System and method for authorizing access to data on content servers in a distributed network

Abstract

There is disclosed a browser capable of accessing only web pages previously authorized by a parent or supervisor of a user of the browser. In a supervisor mode of operation, a parent can browse through any accessible web site, and continually add approved web sites to a database of authorized web sites. Later, in a user mode of operation, the child is capable of accessing only those web sites that have been added to the authorized web site database. In the supervisor mode of operation, the browser also generates pixel signatures based on image data contained in web pages of the authorized web sites and generates checksum values based on text data contained in web pages of the authorized web sites. The browser later compares pixel signatures and checksum values from subsequently accessed web pages to the original pixel signatures and checksum values to determine if any of the data in the authorized web pages has been changed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A browser apparatus for accessing web page data stored on a plurality of servers in a distributed data network, said browser apparatus comprising: 
 a data processor capable of retrieving said web page data from said plurality of servers; and    a memory associated with said data processor capable of storing a database of authorized web sites associated with said web page data, wherein said data processor operates in a supervisory mode in which an operator of said browser apparatus selects said authorized web sites to be included in said database, and wherein said data processor operates in a user mode in which a user of said browser apparatus may access said web page data only from said authorized web sites in said database.    
     
     
         2 . The browser apparatus set forth in- claim 1  wherein said data processor stores addresses of said authorized web sites in said database.  
     
     
         3 . The browser apparatus set forth in  claim 2  wherein said data processor in said user mode compares an address of a web site selected by said user with at least one of said addresses stored in said database.  
     
     
         4 . The browser apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said web page data comprises at least one of text data and image data and wherein said data processor in said supervisory mode generates from said at least one of text data and image data associated with a first selected web page data first modification indicia capable of being used by said data processor to detect a modification of said at least one of text data and image data associated with said first selected web page data when said first selected web page data is subsequently accessed in said user mode.  
     
     
         5 . The browser apparatus set forth in  claim 4  wherein said first modification indicia is stored in said database.  
     
     
         6 . The browser apparatus set forth in  claim 5  wherein said data processor, during a subsequent access of said first selected web page data in said user mode generates from said at least one of text data and image data associated with said first selected web page data second modification indicia and detects said modification by comparing said second modification indicia with said first modification indicia.  
     
     
         7 . The browser apparatus set forth in  claim 4  wherein said first modification indicia comprises a pixel signature generated from pixel information associated with selected image data associated with said first selected web page data.  
     
     
         8 . For use in a distributed data network comprising a plurality of servers capable of storing web page data in a plurality of web sites on said plurality of servers, a method of browsing web page data comprising-the steps of: 
 in a supervisory mode, selecting authorized web sites to be included in a database;    storing addresses of the selected authorized web sites in the database; and    in a user mode, accessing web page data only from the authorized web sites in the database.    
     
     
         9 . The method set forth in  claim 8  further comprising the step of comparing an address of a web site selected by the user with at least one of the addresses stored in the database.  
     
     
         10 . The method set forth in  claim 8  wherein the web page data comprises at least one of text data and image data and including the further step, in the supervisory mode, of generating from the at least one of text data and image data associated with a first selected web page data first modification indicia capable of detecting a modification of the at least one of text data and image data associated with the first selected web page data when the first selected web page data is subsequently accessed in the user mode.  
     
     
         11 . The method set forth in  claim 10  wherein the first modification indicia is stored in the database.  
     
     
         12 . The method set forth in  claim 11  further comprising the step, during a subsequent access of the first selected web page data in the user mode, of generating from the at least one of text data and image data associated with the first selected web page data second modification indicia.  
     
     
         13 . The method set forth in  claim 12  further comprising the step of detecting the modification by comparing the second modification indicia with the first modification indicia.  
     
     
         14 . The method set forth in  claim 10  wherein the first modification indicia comprises a pixel signature generated from pixel information associated with selected image data associated with the first selected web page data.  
     
     
         15 . A computer program product for use in a computer system comprising: 
 a recording medium;    means, recorded on the recording medium, capable of enabling said computer system to access and to retrieve web page data stored on a plurality of servers in a distributed data network;    means, recorded on the recording medium, capable of enabling said computer system to store in a memory associated with said computer system a database of authorized web sites associated with said web page data; and    means, recorded on the recording medium, capable of enabling said computer system to operate in a supervisory mode in which an operator of said computer system selects said authorized web sites to be included in said database, and to operate in a user mode in which a user of said computer system may access said web page data only from said authorized web sites in said database.    
     
     
         16 . The computer program product set forth in  claim 15  wherein said computer system stores addresses of said authorized web sites in said database.  
     
     
         17 . The computer program product set forth in  claim 16  wherein said computer system in said user mode compares an address of a web site selected by said user with at least one of said addresses stored in said database.  
     
     
         18 . The computer program product set forth in  claim 15  wherein said web page data comprises at least one of text data and image data and wherein said computer system in said supervisory mode generates from said at least one of text data and image data associated with a first selected web page data first modification indicia capable of being used by said computer system to detect a modification of said at least one of text data and image data associated with said first selected web page data when said first selected web page data is subsequently accessed in said user mode.  
     
     
         19 . The computer program product set forth in  claim 18  wherein said first modification indicia is stored in said database.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program product set forth in  claim 19  wherein said computer system, during a subsequent access of said first selected web page data in said user mode generates from said at least one of text data and image data associated with said first selected web page data second modification indicia and detects said modification by comparing said second modification indicia with said first modification indicia.