Enforcement of document element immutability

Abstract

In some embodiments, techniques for computer security comprise parsing an electronic document; determining that a first element of the electronic document specifies immutability of a second element of the electronic document; setting an immutability indicator associated with the second element of the electronic document; receiving a request to modify the second element of the electronic document; determining that the immutability indicator associated with the second element of the electronic document is set; and responsive to determining that the immutability indicator associated with the second element of the electronic document is set, preventing the second element of the electronic document from being modified.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for computer security, comprising:
 displaying, by a programmable computing device executing instructions, an electronic document;   detecting, by the computing device, a request to traverse a link, wherein the link is associated with an element of the document;   determining, by the computing device, whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information, wherein the link validation information is contained within the document; and   determining, by the computing device, whether to traverse the link based on the determination.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the document is an HTML document. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the element of the document is associated with a document object model. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining, by the computing device, whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, whether a URL associated the link is contained in or matches a pattern specified in the validation information.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining, by the computing device, whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, whether a URL associated the link is validly signed using a key associated with the validation information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining, by the computing device, whether to traverse the link based on the determination comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, the link is an allowable link, and traversing the link; or   determining, by the computing device, the link is not an allowable link, presenting a user interface to receive an input, determining, by the computing device, whether to traverse the link based on the input.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the document is an HTML document and the validation information is contained in a head section associated with the document. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the link is associated with submitting a form. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the link validation information is specified by website provider. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , performed by a web browser. 
     
     
         11 . A system for computer security, comprising:
 a processor configured to:   displaying an electronic document;   detecting a request to traverse a link, wherein the link is associated with an element of the document;   determining whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information, wherein the link validation information is contained within the document; and   determining whether to traverse the link based on the determination; and   a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory provides instructions to the processor.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the document is an HTML document. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the element of the document is associated with a document object model. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining, by the computing device, whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, whether a URL associated the link is contained in or matches a pattern specified in the validation information.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining, by the computing device, whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, whether a URL associated the link is validly signed using a key associated with the validation information.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining, by the computing device, whether to traverse the link based on the determination comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, the link is an allowable link, and traversing the link; or   determining, by the computing device, the link is not an allowable link, presenting a user interface used to receive an input, wherein the input is an options to approve or deny the link traversal; determining, by the computing device, whether to traverse the link based on the input.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the document is an HTML document and the validation information is contained in a head section associated with the document. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the link is associated with submitting a form. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the link validation information is specified by website provider. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 displaying an electronic document;   detecting a request to traverse a link, wherein the link is associated with an element of the document;   determining whether the link is an allowable link based on link validation information, wherein the link validation information is contained within the document; and   determining whether to traverse the link based on the determination.