Directory authentication method for policy driven web filtering

A method for operation of a policy controlled web filter on an authenticated user of a client workstation in a trusted network comprising:

• receiving at the policy controlled web filter an electronic document, from a target site external to the trusted network, which was requested by the client workstation within the trusted network;
• determining an authenticated group, role, and identity of a user requesting said electronic document by exchanging directory access credentials between said client and a policy database server;
• categorizing the content of the electronic document;
• determining according to a policy database server, based on the directory access credentials of the authenticated user and the categorized content of the electronic document;
• if the authenticated user is not authorized, providing a block message into a document frame so as to withhold the requested document;
• and
• if the authenticated user is authorized, fulfilling the request by providing the requested electronic document into the document frame;
• wherein, determining an authenticated group, role, and identity of a user has three steps,
• firstly, injecting by the policy controlled web filter a pixel into the document frame for obtaining the requested electronic document;
• secondly, transmitting said document frame to the requesting client wherein the pixel comprises a uniform resource identifier (uri) to a resource at a policy database server in the trusted network known to a directory access service,
• thirdly, exchanging among said client and said policy database server, directory access credentials as a result of the client requesting the resource at the policy database server, whereby policy based access to web documents are controlled according to user identity.