US 10,762,192 B2 · Cleartext password detection using machine learning

Abstract

Cleartext passwords represent a security risk. An unencrypted password can be exploited to gain access to a system and/or perform unauthorized functions. This disclosure describes how to detect cleartext passwords in a generalized manner using predictive text classifiers (e.g. Word2Vec). Using a corpus of text, an artificial intelligence model can be built by training a predictive text classifier to identify password anomalies (e.g., areas of text that occur with low statistical probability). Source program code, configuration files, log files, and other types of text can be automatically scanned for cleartext passwords without having to rely on password lists or other limited and/or labor intensive mechanisms, thus improving system security and reducing the chances of data exfiltration and unauthorized actions.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

a computer system accessing uncategorized textual data;
the computer system feeding the uncategorized textual data to a predictive text classifier, the predictive text classifier built using a corpus of sample textual data;
determining, at the computer system by the predictive text classifier, whether the uncategorized textual data has one or more password anomalies based on the predictive text classifier using an initial group of one or more characters of the uncategorized textual data to predict a subsequent group of one or more characters that follow the initial group;
and
outputting, by the computer system, result data indicating whether the uncategorized textual data was determined to have one or more password anomalies.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cleartext password detection using machine learning

Life of this patent

Cleartext password detection using machine learning

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20