evaluated individually against policy rules, allowing the system to enforce restrictions locally on specific pages rather than globally across the entire domain. This enables precise control over which content is blocked and which is permitted.
2Reliability
If DNS redirection is used to block content, then the user is simply blocked from accessing the content, but current methods do not provide sufficient and intuitive options as to how to proceed after a request has been blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary landing page between the blocked content and the user. When a user attempts to access restricted content, instead of receiving a simple block, they are redirected to a landing page that explains the policy restriction and provides alternative options such as searching for similar content or accessing related permitted resources. This mediator maintains policy compliance while guiding users constructively.
Solution Approach 2:
The landing page provides feedback to users about why their request was blocked and what alternatives are available. The system communicates the policy decision clearly to the user and offers actionable next steps, such as modified search queries or alternative content suggestions, enabling users to understand and respond to the policy enforcement in a meaningful way.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, computer systems, and computers for responding to requests for content that is subject to network policy can provide a landing page that displays a search result related to the requested content. The landing page can be specific to one or more of the content being requested and the identity of a user making the request.