Patent Application
20100275024
The present invention relates to providing website information indicators to users browsing non-secure websites.
When an Internet user accesses an Internet site (often referred to as a web site) it is often difficult to determine how confident the user should be of the bona fides of the site and site provider. To help assure consumers, third parties will often offer digital security indicators that indicate a secure connection has been established.
Generally, when a consumer wishes to engage a site in a secure transaction, the site is accessed via a SSL/TLS connection. The site being connected to has a digital certificate that provides the data necessary to make secure connection along with important verification information. The information provided and the security assurance given depends on the quality of the digital certificate used.
Before a secure connection is established, browsers check the authenticity and validity of the certificate being used. This generally includes checking the expiration date of the certificate, who provided the certificate, and whether or not the certificate has been revoked by the provider. If the certificate is valid and authentic, the secure connection will be established and the consumer may conduct the transaction with assurance that the data they are providing is secure.
A browser visiting a site that can be verified or authenticated by a digital certificate will often indicate the presence of the digital certificate to the user by revealing some form of visual or audio security indicator. The presence of the security indicator lets the consumer know that the transaction being conducted is secure. Often users, when accessing the site, will see a pictorial representation of verification or have the border of the browser change colors.
This is useful as the security indicators tell consumers that their transactions may be conducted through a secure connection. The downside of this is that the security indicators are only shown once the SSL/TLS connection has been established. May users abandon their transactions prior to this point, fearing that a lack of a secure connection might result in the theft of their sensitive data.
Recently a new type of certificate has been developed called extended validation (EV) SSL certificates. These certificates are the next generation in Internet security as they require rigorous authentication of a business's identity. Merchants using EV SSL certificates must undergo a vetting process that requires the issuing certificate authority to validate company details, such as the legal status, registration number, and address and phone number of the company, prior to issuance.
Users benefit from these new certificates because of the heightened authentication. Users can be assured that a site containing an EV SSL certificate is a legitimate business. A web browser visiting a site that has an EV SSL certificate relays the heightened assurance to the user by modifying the web browser's appearance. One common display modification is to turn the address bar of the web-browser green and display important verification information next to the web address of the site visited for sites that are using EV SSL certificates.
Unfortunately, this enhanced authentication is only shown at the checkout or secure portion of the website. This means that EV Certificates have the same problems as many SSL Certificates. Many customers lose trust in a website prior to accessing the secure portion of the site resulting in abandoned transactions and a loss of potential revenue. This especially hurts small businesses who don't have the name recognition that other bigger companies enjoy. This is a concern for online business because of the significant increase in the number of identity thefts occurring each year and the increasing cunning of internet fraudsters.
In some aspects, merchants using EV Certificate are even more adversely affected than merchants with standard SSL certificates as consumers don't have any indication that an EV Certificate exists until the secured connection is initiated. This means that site owners who have met the rigors of EV validation and have purchased the enhanced security have no way of indicating to users browsing their site that they include the added assurance that an EV Certificate provides prior to the commencement of the secure connection.
To prevent users from losing trust in online businesses and help prevent customer abandonment resulting from fear of identity theft, a method is needed to indicate to browsing consumers that a website can be trusted prior to their initiation of a secured transaction. The level of security offered by a website is information that needs to be provided to consumers early on during their browsing experience. Waiting until they enter the secure portion of a site is too late. Preferably, digital certificate information should be available as the first time a user navigates to the site.
The invention disclosed teaches that information indicators regarding a site's digital certificate may be used on a non-secure or http site to inform consumers that a corresponding secure site exists. The method works by retrieving the URL of a visited web site. Once the URL is known, a secure connection can be established using SSL/TLS to the secured version of the domain name. If a secure connection cannot be established (such as the https port being closed or when a secure version of the domain doesn't exist), the browser can be modified to display security indicators that alert the user that their shopping experience may not be safe. Thus, a plug-in can be used to display an information indicator relating security assurances on a browser navigating to a non-secure site without a corresponding secured site to alert the user that a secure version of the site does not exist.
If a secure version of the site does exist, a plug-in can be instructed to download the digital certificate associated with the site. The certificate can then be examined by the plug-in. The examination can consist of comparing the thumbprint of the certificate to a thumbprint stored in a secured database on a trusted third-party site, certificate chaining, and time validation. If the thumbprint matches what is stored in the database and the other validation procedures pass, then the site is considered secure and appropriate information indicators are provided. Further comparisons (such as comparing various certificate fields or other certificate information stored in both the certificate and the database) can be used to ensure that the certificate is both authentic and associated with the correct site. Any certificate checks or assurances described herein can be used in tandem with each other to achieve a high level of authentication assurance.
In the simplest embodiment of the invention, a plug-in can check a database to see if the visited site has a corresponding site that is secured by a digital certificate. If so (or if not), the visual indicators are displayed. More advanced embodiments (such as the thumbprint check described previously) are preferred to provide greater security to the consumer. Further, the method is especially useful with EV Certificates as these certificates have undergone rigorous validation procedures. With EV Certificates, the method can be used to let users know that the site being visited has been verified as a valid Internet presence that may be transacted with safely.
