Identifying URL target hostnames
View Patent ↗Techniques are provided for displaying a uniform resource locator (URL) to assist a user in determining whether a URL destination is what the user expects. A link is presented for selection to a user, and a URL corresponding to the link is accessed. A portion of the URL that corresponds to a hostname component of the URL may be identified, and the URL may be displayed. The hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished from other components of the URL. In addition to or as an alternative to displaying the URL and visually distinguishing the hostname component, a warning message relating to the hostname portion of the URL may be displayed. The techniques may be implemented as a software plug-in or in any type of software application that is capable of recognizing URLs.
1. A computer-implemented method for processing a hyperlink, the method comprising:
receiving an electronic document containing a hyperlink selectable by a user and presenting a URL;
in response to at least an event initiated by the user, automatically determining the URL indicates to the user a destination different from an actual destination determined by the hyperlink; and
presenting a notification to the user identifying the actual destination and including a selectable graphical element for proceeding to the actual destination.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting to the user the electronic document including the URL.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein automatically determining the URL indicates to the user a destination different from an actual destination comprises:
determining a first destination indicated by a string in the URL presented by the hyperlink;
determining a second destination indicated by a string in a URL linked to by the hyperlink; and
determining a difference between the first destination and the second destination.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user-initiated event includes at least one of selecting the hyperlink, positioning a pointer over the hyperlink, or presenting the electronic document to the user.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the actual destination is identified by visually distinguishing a hostname component in the presented URL from other components.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical element comprises a selectable graphical button.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the electronic document comprising at least one of a word processor file, an electronic mail message, an instant message, or a web page.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the notification comprises a separate window presented to the user.
9. A system, comprising:
memory for storing an electronic document; and
one or more processors operable to:
receive an electronic document containing a hyperlink selectable by a user and presenting a URL;
in response to at least an event initiated by the user, automatically determine the URL indicates to the user a destination different from an actual destination determined by the hyperlink; and
present a notification to the user identifying the actual destination and including a selectable graphical element for proceeding to the actual destination.
10. The system of claim 9 , the processors further operable to present to the user the electronic document including the URL.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processors operable to automatically determine the URL indicates to the user a destination different from an actual destination comprises the processors operable to:
determine a first destination device indicated by a string in the presented URL;
determine a destination device indicated by a string in a URL linked to by the hyperlink; and
determine a difference between the first destination device and the destination device.
12. The system of claim 9 , the user-initiated event includes at least one of selecting the hyperlink, positioning a pointer over the hyperlink, or presenting the electronic document to the user.
13. The system of claim 9 , the actual destination identified by visually distinguishing a hostname component in the URL from other components.
14. The system of claim 9 , the graphical element comprises a selectable graphical button.
15. The system of claim 9 , the electronic document comprises at least one of a word processor file, an electronic mail message, an instant message, or a web page.
16. The system of claim 9 , the notification comprises a separate window presented to the user.
17. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions for causing data processing apparatus to:
receive an electronic document containing a hyperlink selectable by a user and presenting a URL;
in response to at least an event initiated by the user, automatically determine the URL indicates to the user a destination different from an actual destination determined by the hyperlink; and
present a notification to the user identifying the actual destination and including a selectable graphical element for proceeding to the actual destination.
18. The article of claim 17 , the instructions further operable to present to the user the electronic document including the hyperlink.
19. The article of claim 17 , wherein the instructions operable to automatically determine the URL indicates to the user a destination different from an actual destination comprises the instructions operable to:
determine a first destination device indicated by a string in the presented URL;
determine a destination device indicated by a string in a URL linked to by the hyperlink; and
determine a difference between the first destination device and the destination device.
20. The article of claim 17 , the user-initiated event includes at least one of selecting the hyperlink, positioning a pointer over the hyperlink, or presenting the electronic document to the user.
21. The article of claim 17 , the actual destination identified by visually distinguishing a hostname component in the URL from other components.
22. The article of claim 17 , the graphical element comprises a selectable graphical button.
23. The article of claim 17 , the electronic document comprises at least one of a word processor file, an electronic mail message, an instant message, or a web page.
24. The article of claim 17 , the notification comprises a separate window presented to the user.