Defending Against Malicious Electronic Messages
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorOnn Shehory
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Defending against malicious electronic messages by analyzing electronic messages sent via a computer network to identify predefined risk elements found within the electronic messages, detecting attempts to perform computer-mediated actions that are associated with the electronic messages, identifying a potential security risk associated with the electronic messages and the computer-mediated actions, and performing a predefined preventive security action responsive to identifying the potential security risk.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method for defending against malicious electronic messages, the method comprising:
- analyzing at least one electronic message sent via a computer network to identify at least one predefined risk element found within the at least one electronic message;
- detecting an attempt by a computer user to perform a computer-mediated action that is associated with the at least one electronic message;
- identifying a potential security risk associated with either of the at least one electronic message and the computer-mediated action;
- and
- performing a predefined preventive security action responsive to identifying the potential security risk.
A system for defending against malicious electronic messages, the system comprising:
- an electronic message activity monitor configured to
- analyze at least one electronic message sent via a computer network to identify at least one predefined risk element found within the at least one electronic message, and
- detect an attempt by a computer user to perform a computer-mediated action that is associated with the at least one electronic message;
- and
- a security manager configured to
- identify a potential security risk associated with either of the at least one electronic message and the computer-mediated action, and
- perform a predefined preventive security action responsive to identifying the potential security risk.
A computer program product for defending against malicious electronic messages, the computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium;
- and
- computer-readable program code embodied in the storage medium, wherein the computer-readable program code is configured to
- analyze at least one electronic message sent via a computer network to identify at least one predefined risk element found within the at least one electronic message,
- detect an attempt by a computer user to perform a computer-mediated action that is associated with the at least one electronic message,
- identify a potential security risk associated with either of the at least one electronic message and the computer-mediated action, and
- perform a predefined preventive security action responsive to identifying the potential security risk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.