Optimizing security seals on web pages
A method of providing web site verification information to a user can include receiving a DNS query including a host name and a seal verification site name, parsing the DNS query, and extracting the host name from the DNS query. The method also can include accessing a DNS zone file including a list of Trust Services customers and determining if the host name is associated with a Trust Services customer in the list of Trust Services customers. The method further can include transmitting a positive identifier to the requester if the host name is associated with a Trust Services customer and transmitting a negative identifier to the requester if the host name is not associated with a Trust Services customer. In a specific embodiment, the Trust Services include issuance of digital certificates.
1. A method of loading a document over a network at a computer comprising:
receiving a web page containing a link wherein the link contains a URL which in turn contains a domain name;
receiving notification that a user has clicked the link containing the URL on a rendition of the web page;
sending a DNS query comprising a seal verification site name and the domain name to a third party;
receiving a DNS query response from the third party indicating that the domain name is on a list of trusted domain names; and
loading a document identified by the URL.
2. A method of verifying whether a domain name is on a list of trusted domain names comprising:
receiving a domain name;
sending a DNS query comprising a seal verification site name and the domain name to a seal verification server; and
receiving a DNS query response from the seal verification server indicating whether the domain name is on the list of trusted domain names.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving an IP address corresponding to the domain name from a Domain Name System server,
sending the IP address and the domain name to a third party, and
receiving a response from the third party indicating whether the IP address is correct.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein sending the IP address and the domain name to a third party comprises sending the IP address and the domain name to a third party over an HTTPS connection.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the third party comprises the seal verification server.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the third party is independent from the seal verification server.
7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving an IP address corresponding to the domain name from a Domain Name System server,
sending the domain name over HTTPS to a third party, and
receiving a response from the third party indicating the correct IP address for the domain name.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving the domain name comprises receiving notification that a user has clicked a link corresponding to the domain name on a rendition of a web page.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the DNS query response indicates that the domain name is on the list of trusted domain names by including at least one pre-determined IP address.
10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the DNS query response indicates that the domain name is not on the list of trusted domain names by including at least one of a pre-determined IP address and a HTTP 404 Not Found status code.
11. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, if the DNS query response indicates the domain name is on the list of trusted domain names, displaying a document associated with the domain name along with a visual element indicating the domain name is on the list of trusted domain names.