Systems and methods for identifying the spreading of sensitive data by a suspicious application
AssigneeSymantec Corporation
InventorsSheng Gong, Zhe Liu, Xue Feng Tian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method to identify the spreading of sensitive data from a suspicious application is described. At least one security attribute for an application programming interface (API) is defined. Sensitive data passed through the at least one security attribute to the suspicious application are marked. The marked sensitive data being passed through the at least one security attribute from the suspicious application are detected. A notification is generated regarding the spreading of the sensitive data by the suspicious application.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method to identify spreading of sensitive data from a suspicious application, comprising:
- defining, by a processor, a first security attribute for a return value of a first application programming interface (API) and a second security attribute for a parameter of a second API, wherein the first API is different than the second API;
- marking, by the processor, data passed through the first security attribute to the suspicious application as sensitive data;
- detecting, by the processor, the marked sensitive data being passed through the second security attribute from the suspicious application;
- and
- generating, by the processor, a notification regarding spreading of the sensitive data by the suspicious application.
A smartphone device configured to identify spreading of sensitive data from a suspicious application, comprising:
- a processor;
- memory in electronic communication with the processor;
- and
- instructions stored in the memory, the instructions executable by the processor to
- define a first security attribute for a return value of a first application programming interface (API) and a second security attribute for a parameter of a second API, wherein the first API is different than the second API;
- mark data passed through the first security attribute to the suspicious application as sensitive data;
- detect the marked sensitive data being passed through the second security attribute from the suspicious application;
- and
- generate a notification regarding spreading of the sensitive data by the suspicious application.
A computer-program product for identifying spreading of sensitive data from a suspicious application, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by a processor to:
- define a first security attribute for a return value of a first application programming interface (API) and a second security attribute for a parameter of a second API, wherein the first API is different than the second API;
- mark data passed through the first security attribute to the suspicious application as sensitive data;
- detect the marked sensitive data being passed through the second security attribute from the suspicious application;
- and
- generate a notification regarding spreading of the sensitive data by the suspicious application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.