Proxy Server Privacy Protection via Dynamic Response Mimicry

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for blocking website visitor tracking are inefficient, as sophisticated trackers can persistently extract data despite initial blocking attempts, leading to resource wastage and potential webpage loading issues, while blocking cookies can cause other problems such as improper webpage loading.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a proxy server that intercepts API requests, identifies tracking services, and generates dynamic responses to mimic successful data uploads, reducing the need for retransmissions and conserving resources by using random data to fool tracking servers without preventing smooth website loading.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If tracking cookies are blocked, then user privacy is protected, but webpage loading may be improper

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidwebpage loading

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A proxy server is introduced as an intermediary between the user and tracking servers. The proxy intercepts tracking requests and returns fabricated success responses, allowing the user to block tracking while maintaining normal webpage loading functionality. The proxy acts as a mediator that satisfies both privacy protection requirements and webpage compatibility needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates fake tracking responses that mimic successful data uploads. By generating counterfeit success responses that replicate the expected tracking server behavior, the system deceives tracking clients into believing their data was successfully transmitted, thereby preventing retransmission attempts while maintaining normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If persistent tracking methods are used, then tracking accuracy is improved, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking accuracyVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and blocks persistent tracking mechanisms at the proxy level. By intercepting tracking requests before they reach the tracking server and returning fake success responses, the system removes the ability of trackers to perform persistent tracking, thereby eliminating the resource waste associated with repeated tracking attempts while maintaining the appearance of successful tracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If random cookie data is sent to tracking servers, then privacy is protected, but tracking servers can detect fake data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidfake data detection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of sending random fake data to tracking servers and hoping it isn't detected, the system inverts the approach by having the proxy server generate fabricated success responses that mimic legitimate tracking server responses. This reversal makes the fake data indistinguishable from real data from the tracking server's perspective, as the proxy is creating responses that appear to come from the tracking server itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11019036B2Method for privacy protection

Publication Date: 2021.05.25 F SECURE CORP

AI summary

There is provided a method for privacy protection including: identifying an API request being related to a tracking service; generating and sending a predetermined number of initial requests to the tracking service when processing the API requests to the tracking service; storing the initial requests and respective responses related to the initial requests from the API in a database; analysing body objects of the stored initial requests and respective responses and generating a dynamic response recipe on the basis of the analysis; and generating a response including a response body acceptable by the tracking process on the basis of the generated dynamic response recipe.