Static URL Placeholder Parameters for Dynamic Value Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dynamic URLs used in online services often expose sensitive data, such as user or merchant identifiers and authentication tokens, leading to risks of data misappropriation and fraud during navigation between computing services and resources.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves replacing sensitive data in dynamic URLs with static strings, using placeholder parameters that are later mapped to the actual dynamic values in a secure backend system, thereby masking the sensitive information and preventing exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dynamic URLs with variable parameters are used for navigation between computing services, then ease of operation and adaptability are improved, but security deteriorates due to exposure of sensitive data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a URL rewriting service as an intermediary component that sits between the client and the computing services. This service intercepts dynamic URLs containing sensitive variable parameters, rewrites them by replacing sensitive values with placeholder tokens, and forwards the sanitized URLs to the target services. The rewriting service maintains a mapping between placeholders and actual values, enabling secure navigation while preserving functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts sensitive variable parameters from dynamic URLs and replaces them with static placeholder tokens. By removing the harmful sensitive data (extracting it from the URL structure) while retaining the functional placeholders, the system eliminates data exposure risks while maintaining navigation capabilities. The sensitive values are taken out of the URL and stored securely in the rewriting service's mapping.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sensitive data is masked in URLs using static strings, then security is improved, but loss of information occurs if placeholder mapping is not maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The URL rewriting service implements a feedback mechanism by maintaining a mapping repository that stores the correspondence between placeholder tokens and actual variable parameter values. When a rewritten URL is accessed, the service uses the placeholder as a key to retrieve the original value from the mapping, ensuring that the placeholder system remains synchronized with the actual data. This feedback loop prevents information loss while maintaining security.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If placeholder parameters are added to static URLs, then security against data misappropriation is improved, but device complexity increases due to URL rewriting infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The URL rewriting service is designed as a universal, multi-functional component that handles multiple computing services and various types of sensitive parameters through a single standardized interface. Rather than implementing separate URL protection mechanisms for each service or parameter type, the rewriting service provides a unified solution that works across the entire system, reducing overall complexity despite the added security layer.
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided systems and methods for static uniform resource locators having placeholder parameters for dynamic values. A service provider may provide one or more online computing services and/or resources, which require navigation to using a web browser or other application to access and/or view data. This may correspond to a displayable webpage, which may have database-driven data that is specific to a certain navigation request and/or user based on a dynamic URL having variable parameters. To mask sensitive data in the variable parameters, the service provider may first mask the data in the variable parameters using one or more static strings, where the static strings are identified in the URL using placeholder parameters. When the navigation is executed, the service or resource receiving the navigation may parse the URL to identify the static strings and may execute operations to determine the dynamic data and properly output data.