System and method for implementing a robot proof web site
View Patent ↗The invention prevents robots from browsing a Web site beyond a welcome page. When an initial request from an undefined originator is received, the Web site responds to it with a welcome page including a challenge. Then, on receiving a further request from the undefined originator, the Web site can check whether the challenge is fulfilled or not. If fulfilled, the undefined originator is assumed to be a human being and authorized to go on. If the challenge is not fulfilled, the undefined originator is assumed to be a robot, in which case site access is further denied. The invention prevents Web site contents from being investigated by robots while not requiring users to have to log on.
1. A method for preventing robots from browsing a Web site beyond a welcome page, comprising:
receiving an initial request, directed to the Web site, from an undefined originator;
responding to the initial request with a challenge that prompts a response to the challenge from the undefined originator; and
receiving the response to the challenge from the undefined originator, wherein
the challenge includes:
a plurality of graphical forms, and
an accompanying textual expression describing one of the plurality of graphical forms, and
the response to the challenge includes an identification of a location of the described one of the plurality of graphical forms.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
modifying the challenge in response to a second initial request.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein
the modifying includes varying a coordinate location of the described one of the plurality of graphical forms.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein
the modifying includes varying which one of the plurality of graphical forms is described by the accompanying textual expression.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
processing further requests from the undefined originator after the challenge has been successfully fulfilled.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
stopping processing of further requests from the undefined originator after the challenge has not been successfully fulfilled.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein
the stopping processing includes dropping or redirecting a TCP connection established with the undefined originator.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
logging a source IP address of the undefined originator, and
starting a timer.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a new request;
determining whether a source IP address of the new request matches the logged source IP address of the undefined originator;
determining whether said timer is expired; and
upon the source IP address of the new request matching the logged source IP address of the undefined originator and the timer being expired, responding to the new request with a second challenge that prompts a response to the second challenge.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the location is X and Y coordinates of the undefined originator's click associated with the challenge.
11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for preventing robots from browsing a Web site beyond a welcome page, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware device, causes the computer hardware device to perform:
receiving an initial request, directed to the Web site, from an undefined originator;
responding to the initial request with a challenge that prompts a response to the challenge from the undefined originator; and
receiving the response to the challenge from the undefined originator, wherein
the challenge includes:
a plurality of graphical forms, and
an accompanying textual expression describing one of the plurality of graphical forms, and
the response to the challenge includes an identification of a location of the described one of the plurality of graphical forms.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer hardware device is further caused to perform
modifying the challenge in response to a second initial request.
13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein
the modifying includes varying a coordinate location of the described one of the plurality of graphical forms.
14. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein
the modifying includes varying which one of the plurality of graphical forms is described by the accompanying textual expression.
15. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer hardware device is further caused to perform
processing further requests from the undefined originator after the challenge has been successfully fulfilled.
16. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer hardware device is further caused to perform
stopping processing of further requests from the undefined originator after the challenge has not been successfully fulfilled.
17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein
the stopping processing includes dropping or redirecting a TCP connection established with the undefined originator.
18. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer hardware device is further caused to perform
logging a source IP address of the undefined originator, and
starting a timer.
19. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the computer hardware device is further caused to perform:
receiving a new request;
determining whether a source IP address of the new request matches the logged source IP address of the undefined originator;
determining whether said timer is expired; and
upon the source IP address of the new request matching the logged source IP address of the undefined originator and the timer being expired, responding to the new request with a second challenge that prompts a response to the second challenge.
20. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein
the location is X and Y coordinates of the undefined originator's click associated with the challenge.