IP Library Granted Patent US 11,277,373
Granted Patent B2
US 11,277,373 · App. 16/894,537 · Granted Mar 15, 2022

Security during domain name resolution and browsing

Inventors: Brian James Buck (Livermore, CA); Stephen Lind (El Cerrito, CA); Brian Sullivan (Jamaica Plain, MA)
Assignee: LOOKOUT, INC.
H04L61/1511H04L61/2007H04L63/0407H04L63/0428H04L63/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,277,373
App. No.
16/894,537
Granted
Mar 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems provide for resolving domain names by employing a proxy server between the client device and the resolving server. The methods and systems may maintain user privacy by the proxy receiving the client identity and an encrypted domain name. After substituting an arbitrary query identifier for the client identity in the resolution request, the proxy forwards the anonymized resolution request to the resolving server. In return the proxy receives an encrypted internet protocol (IP) address with the arbitrary query identifier, which the proxy associates with the client identity and forwards the encrypted IP address to the client for decrypting. Methods and systems provide for receiving an assessment of a full uniform resource locator (URL) in a browser session in advance of the browser accessing the URL. Methods and systems further prevent the re-use of passwords.

Claims (62)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first security component executing on a first server from a second security component executing on a first device, a domain name resolution (DNS) query initiated by a client device for resolution of a domain name, the DNS query received by the first security component including an encryption of the domain name instead of the domain name and the DNS query also including authentication information about the client device, the encryption of the domain name and the authentication information included with the DNS query by the second security component;

determining, by the first security component using the authentication information, whether the second security component is authorized to access a domain resolution service performed by the first security component; and

in response determining that the second security component is authorized to access the domain resolution service, the first security component performing the domain resolution service by:

modifying the DNS query by:

removing from the DNS query identification of the client device;

and adding a DNS query identifier (ID);

associating the DNS query ID with the client device in a DNS query database;

sending the modified DNS query to a second server for resolution of the domain name;

receiving, from the second server in response to the modified DNS query, a DNS response including: an encrypted IP address or encrypted code, and the DNS query ID;

retrieving the identity of the client device using the DNS query ID; and

sending the DNS response with the encrypted IP address to the client device for decrypting by the second security component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device executing the second security component is the client device or a network device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication information is included in at least one extended domain name system (EDNS) option of the DNS query.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second security component further includes a policy representation in the DNS query received by the first security component, wherein the modified DNS query includes the policy representation, wherein a third security component executing on the second server:

decrypts the encryption of the domain name to obtain the domain name;

resolves the domain name to obtain a first IP address;

initiates the retrieval of classification data that is associated with the domain name or the fist IP address;

evaluates retrieved classification data against the policy representation;

when the evaluation results in a determination that the policy representation does not allow access to the first IP address, the encrypted IP address included in the DNS response to the first security component includes an encryption of a second IP address that does not lead to the first IP address; and

when the evaluation results in a determination that the policy representation allows access the first IP address, or does not provide a determination of whether the policy representation allows or does not allow access to the first IP address, the encrypted IP address included in the DNS response to the first security component includes an encryption of the first IP address, and an encryption of the retrieved classification data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein, when the DNS response includes an encryption of the first IP address and an encryption of the retrieved classification data, the second security component, upon decrypting the classification data, evaluates the classification data against a policy to determine whether to allow the client device to access the first IP address.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the encryption of the retrieved classification data is included in at least one EDNS option of the response.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the classification data is retrieved from a third-party service.