Alternatively, the plug-in software can perform a typical certificate validation procedure on the downloaded certificate to determine whether the site is secure. This can be done by tracing the path of a certificate downloaded from the secure site to a root certificate stored in any typical certificate storage location (such as the browser, the operating system, or in the plug-in software itself). If the path exists, the plug-in can alert that the secure portion of the site has a digital certificate. The plug-in or the browser itself will then display the appropriate security indicators. These security indicators can be enhanced by the plug-in to provide different levels of assurance on the non-secure (http) site. Different information indicators can be displayed depending on the type of certificate found on the secured site and the certificate's life-cycle status (i.e., whether the certificate is revoked or expired).
Information indicators can be anything that provides assurance to the consumer that the secured version of the site is a safe place to conduct transactions. Common information indicators include a visual modification of the web browser, an audio alert, or a new pop-up window displaying the security message. For example, when a secured site has an EV Certificate, the border of the screen can be turned green to reflect the added level of security available.
The information indicators used by the plugin can either be set by the browser or selected by the user. Allowing the user to select the information indicators greatly enhances the security of the method because it further prevents fraudsters from fraudulently displaying information indicators to the user. Examples include allowing the user to select which color to display or what audio sound should be used to alert the consumer that a non-secure http site has a secure counterpart.
a depicts a diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.
b shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method of showing information indicators on a non-secure site.
The following description includes specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention and methods of using it. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the system and methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearance of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. The term certificate means a digital certificate.
a and 1b depict one embodiment of the structure of the invention.
In Step 204, the URL of the website 12 being visited is retrieved using any conventional method. Such methods include, but are not limited to, retrieving the URL directly through the browser, by using web-based scripting, or by utilizing a software plug-in. A browser extension or plug-in that performs the URL retrieval is useful as it can be used to perform all of the other steps in the method and can simplify the implementation of the invention. The terms plug-in and browser extension are used interchangeably for the purposes of this patent as either may be used in all cases. An independent browser can also be created that incorporates the method, and it should be recognized that such an independent browser is the same as having a plug-in or browser extension included in an existing browser.
In Step 206, a plug-in 6 attempts to connect to the domain using HTTPS (SSL/TLS on port 443). As mentioned above, the plug-in can be, but is not required to be, the same as the feature that retrieves the URL of the website. The plug-in's 6 attempt to connect over HTTPS initiates a secured connection with the secured version of the site 14 being visited. The request to connect securely to the HTTPS site can be initiated automatically by the plug-in 6 or a separate set of code or may be initiated manually by the user 2 by clicking a button or some similar activity. Automatic initiation by the plug-in 6 is advantageous as it requires less input from the user 2.
The plug-in's 6 attempt to initiate a secured connection with the secure site 14 prompts the download of the digital certificate 16 associated with the secure site 14, if the secure site 14 exists (Step 208). The data in the digital certificate is used to encrypt the data for the public key certificate and negotiate the key to be used in the session encryption. The secure session must be established by completing a successful TLS/SSL handshake for the establishment of the session key. Establishing the secure connection proves the ownership of the provate key and, thus, authenticates the server as the owner of the digital certificate. The digital certificate 16 may be downloaded through the browser 4, the plug-in 6 initiating the secure server request, a separate third-party application, a download request from the user 2, or any other standard method of downloading certificates over the internet. The session may be closed immediately after the handshake is complete if desired.
In Step 208, if a digital certificate 16 is not available, the plug-in 6 or download instruction will fail and no certificate will be retrieved. Likewise, if the secure port is not open on the browsing computer and the plug-in or code instruction is unable to connect to the secure site 14, then no certificate will be returned or downloaded. In Step 210, if a digital certificate 16 is not returned then no further actions are taken. In the alternative, an information (or security) indicator 8 is displayed by the plugin 6 or browser 4 to alert the user 2 that the site 12 may not be secured or that the site 12 may be risky to conduct business with. Such security indicators 8 can be anything that lets the user known that a secure version of the site is not available, and might include a red border around the browser or computer screen, an audio warning, or a pop-up message displaying the details of the attempted certificate retrieval routine.
In step 212, if a digital certificate 16 is available, the plug-in 6 retrieves the certificate's information. The downloaded certificate 16 can be examined by the user 2, browser application 4, or plug-in 6 is ensured authentic and valid by completing the typical private key secure connection during the download.
Further in step 214, if a digital certificate 16 is downloaded, a plug-in 6 (preferably the same plug-in that requested the secure connection) checks the certificate's validity 26. As shown in
During step 214, additional checks of the certificate information can be used to ensure the site's identity and prevent fraudsters from returning false data to the program. Checks can include checking certificate names, file size, and other validated information found in the certificate against entries in a trusted database. The plug-in 6 can then confirm that information in the downloaded certificate is the same as the information in the originally validated certificate. This can also be used to limit information indicators to specific Certification Authority brand certificates or to certificates that meet certain special requirements such as EV vetting.
