Patent ID: 8286220

Claim:
A computer implemented method, comprising: receiving at a processing node a request for a domain from a client browser, wherein the processing node is external to a protected network comprising the client browser and is part of a distributed security system, and wherein the domain is external to the protected network and separate from the processing node; determining at the processing node whether the request for the domain includes browser authorization data indicative of an acceptable browser configuration level to minimize exploitation of the client browser; if the request for the domain includes the browser authorization data, then allowing the request; if the request for the domain does not include the browser authorization data, then: providing a configuration page to the client browser, the configuration page including a configuration script that in response to execution at the client browser generates browser configuration data, the browser configuration data defining a browser configuration of the client browser; receiving the browser configuration data from the client browser; comparing the browser configuration data to security policy data associated with the client browser, the security policy data defining a security policy associated with the browser configuration of the client browser; determining whether the browser configuration data complies with the security policy data based on the comparison; and if the browser configuration data complies with the security policy data, then providing the browser authorization data to the client browser.