Interstitial redirection management
View Patent ↗An interstitial manager ( 100 ) monitors ( 210 ) network communications received by a client computer and detects ( 215 ) a potential to initiate contact with a remote computer system. When a potential to initiate contact with a remote computer system is detected ( 215 ), the interstitial manager ( 100 ) determines ( 220 ) whether the potential to initiate contact with the remote computer system entails redirection to an alternate location. The determination ( 220 ) of whether the potential to initiate contact with the remote system entails redirection is responsive to satisfying at least one condition from the group of conditions consisting of determining whether a client browser attempts to contact an address associated with the remote computer system, and identifying at least one link embedded within the network communication possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection. Responsive to determining ( 220 ) that the potential to initiate contact with the remote computer system entails redirection to an alternate location, the interstitial manager ( 100 ) invokes ( 230 ) interstitial management procedures.
1. A computer implemented method for managing interstitial network connectivity, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying a link embedded within a web page received by a client computer, the link referencing an address at a first remote computer system;
detecting a user selection of the link to initiate a network communication with the first remote computer system;
determining whether the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to a second remote computer system by determining that a client browser displaying the web page attempted to contact an address other than the address referenced by the user-selected link; and
responsive to determining that the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to the second remote computer system, automatically blocking network communication content associated with the second remote computer system and modifying code in the web page possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection to direct the network communication to the first remote computer system.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the client browser attempted to contact an address other than the address referenced by the user-selected link comprises comparing the address referenced by the user-selected link with a GET address issued by the client browser.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:
responsive to the address referenced by the user-selected link not matching the GET address issued by the client browser:
accessing a list concerning known redirection addresses; and
comparing the GET address issued by the client browser with known redirection addresses from the list; and
responsive to the GET address issued by the client browser matching a known redirection address from the list, concluding that the network communication with the first remote computer system is redirected to the second remote computer system.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
scanning the web page to identify an instance of HTML code possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein an instance of HTML code possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection is presence of an HREF followed by an ONCLICK.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of modifying code comprises reducing an amount of time a client browser displays network communication content associated with the second remote computer system.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of modifying code comprises replacing redirection functionality directing a client browser to the second remote computer system with functionality directing the client browser to the first remote computer system.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of modifying code comprises altering existing HTML code to direct a client browser to the first remote computer system.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying, detecting, determining, and invoking steps are performed by the client computer.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein responsive to determining that the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to the second remote computer system, the network communication is redirected to the address referenced by the user-selected link.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program product for managing interstitial network connectivity, the computer program product comprising program code for the steps of:
identifying a link embedded within a web page received by a client computer, the link referencing an address at a first remote computer system;
detecting a user selection of the link to initiate a network communication with the first remote computer system;
determining whether the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to a second remote computer system by determining that a client browser displaying the web page attempted to contact an address other than the address referenced by the user-selected link; and
responsive to determining that the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to the second remote computer system, automatically blocking network communication content associated with the second remote computer system and modifying code in the web page possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection to direct the network communication to the first remote computer system.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein determining that the client browser attempted to contact an address other than the address referenced by the user-selected link comprises comparing the address referenced by the user-selected link with a GET address issued by the client browser.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 further comprising program code for the steps of:
responsive to the address referenced by the user-selected link not matching the GET address issued by the client browser:
accessing a list concerning known redirection addresses; and
comparing the GET address issued by the client browser with known redirection addresses from the list, and
responsive to the GET address issued by the client browser matching a known redirection address from the list, concluding that the network communication with the first remote computer system is redirected to the second remote computer system.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprising program code for the step of:
scanning the web page to identify an instance of HTML code possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein an instance of HTML code possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection is presence of an HREF followed by an ONCLICK.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the step of modifying code comprises reducing an amount of time a client browser displays network communication content associated with the second remote computer system.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the step of modifying code comprises replacing redirection functionality directing a client browser to the second remote computer system with functionality directing the client browser to the first remote computer system.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the step of modifying code comprises altering existing HTML code to direct a client browser to the first remote computer system.
19. A computer system for managing interstitial network connectivity, comprising:
a computer processor for executing computer program instructions;
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions tangibly embodied thereon, the executable computer program instructions comprising:
a monitor module configured to identify a link referencing an address at a first remote computer system embedded within a web page received by a client computer, and detect a user selection of the link to initiate a network communication with the first remote computer system;
a comparison module configured to determine whether the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to a second remote computer system by comparing the address referenced by the user-selected link with a GET address issued by a client browser to determine that the client browser displaying the web page attempted to contact an address other than the address referenced by the user-selected link; and
a redirection module configured to automatically block network communication content associated with the second remote computer system and modify code in the web page possessing characteristics consistent with interstitial redirection to direct the network communication to the first remote computer system responsive to determining that the network communication with the first remote computer system was redirected to the second remote computer system.