In step 216, if the certificate 16 passes the desired checks, then the plug-in 6 can display information indicators 8 on the client's web browser 4 while the browser remains navigated to the non-secured site 12. Alternatively, the plug-in 6 can instruct the browser 4 to display the information indicators 8. Different sets of information indicators can be displayed or used to indicate different certificate types. Different certificate indicators can be displayed depending on any of the information retrieved from the certificate, such as certificate issuer, certificate type, and lifecycle status, or the number of verification checks performed on and passed by the certificate during the plug-ins verification process.
During Step 214, the revocation and expiration dates of the downloaded certificate can be checked to ensure that the certificate is still valid. Different information indicators 8 can be used to show that the secured site 14 has a revoked or expired certificate 16 and should not be trusted despite the existence of a digital certificate.
In an alternative embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, the plug-in 6 can maintain a (preferably encrypted) list of root certificates and then use standard certificate validation procedures to trace a path from the downloaded certificate up to the root certificate instead of (or in addition to) checking a trusted third-party database for the certificate. If a path can be successfully traced from the downloaded certificate to the root certificate (or vice versa), then the downloaded certificate is considered valid and the information indicators 8 will be displayed for the non-secure site 12. The plug-in 6 can also check the browser's list of stored root certificates or a local or remote cache of certificates to see if a valid path can be traced from the downloaded certificate to a valid root certificate. By checking the certificate path instead of a database on a third-party site, users not connected to the internet can verify non-secure sites on an intranet. Checking local, browser, or plug-in certificate storages can also help reduce internet traffic as additional connections to third-party sites are no longer necessary. This embodiment eliminates the need to re-download certificates from a trusted third-party as the validation can occur using the standard validation procedures with locally accessed information.
The described method is advantageous to users as the entire method can occur automatically when visiting a web site. The browser or plug-in can be configured to automatically retrieve the certificate for each site visited without further input by the user. This can be done by having the plug-in execute on startup of either the operating system or the browser. Once the plug-in is active, the plug-in can examine each page navigated to by the user. The plug automatically reads the URL of each site visited or of the site that is last in focus, retrieves the certificate by establishing an SSL connection, and then automatically determines the validity and authenticity of the certificate retrieved, displaying the security indicators as appropriate. Nothing is required from the user. The method may also be semi-automatic by making any of the steps require manual approval or activation by the user.
In one embodiment, the address bar background color is changed to green if a site has a secure version that contains an EV Certificate. If an EV Certificate does not exist, then information indicators are not displayed by either the plug-in or the browser. Even if a digital certificate is found, a secure connection indicator is not shown on the http site or browser (such as the padlock symbol) to help avoid consumer confusion between secure sites and non-secured sites. It should be noted that information indicators other than colors may be used to show the presence of a digital certificate. Other possibilities include, but are not limited to, other visual displays such as pictures, graphics, or text, or audio warnings. Any information indicator can be used that can be displayed by the browser, scripting code, or plug-in.
Different security indicators can be used to display different levels of trust. For example, a red indicator can be used to indicate that a digital certificate could not be retrieved or that the validation of the certificate failed, a yellow indicator can be used to indicate that a standard SSL certificate is present, and a green indicator can be used to show that an EV certificate was found. Different security indicators help relate to the user the risk of conducting a secured transaction with the particular site. Because the indicators are being displayed on the non-secured site, the user knows that a site can or can't be trusted prior to entering any secured areas and prior to providing any secured information.
Because a plug-in is used, the connection with the secure site is initiated independent of the browser's connection to the site being viewed. Validation of the secured site can be performed independently of the website in focus. This allows users to turn off the method if desired and helps increase the security of the described method by making the code less accessible to potential fraudsters.
In another embodiment, shown in
In a further embodiment shown in
Similar to the above, the plug-in software itself can decide which indicators should be presented to the user. This can be done by having the plug-in software retrieve a trigger from a secure database (either located in the plug-in itself or on a trusted secured site) that instructs the plug-in about which indicators should be displayed for each site visited. In this manner each non-secured site could potentially have its own different method of indicating that a secured version of the non-secure site exists. This helps show sites even more securely as it helps prevent phishing sites from replicating the security indicators. This embodiment can also be used to incorporate company logos or themes into the security indicators. All that needs to be done is store the logo or theme to be displayed in the secure database.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been described in relation to its implementation on a personal computer platform, other data communication devices can also be utilized.
Connections referred to as being via the Internet can be by other communication methods eg buy a local area network (“LAN”) or wide area network (“WAN”). Although the present invention finds particular benefit when used in relation to internet connections, the database of certificates can also be a database and/or application on a user's machine. The plug-in may reside on the user's machine, on a third-party machine, or on a server machine, and may be accessed remotely.
The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2008/059525 | 4/7/2008 | WO | 00 | 2/11/2009 |
