Patent ID: 8145908

Claim:
A machine-implemented method for Web content defacement protection, comprising: receiving Web content from an origin server at a Web cache server in a content delivery network (CDN) operated by a content delivery network service provider on behalf of a content owner who uses the CDN to serve said Web content from the origin server to requesting clients, wherein said Web content is associated with a digital signature; decoding the digital signature at the Web cache server to obtain a supplied content validity value, wherein said supplied content validity value is associated with at least one portion of said Web content; computing a determined content validity value for said at least one portion of said Web content; determining whether said supplied content validity value and said determined content validity value are the same; storing said Web content in a cache local to the Web cache server when said supplied content validity value and said determined content validity value are the same, the cache local to the Web cache server storing a plurality of content associated with a plurality of content owners using the CDN to serve the plurality of content to requesting clients; in response to receiving a request for said Web content from a requesting client, retrieving said Web content from said cache local to the Web cache server, and delivering, by the Web cache server, said retrieved Web content to the requesting client; taking an action other than storing said Web content in the cache local to the Web cache server for delivery to requesting clients, when said supplied content validity value and said determined content validity value are different; wherein the content delivery network service provider receives information from the content owner that configures the action to be taken when said supplied content validity value and said determined content validity value are different.