System and method for adapting an internet filter
View Patent ↗A system and method for updating a filtering system which controls access to a website/page between a local area network (LAN) and an Internet. The LAN includes an Internet gateway system coupled to a workstation and configured to receive a URL request. The system controls access to the website/page associated with the URL based on one or more categories that are associated with the URL. The Internet gateway system can determine the category that is associated with the URL by referencing a master database or requesting the category from a database factory. The database factory can receive URLs from multiple Internet gateway systems. The database factory determines whether the identifier was previously categorized by the database factory and provides the category to the Internet gateway system. Once the Internet gateway system has the category, it applies rules associated with the category and user to filter access to the requested website/page.
1. A method for processing and uploading identifiers for updating a filtering system which controls access to Internet sites, the method comprising:
requesting a download of identifiers, each identifier being associated with a category;
determining whether a database of identifiers is to be uploaded to a database factory, wherein the database of identifiers includes at least one uncategorized identifier corresponding to a website/page requested to be accessed by a user;
if the database of identifiers is to be uploaded, retrieving identifiers from the database of identifiers;
uploading the database of identifiers; and
determining whether the uploaded database of identifiers has been previously categorized at the database factory.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the database of identifiers includes a database of uncategorized identifiers, the at least one uncategorized identifier being a part of the database of uncategorized identifiers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the database of identifiers includes a master database of identifiers.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the master database of identifiers includes a master database request frequency.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the master database request frequency includes a frequency of requests for identifiers in the master database of identifiers.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein uploading the database of identifiers is periodic.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein uploading the database of identifiers is random.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein uploading the database of identifiers is at a set time.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein uploading the database of identifiers is in response to polling by a database factory.
10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
determining whether one or more indicators, which relate to the category, are associated with the at least one uncategorized identifier; and
prioritizing the at least one uncategorized identifier based at least in part on the one or more indicators prior to uploading the database of uncategorized identifiers.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising uploading additional data associated with the at least one uncategorized identifier.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional data includes a request frequency.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional data includes an indicator.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional data includes a trace ID.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional data includes a primary language used by the filter system.
16. The method of claim 11 further comprising processing the at least one uncategorized identifier and the additional data prior to uploading.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the processing comprises:
formatting the at least one uncategorized identifier and the additional data using a markup language; and
limiting the size of an upload file which includes the at least one uncategorized identifier and the additional data.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
encrypting the at least one uncategorized identifier and the additional data; and
compressing the at least one uncategorized identifier and the additional data.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein encrypting is performed using a data encryption standard (DES).
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one uncategorized identifier is a uniform resource locator (URL).
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one uncategorized identifier is an Internet Protocol (I.P.) address.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one uncategorized identifier is a domain name.
23. A method for processing identifiers for updating a filtering system which controls access to Internet sites, the method comprising:
receiving identifiers from a filter system at a database factory, wherein at least one of the identifiers corresponds to an Internet site requested to be accessed by a user;
determining whether the at least one identifier has been previously categorized at the database factory;
if the at least one identifier was not previously categorized, categorizing the at least one identifier, a website/page associated with the at least one identifier, and/or additional data associated with the at least one identifier, and associating output with the at least one identifier; and
posting the at least one identifier along with the associated output into a database of categorized sites.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the output includes one or more categories.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the output includes a statistical probability.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the output includes a multidimensional vector.
27. The method of claim 23 , wherein categorizing the at least one identifier is performed by an automated classification engine.
28. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one identifier is uncategorized.
29. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one identifier is categorized.
30. The method of claim 29 further comprising receiving a master database request frequency which indicates the frequency that the categorized identifier was requested at the filter system.
31. The method of claim 27 further comprising verifying that the output associated with the at least one identifier is correct.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein verifying is performed by human review.
33. The method of claim 32 further comprising providing feedback from the human review to the automated classification engine.
34. A system for collecting identifiers comprising:
a computer configured for a user to send an identifier to request a website/page;
a master database of identifiers, the identifiers being associated with one or more categories;
a first server configured to receive the identifier, determine whether the identifier is in the master database of identifiers, send the identifier to a second server if the identifier is not in the master database, and apply one or more rules to one or more categories that are associated with the identifier, wherein the one or more categories are received from the second server; and
a second server configured to receive the identifier from the first server if the identifier was not in the master database, determine whether the identifier was previously categorized by the second server, if the identifier was not previously categorized, determine the one or more categories to associate with the identifier and provide the one or more categories to the first server, else provide the one or more categories that were previously associated with the identifier.
35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the first server is a filter system.
36. The system of claim 34 , wherein the second server is a database factory.
37. The system of claim 34 further comprising a gateway configured to receive the identifier and to allow or deny the user access to the website/page associated with the identifier.
38. The system of claim 37 , wherein the gateway comprises:
a firewall module configured to provide an electronic boundary between the computer and an Internet; and
a router module configured to determine a path from the firewall module to the Internet website/page associated with the identifier.