US 10,382,476 B1Granted

Network security system incorporating assessment of alternative mobile application market sites

AssigneeEMC IP Holding Company LLC

InventorZhou Li

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Abstract

A processing device comprises a processor coupled to a memory and is configured to identify a plurality of mobile application market sites accessible over a network, and to extract features from each of the mobile application market sites. Health scores are computed for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites. One or more proactive measures are initiated to prevent one or more mobile devices from downloading mobile applications from any of the mobile application market sites having computed health scores below a specified threshold. The mobile application market sites may be identified as respective alternative mobile application market sites relative to a known primary mobile application market site. The alternative mobile application market sites may comprise respective alternative mobile application stores. The processing device may be implemented in a computer network or an associated network security system.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising steps of:

identifying a plurality of mobile application market sites accessible over a network;
extracting features from each of the mobile application market sites;
computing health scores for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites;
initiating one or more proactive measures to prevent one or more mobile devices from downloading mobile applications from any of the mobile application market sites having computed health scores below a specified threshold;
wherein the extracted features comprise:
site reputation for alternative mobile application market sites of a primary mobile application market site associated with a given mobile device platform;
and
application information from the primary mobile application market site;
wherein the site reputation for a given one of the alternative mobile application market sites is estimated from one or more of level of incoming web traffic and length of registration period;
wherein the application information from the primary mobile application market site for the given one of the alternative mobile application market sites comprises information identifying mobile applications available from the given alternative mobile application market site that are flagged as problematic on the primary mobile application market site;
wherein computing health scores for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites comprises:
generating a logistic regression model;
and
applying the extracted features for a given one of the mobile application market sites to the logistic regression model to generate the health score;
wherein the computed health score for a given one of the mobile application market sites characterizes the given mobile application market site as a whole and does not characterize any particular individual mobile application available from the given mobile application market site;
wherein the mobile application market sites comprise respective mobile application stores;
and
wherein the steps are performed by at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory.

15 more elements

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of one or more software programs, wherein the program code when executed by at least one processing device causes said at least one processing device:

to identify a plurality of mobile application market sites accessible over a network;
to extract features from each of the mobile application market sites;
to compute health scores for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites;
and
to initiate one or more proactive measures to prevent one or more mobile devices from downloading mobile applications from any of the mobile application market sites having computed health scores below a specified threshold;
wherein the extracted features comprise:
site reputation for alternative mobile application market sites of a primary mobile application market site associated with a given mobile device platform;
and
application information from the primary mobile application market site;
wherein the site reputation for a given one of the alternative mobile application market sites is estimated from one or more of level of incoming web traffic and length of registration period;
wherein the application information from the primary mobile application market site for the given one of the alternative mobile application market sites comprises information identifying mobile applications available from the given alternative mobile application market site that are flagged as problematic on the primary mobile application market site;
wherein computing health scores for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites comprises:
generating a logistic regression model;
and
applying the extracted features for a given one of the mobile application market sites to the logistic regression model to generate the health score;
wherein the computed health score for a given one of the mobile application market sites characterizes the given mobile application market site as a whole and does not characterize any particular individual mobile application available from the given mobile application market site;
and
wherein the mobile application market sites comprise respective mobile application stores.

15 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory;
said at least one processing device being configured:
to identify a plurality of mobile application market sites accessible over a network;
to extract features from each of the mobile application market sites;
to compute health scores for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites;
and
to initiate one or more proactive measures to prevent one or more mobile devices from downloading mobile applications from any of the mobile application market sites having computed health scores below a specified threshold;
wherein the extracted features comprise:
site reputation for alternative mobile application market sites of a primary mobile application market site associated with a given mobile device platform;
and
application information from the primary mobile application market site;
wherein the site reputation for a given one of the alternative mobile application market sites is estimated from one or more of level of incoming web traffic and length of registration period;
wherein the application information from the primary mobile application market site for the given one of the alternative mobile application market sites comprises information identifying mobile applications available from the given alternative mobile application market site that are flagged as problematic on the primary mobile application market site;
wherein computing health scores for respective ones of the mobile application market sites based on the corresponding features extracted from those mobile application market sites comprises:
generating a logistic regression model;
and
applying the extracted features for a given one of the mobile application market sites to the logistic regression model to generate the health score;
wherein the computed health score for a given one of the mobile application market sites characterizes the given mobile application market site as a whole and does not characterize any particular individual mobile application available from the given mobile application market site;
and
wherein the mobile application market sites comprise respective mobile application stores.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/671,318Filed 27 Mar 2015
Granted: 13 Aug 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04L 63/145
Countermeasures against malicious traffic: the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
H04W 12/12
Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity: detection or prevention of fraud
G06F 16/951
Retrieval from the web: indexing; Web crawling techniques
H04L 63/10
Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security: for controlling access to devices or network resources