8. A system comprising a first server including at least one processor and memory with instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the system to perform actions including:

receiving, by a first security component executing on the first server from a second security component executing on a first device, a domain name resolution (DNS) query initiated by a client device for resolution of a domain name, the DNS query received by the first security component including an encryption of the domain name instead of the domain name and the DNS query also including authentication information about the client device, the encryption of the domain name and the authentication information included with the DNS query by the second security component;

determining, by the first security component using the authentication information, whether the second security component is authorized to access a domain resolution service performed by the first security component; and

in response determining that the second security component is authorized to access the domain resolution service, the first security component performing the domain resolution service by:

modifying the DNS query by:

removing from the DNS query identification of the client device;

and adding a DNS query identifier (ID);

associating the DNS query ID with the client device in a DNS query database;

sending the modified DNS query to a second server for resolution of the domain name;

receiving, from the second server in response to the modified DNS query, a DNS response including: an encrypted IP address or encrypted code, and the DNS query ID;

retrieving the identity of the client device using the DNS query ID; and

sending the DNS response with the encrypted IP address to the client device for decrypting by the second security component.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first device executing the second security component is the client device or a network device.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the authentication information is included in at least one extended domain name system (EDNS) option of the DNS query.

11. The system of claim 8 further including the second server, wherein the second security component further includes a policy representation in the DNS query received by the first security component, wherein the modified DNS query includes the policy representation, wherein a third security component executing on the second server:

decrypts the encryption of the domain name to obtain the domain name;

resolves the domain name to obtain a first IP address;

initiates the retrieval of classification data that is associated with the domain name or the fist IP address;

evaluates retrieved classification data against the policy representation;

when the evaluation results in a determination that the policy representation does not allow access to the first IP address, the encrypted IP address included in the DNS response to the first security component includes an encryption of a second IP address that does not lead to the first IP address; and

when the evaluation results in a determination that the policy representation allows access the first IP address, or does not provide a determination of whether the policy representation allows or does not allow access to the first IP address, the encrypted IP address included in the DNS response to the first security component includes an encryption of the first IP address, and an encryption of the retrieved classification data.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein, when the DNS response includes an encryption of the first IP address and an encryption of the retrieved classification data, the second security component, upon decrypting the classification data, evaluates the classification data against a policy to determine whether to allow the client device to access the first IP address.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the encryption of the retrieved classification data is included in at least one EDNS option of the response.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the classification data is retrieved from a third-party service.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of a server cause the server to perform actions including:

receiving, by a first security component executing on the first server from a second security component executing on a first device, a domain name resolution (DNS) query initiated by a client device for resolution of a domain name, the DNS query received by the first security component including an encryption of the domain name instead of the domain name and the DNS query also including authentication information about the client device, the encryption of the domain name and the authentication information included with the DNS query by the second security component;

determining, by the first security component using the authentication information, whether the second security component is authorized to access a domain resolution service performed by the first security component; and

in response determining that the second security component is authorized to access the domain resolution service, the first security component performing the domain resolution service by:

modifying the DNS query by:

removing from the DNS query identification of the client device;

and adding a DNS query identifier (ID);

associating the DNS query ID with the client device in a DNS query database;

sending the modified DNS query to a second server for resolution of the domain name;

receiving, from the second server in response to the modified DNS query, a DNS response including: an encrypted IP address or encrypted code, and the DNS query ID;

retrieving the identity of the client device using the DNS query ID; and

sending the DNS response with the encrypted IF address to the client device for decrypting by the second security component.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first device executing the second security component is the client device or a network device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the authentication information is included in at least one extended domain name system (EDNS) option of the DNS query.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 7, 2025
From: LOOKOUT, INC.
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
Reel/Frame 073028/0189 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2025
From: LOOKOUT, INC.
To: CRESCENT COVE OPPORTUNITY LENDING, LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072989/0675 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2024
From: LOOKOUT, INC.
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
Reel/Frame 068538/0177 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 59909 AND FRAME 0764 Recorded Jun 2, 2023
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: LOOKOUT, INC.
Reel/Frame 063844/0638 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2022
From: LOOKOUT, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 059909/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: BUCK, BRIAN JAMES; LIND, STEPHEN; SULLIVAN, BRIAN
To: LOOKOUT, INC.
Reel/Frame 052857/0855 →