# US 12,118,074 B2 · Methods and apparatus to generate dynamic password update notifications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,118,074 B2 - Document ID: US12118074B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/539,167 - Filed: 2021-11-30 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-30 - Assignees: McAfee, Inc. - Applicants: Mcafee, LLC - Inventors: Tirumaleswar Reddy Konda; Shashank Jain; Devanshi Saxena - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118074B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/45: Structures or tools for the administration of authentication - G06F 21/46: by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords - G06F 21/577: {Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed that determine a dynamic password update notification interval based on a breach risk classification and an automatic password update mechanism of an online service with which a user has an account. The disclosed methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture generate a password update suggestion and/or an automatic password update for the user at the dynamic password update notification interval determined by the processor circuitry. ## Claims ### Claim 1 At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by processor circuitry, allow the processor circuitry to at least: create a sample user account with a service with which a user has an account to obtain security measures that the service uses when transmitting user login information; determine a dynamic password update notification interval based on a breach risk classification of the service, the breach risk classification at least partially based on the security measures, the dynamic password update notification interval to be a first interval when the breach risk classification of the service is a first breach risk classification, the dynamic password update notification interval to be a second interval when the breach risk classification of the service is a second breach risk classification; modify the dynamic password update notification interval after a change of the breach risk classification is detected; cause display of a password update notification for the user based on an expiration of the dynamic password update notification interval; and modify a stored indication of the expiration of the dynamic password update notification interval after a change to a password associated with the account is detected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions further allow the processor circuitry to determine the breach risk classification based on operations executed in a sandbox environment to: identify one or more credential management mechanisms the service uses to exchange at least a username or a password with the user; identify a second factor authentication mechanism the user implements; determine if the service is within a critical category based on a Global Threat Intelligence (GTI) category in which the service is classified; and identify one or more breach occurrences the service has experienced. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the instructions further allow the processor circuitry to: identify one or more credential management mechanisms including at least one of plain-text, encryption, hashing algorithm, or salted hashing algorithm; and identify the second factor authentication mechanism including at least one of a fixed code authentication or an authenticator application. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions further allow the processor circuitry to identify the service with which the user has the account based on telemetry data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions further allow the processor circuitry to determine one or more dynamic update intervals at which to generate the password update notification based on the breach risk classification, the intervals including at least one of: a first interval associated with high breach risk; a second interval associated with medium breach risk, wherein the second interval is greater than the first interval; and a third interval associated with low breach risk, wherein the third interval is greater than the second interval. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions further allow the processor circuitry to adjust one or more intervals at which to generate the password update notification based on detecting an automatic password update mechanism of the service. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions further allow the processor circuitry to generate the password update notification in response to encountering the expiration of the dynamic password update interval. ### Claim 8 An apparatus to generate a dynamic password update notification comprising: interface circuitry; machine readable instructions; and processor circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to: create a sample user account with a service with which a user has an account to obtain security measures that the service uses when transmitting user login information; determine a dynamic password update notification interval based on a breach risk classification of the service, the breach risk classification at least partially based on the security measures, the dynamic password update notification interval to be a first interval when the breach risk classification of the service is a first breach risk classification, the dynamic password update notification interval to be a second interval when the breach risk classification of the service is a second breach risk classification; modify the dynamic password update notification interval after a change of the breach risk classification is detected; cause display of a password update notification for the user based on an expiration of the dynamic password update notification interval; and modify a stored indication of the expiration of the dynamic password update notification interval after a change to a password associated with the account is detected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to determine the breach risk classification based on operations executed in a sandbox environment to: identify one or more credential management mechanisms the service uses to exchange at least a username or a password with the user; identify a second factor authentication mechanism the user implements; determine if the service is within a critical category based on a Global Threat Intelligence (GTI) category in which the service is classified; and identify one or more breach occurrences the service has experienced. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor circuitry at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to: identify one or more credential management mechanisms including at least one of plain-text, encryption, hashing algorithm, or salted hashing algorithm; and identify the second factor authentication mechanism including at least one of a fixed code authentication or an authenticator application. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to identify the service with which the user has the account based on telemetry data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to determine one or more dynamic update intervals at which to generate the password update notification based on the breach risk classification, the intervals including at least one of: a first interval associated with high breach risk; a second interval associated with medium breach risk, wherein the second interval is greater than the first interval; and a third interval associated with low breach risk, wherein the third interval is greater than the second interval. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor circuitry at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to adjust one or more intervals at which to generate the password update notification based on detecting an automatic password update mechanism of the service. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to generate the password update notification in response to encountering the expiration of the dynamic password update interval. ### Claim 15 A method comprising: creating a sample user account with a service with which a user has an account to obtain security measures that the service uses when transmitting user login information; determining a dynamic password update notification interval based on a breach risk classification of the service, the breach risk classification at least partially based on the security measures, the dynamic password update notification interval to be a first interval when the breach risk classification of the service is a first breach risk classification, the dynamic password update notification interval to be a second interval when the breach risk classification of the service is a second breach risk classification; modify the dynamic password update notification interval after a change of the breach risk classification is detected; causing display of a password update notification for the user based on an expiration of the dynamic password update notification interval; and modifying a stored indication of the expiration of the dynamic password update notification interval after a change to a password associated with the account is detected. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, including determining the breach risk classification based on operations executed in a sandbox environment, including: identifying one or more credential management mechanisms the service uses to exchange at least a username or a password with the user; identifying a second factor authentication mechanism the user implements; determining if the service is within a critical category based on a Global Threat Intelligence (GTI) category in which the service is classified; and identifying one or more breach occurrences the service has experienced. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, including: identifying one or more credential management mechanisms including at least one of plain-text, encryption, hashing algorithm, or salted hashing algorithm; and identifying the second factor authentication mechanism including at least one of a fixed code authentication or an authenticator application. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, including determining one or more dynamic update intervals at which to generate the password update notification based on the breach risk classification, including: determining a first interval associated with high breach risk; determining a second interval associated with medium breach risk, wherein the second interval is greater than the first interval; and determining a third interval associated with low breach risk, wherein the third interval is greater than the second interval. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, including adjusting one or more intervals at which to generate the password update notification based on detecting an automatic password update mechanism of the service. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, including generating the password update notification in response to encountering the expiration of the dynamic password update interval.