Andrew E Ellis

US Patent:

7260639, Aug 21, 2007

Filed:

Jul 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/191309

Inventors:

Michael M. Afergan - Cambridge MA, US
Andrew B. Ellis - Medford MA, US
Ravi Sundaram - Cambridge MA, US
Hariharan S. Rahul - Cambridge MA, US

Assignee:

Akamai Technologies, Inc. - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709229, 709214, 709218, 709219, 709224, 709228, 726 12, 726 22

Abstract:

The present invention addresses the known vulnerabilities of Web site infrastructure by making an origin server substantially inaccessible via Internet Protocol traffic. In particular, according to a preferred embodiment, the origin server is “shielded” from the publicly-routable IP address space. Preferably, only given machines (acting as clients) can access the origin server, and then only under restricted, secure circumstances. In a preferred embodiment, these clients are the servers located in a “parent” region of a content delivery network (CDN) tiered distribution hierarchy. The invention implements an origin server shield that protects a site against security breaches and the high cost of Web site downtime by ensuring that the only traffic sent to an enterprise's origin infrastructure preferably originates from CDN servers. The inventive “shielding” technique protects a site's Web servers (as well as backend infrastructure, such as application servers, databases, and mail servers) from unauthorized intrusion—improving site uptime and in the process, customer loyalty.

US Patent:

20070283419, Dec 6, 2007

Filed:

Aug 20, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/841006

Inventors:

Michael Afergan - Cambridge MA, US
Andrew Ellis - Medford MA, US
Ravi Sundaram - Cambridge MA, US
Hariharan Rahul - Cambridge MA, US

Assignee:

AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

H04L 9/32

US Classification:

726003000

Abstract:

The present invention addresses the known vulnerabilities of Web site infrastructure by making an origin server substantially inaccessible via Internet Protocol traffic. In particular, according to a preferred embodiment, the origin server is “shielded” from the publicly-routable IP address space. Preferably, only given machines (acting as clients) can access the origin server, and then only under restricted, secure circumstances. In a preferred embodiment, these clients are the servers located in a “parent” region of a content delivery network (CDN) tiered distribution hierarchy. The invention implements an origin server shield that protects a site against security breaches and the high cost of Web site downtime by ensuring that the only traffic sent to an enterprise's origin infrastructure preferably originates from CDN servers. The inventive “shielding” technique protects a site's Web servers (as well as backend infrastructure, such as application servers, databases, and mail servers) from unauthorized intrusion—improving site uptime and in the process, customer loyalty.