Web VPN
Web-based VPN system and corresponding service. The inventive web VPN system/service could be accessed by the users using only a conventional web browser without the need to install any specialized VPN client software on the user terminal, as it is the case with conventional VPN systems. User's terminal could be a user's desktop computer, notebook or a mobile device, such as a cell prone or a PDA, or any other computing platform what so ever, used by the user to access various network resources, such as web pages. One aspect is a web VPN service that encrypts, using, for example, SSL encryption, all web traffic going between the user's terminal and the Internet. System comprises a VPN server/proxy and an associated web server accessible by the user via a communication network, such as Internet. The web server associated with the VPN server/proxy communicates with the latter and enables the user to access and use the functionality provided by the private VPN server/proxy by means of a conventional web browser installed on the user's terminal.
1. A computerized system comprising:
a. a virtual private network and a proxy server operable to provide a virtual private network service, the virtual private network service enabling a user of a user terminal to retrieve at least one user-requested Internet resource from a content provider, wherein the proxy server comprises at least a processing unit and a memory; and
b. a web server communicatively coupled with the virtual private network and the proxy server and with the user terminal and operable to furnish the retrieved user-requested Internet resource to the user terminal via a secure data transmission protocol, wherein the web server is further operable to provide to the user terminal a control panel accessible using a web browser, the control panel comprising a uniform resource locator input portion, which is separate and distinct from a uniform resource locator input field of the browser, configured to receive a uniform resource locator of the user-requested Internet resource from the user and to transmit the uniform resource locator of the user-requested Internet resource to the virtual private network and the proxy server, and wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is configured to keep an identity of the user private from the content provider; wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive from the user selection of a language from a plurality of predetermined languages, wherein the selection of the language indicates preferred content display language of the user and wherein online content of the user differs depending on the language selection and wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement module; to choose a most relevant advertisement based on a selected geographical region; and to insert the most relevant advertisement into the Internet resource provided to the user.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement module; to choose a most relevant advertisement based on the Internet resource specified by the user; and to insert the most relevant advertisement into the Internet resource provided to the user.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive from the user a selection of language wherein the virtual private network server is further operable to alter the user's online identity to reflect the selected language.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is further operable to re-write links contained in the Internet resource furnished to the user to direct the user to linked resources via the virtual private network and the proxy server.
5. A computerized system comprising:
a. a virtual private network and a proxy server operable to provide a virtual private network service, the virtual private network service enabling a user of a user terminal to retrieve at least one Internet resource from a content provider, wherein the proxy server comprises at least a processing unit and a memory; and
b. a web server communicatively coupled with the virtual private network and the proxy server and with the user terminal and operable to furnish the retrieved Internet resource to the user terminal via a secure data transmission protocol, wherein the web server is further operable to provide the user terminal with a bookmarklet enabling the user to create a bookmark redirecting the user to the Internet resource through the virtual private network and the proxy server and wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is configured to keep an identity of the user private from the content provider, wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive from the user selection of a language from a plurality of predetermined languages, wherein the selection of the language indicates preferred content display language of the user and wherein online content of the user differs depending on the language selection and wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement module; to choose a most relevant advertisement based on a selected geographical region; and to insert the most relevant advertisement into the Internet resource provided to the user.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is further operable to re-write links contained in the Internet resource furnished to the user to direct the user to linked resources via the virtual private network and the proxy server.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the bookmarklet is executed by a web browser on the user terminal to create the bookmark redirecting the user to the Internet resource through the virtual private network and the proxy server.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a button corresponding to the bookmarklet is placed on a toolbar of the web browser on the user terminal.
9. A computer-implemented method comprising:
a. providing a virtual private network service using a virtual private network and a proxy server, the virtual private network service enabling a user of a user terminal to retrieve at least one user-requested Internet resource from a content provider, wherein the proxy server comprises at least a processing unit and a memory; and
b. furnishing, via a secure data transmission protocol, the retrieved user-requested Internet resource to the user terminal using a web server communicatively coupled with the virtual private network and the proxy server and with the user terminal, wherein the web server is further operable to provide to the user terminal a control panel accessible using a web browser, the control panel comprising a uniform resource locator input portion, which is separate and distinct from a uniform resource locator input field of the browser, configured to receive a uniform resource locator of the user-requested Internet resource from the user and to transmit the uniform resource locator of the user-requested Internet resource to the virtual private network and the proxy server, and wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is configured to keep an identity of the user private from the content provider; wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive from the user selection of a language from a plurality of predetermined languages, wherein the selection of the language indicates preferred content display language of the user and wherein online content of the user differs depending on the language selection and wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement module; to choose a most relevant advertisement based on a selected geographical region; and to insert the most relevant advertisement into the Internet resource provided to the user.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement module; to choose a most relevant advertisement based on the Internet resource specified by the user; and to insert the most relevant advertisement into the Internet resource provided to the user.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is operable to receive from the user a selection of language wherein the virtual private network server is further operable to alter the user's online identity to reflect the selected language.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual private network and the proxy server is further operable to re-write links contained in the Internet resource furnished to the user to direct the user to linked resources via the virtual private network and the proxy server.