Patent ID: 7353283
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling access to a plurality of web sites, the method comprising the steps of: registering a plurality of users with a hosting service by storing information identifying each of said users; registering a plurality of controlled access web sites with the hosting service; for each of said registered users, storing information including rights of access of said registered users to one or more of said registered sites in a site access control unit; performing an update of the registered users and of the information on the rights granted to said registered users, wherein the information on the granted rights includes data representing a validity period of the granted rights; selecting, by a first registered user from the registered users, at least one second registered user from the registered users to have rights for accessing at least one registered site that is a personal site of the first registered user; checking, in response to a request for accessing the at least one personal site of the first registered user, wherein the request comes from an address of the at least one personal site being selected in an electronic message, whether said request comes from the second user, by using an indicator that provides authentication information to said site access control unit, wherein the indicator is a cookie; and refusing access to the at least one personal site if said request comes from a user that is not the second user and is either a registered user that does not have rights for accessing the at least one personal site or is not a registered user.