Method and apparatus for modifying HTTP at a remote data center via tunneling

An apparatus for targeted web content modification, comprising:

• a network service provider;
• and a content modification station;
• wherein the network service provider determines whether a web content request from an internet user station is a first-type request or a second-type request, and the network service provider forwards the first-type web content request to the internet if the web content request is a first-type request, otherwise the network service provider tunnels the second-type web content request to the content modification station, wherein a one-directional tunnel is used for tunneling the second-type content request to the content modification station;
• and
• wherein, if the tunneled second-type web content request meets a criteria for modification, the content modification station responds to the tunneled second-type web content request by forwarding to the internet user station a redirection causing the internet user station to send a new web content request to the internet wherein the internet user station receives modified web content based on the new web content request, and otherwise, if the tunneled second-type web content request does not meet a criteria for modification, the content modification station forwards the tunneled second-type web content request wherein the internet user station receives requested web content, directly from the internet and not from the content modification station, based on the tunneled second-type web content request.

A computer program product, comprising:

• non-transitory computer readable medium including:
• code for causing a network service station to determine whether a web content request from an internet user station is a first-type request or a second-type request;
• code for causing the network service station to forward the first-type web content request to the internet if the web content request is a first-type request, otherwise causing the network service station to tunnel the second-type web content request to a content modification station, wherein a one-directional tunnel is used for tunneling the second-type content request to the content modification station;
• code for causing the content modification station to respond to the tunneled second-type web content request, if the tunneled second-type web content request meets a criteria for modification, by forwarding to the internet user station a redirection for causing the internet user station to send the modified web content request to the internet wherein the internet user station receives modified web content based on the new web content request;
• and
• code for causing the content modification station, if the tunneled second-type web content request does not meet a criteria for modification, to forward the tunneled second-type web content request wherein the internet user station receives requested web content, directly from the internet and not from the content modification station, based on the tunneled second-type web content request.