Method and system for extracting application protocol characteristics

Abstract

A method and computer program for automatically and continually extracting application protocols (i.e., defining a set of allowable or authorized actions) for any application. The method involves receiving a message from a server before it is sent or in parallel with sending to a client. The message may be in response to a specific request for it from the client. The program then extracts the application protocol data from the server message. Working with a copy of the message, the program strips off the communications protocol(s) from the message and parses the remaining message to identify user-selectable options contained in the message such as commands, fields, etc. These items represent the set of allowable or authorized user actions for the particular “stage” of the current version of the application as set forth in the message. The set of allowable user actions is then stored by the extraction program in a protocol database accessible to a gateway or filter module.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for defining a set of allowable actions for an application program residing on a server, the method comprising: 
 receiving a message transmitted by the server addressed to one or more clients;    extracting application protocol data from the server message to thereby retrieve the set of allowable actions which may be taken in response to the server message;    storing the extracted application protocol data in a protocol database.