METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING WEB SERVICES AND URL RESOURCES

摘要

A method and apparatus for accessing Web services and URL resources for both primary and shared users over a reverse tunnel mechanism are provided. Current limitations on accessing Web services and URL resources located behind firewalls or otherwise made secure and largely inaccessible are overcome through a novel use of a "reverse tunneling" mechanism. The mechanism uses an Agent to obfuscate physical address endpoints of Web services and other resources, as well as to package SOAP service requests in such a way that they can be passed through firewalls unimpeded. All of this data transfer is made secure through encryption, strong authentication, and by making use of the security environment on both a user's individual device and the LAN proper. In addition, a primary user may share data access rights within the secure LAN environment to a secondary user and, using the present invention, provide only those access rights to the shared user over the open Internet.