US 2006/0224677 A1 · Method and apparatus for detecting email fraud

Abstract

A system and method for detecting email fraud is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, the system includes a collection module for collecting a plurality of bounced email messages originating from an injection source, and a source mining module for determining the location of the injection source. The bounced email messages include a fraudulent status indicator that can be detected to determine that the injection source is sending email messages intended to defraud the recipient users of the email. In another embodiment of the invention, the system for detecting email fraud includes a honeypot module for attracting email messages associated with an injection source, and a target module for determining the location of the target host, wherein the location of the target host is determined by examining the redirection mechanism. A monitoring system can be set up to monitor the status of the target host in order to determine whether the fraudulent web site on the target host is put back on the Internet, requiring additional corrective action.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for detecting email fraud, comprising the steps of:

collecting an email message originating from an injection source, wherein the email message includes:
an indicator associated with a legitimate web site having an owner;
a redirection mechanism associated with the indicator, said redirection mechanism providing for redirection from the legitimate web site to a fraudulent web site, wherein the fraudulent web site is located on a target host having a location;
and
determining the location of the target host associated with the fraudulent web site.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for detecting email fraud

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for detecting email fraud

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24