Identifying url target hostnames

Abstract

Techniques are provided for displaying a uniform resource locator (URL) to assist a user in determining whether a URL destination is what the user expects. A link is presented for selection to a user, and a URL corresponding to the link is accessed. A portion of the URL that corresponds to a hostname component of the URL may be identified, and the URL may be displayed. The hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished from other components of the URL. In addition to or as an alternative to displaying the URL and visually distinguishing the hostname component, a warning message relating to the hostname portion of the URL may be displayed. The techniques may be implemented as a software plug-in or in any type of software application that is capable of recognizing URLs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for displaying a uniform resource locator (URL), the method comprising:
 accessing a URL corresponding to a link presented for selection to a user;   identifying a portion of the URL that corresponds to a hostname component of the URL;   displaying the URL; and   visually distinguishing the hostname component of the URL from other components of the URL.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying an electronic document, wherein the link is presented contemporaneously with the electronic document. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a software application used to display the electronic document automatically identifies the portion of the URL that corresponds to the hostname component of the URL. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished from other components of the URL when a pointer is positioned over the link in the electronic document. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished from other components of the URL when the link is selected. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the link is selected through manipulation of a pointing device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising displaying a warning message in response to the selection of the link. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the warning message requires a response before performing a redirection to the URL. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the software application automatically determines whether the URL is suspicious and displays the warning message, only if the URL is determined to be suspicious. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the link corresponds to a selectable button in the electronic document. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a software application automatically determines whether the URL is suspicious and visually distinguishes the hostname component of the URL from other components of the URL only if the URL is determined to be suspicious. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the software application is selected from the group consisting of a word processing application, an electronic mail application, an instant messaging application, and a browser. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the electronic document is selected from the group consisting of a word processor file, an electronic mail message, an instant message, and a web page. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished by using display characteristics for the hostname component that differ from display characteristics of other components of the URL. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the display characteristics for the hostname component comprise at least one of:
 a color for the hostname component that differs from a color of other components of the URL; or 
 a font style for the hostname component that differs from a font style of other components of the URL; or 
 a font size for the hostname component that differs from a font size of other components of the URL; or 
 a font type for the hostname component that differs from a font type of other components of the URL; or 
 a display effect for the hostname component. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished by repositioning the hostname component within the displayed URL. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein repositioning the hostname component comprises displaying the hostname component at the beginning of the displayed URL. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the URL, with the hostname component of the URL visually distinguished from other portions of the URL, is displayed in a user interface of a browser application. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the URL, with the hostname component of the URL visually distinguished from other portions of the URL, is displayed in an address field of the browser application user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the URL, with the hostname component of the URL visually distinguished from other portions of the URL, is displayed in a status bar of the browser application user interface.