Patents by Inventor Michael C. Wood

Michael C. Wood has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210288940
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Tocmail Inc.
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20210234832
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: TocMail Inc
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 11044228
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20200186497
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 10574628
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20190334867
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 10348682
    Abstract: A firewall security platform is provided for enhancing security of a network. The firewall security platform includes at least one interface to communicate the identity and current status of one or more traffic requesters and at least one device for receiving instructions from a user. Communication data packets associated with the one or more traffic requesters are allowed for communication via the network or denied and blocked by the firewall security platform based on the current status of each of the one or more traffic requesters. The user's instructions include making a selection, with the selection including members that are at least one of the one or more traffic requesters. The current status of each member of the selection is altered in response to the making of the selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20190207906
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 10320746
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20190081952
    Abstract: Systems and methods for allowing and blocking data packets sent to and from browser software applications and non-browser software applications operated on a computing device are described. The system includes a computing device having a processor and an associated memory, wherein the computing device is communicatively connected to a communications network. The system further includes a browser software application, a non-browser software application, or both being operable on the computing device. The system also includes a whitelist. The system includes processes for intercepting at least one DNS query resulting from at least one attempt by the browser software application to connect to at least one domain and for blocking the at least one DNS query, wherein the at least one DNS query is for a domain name that is not permitted by the whitelist. The system may further implement both network address translator (NAT) and DNS sinkhole processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20190020664
    Abstract: Systems and methods for allowing and blocking data packets sent to and from browser software applications and non-browser software applications operated on a computing device are described as well as systems and methods for preventing infection by phishing sites. The system uses a firewall to block data packets to and from web addresses that are not owned by the maker of the application, are not trusted by the consensus trusted computing devices, or are blocked by selection by a user of the computing device. The system can show the identity of the owner of a link's site, prior to connecting to the site, to enable a user to decide whether the owner matches the expectation created by the surrounding context.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20190020625
    Abstract: A system and method is described for protecting applications against malicious URL links by identifying a final destination. The system and method also includes enabling a user process to directly connect to the final destination, bypassing the original URL altogether; thereby bypassing the hacker's ability to use that URL to programmatically send the application to a malicious site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20180270198
    Abstract: A system and method are described for securing a network-connected device from a hacker having access to a network to which the network-connected device is communicatively connected. Such network-connected devices include a variety of electronics that when connected to the Internet are commonly referred to as the Internet of things (“IoT”). The systems and methods described herein include a transparent traffic control (TTC) device that is installed between an IoT device and a communications network to intercept data packets transmitted between the IoT device and the network and to allow or block the data packets based on rules for a group to which the IoT device or a remote destination are assigned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 9992233
    Abstract: A system and method are described for securing a network-connected device from a hacker having access to a network to which the network-connected device is communicatively connected. Such network-connected devices include a variety of electronics that when connected to the Internet are commonly referred to as the Internet of things (“IoT”). The systems and methods described herein include a transparent traffic control (TTC) device that is installed between an IoT device and a communications network to intercept data packets transmitted between the IoT device and the network and to allow or block the data packets based on rules for a group to which the IoT device or a remote destination are assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20180124015
    Abstract: A firewall security platform is provided for enhancing security of a network. The firewall security platform includes at least one interface to communicate the identity and current status of one or more traffic requesters and at least one device for receiving instructions from a user. Communication data packets associated with the one or more traffic requesters are allowed for communication via the network or denied and blocked by the firewall security platform based on the current status of each of the one or more traffic requesters. The user's instructions include making a selection, with the selection including members that are at least one of the one or more traffic requesters. The current status of each member of the selection is altered in response to the making of the selection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 9882877
    Abstract: A firewall security platform is provided for enhancing security of a network. The firewall security platform includes at least one interface to communicate the identity and current status of one or more traffic requesters and at least one device for receiving instructions from a user. Communication data packets associated with the one or more traffic requesters are allowed for communication via the network or denied and blocked by the firewall security platform based on the current status of each of the one or more traffic requesters. The user's instructions include making a selection, with the selection including members that are at least one of the one or more traffic requesters. The current status of each member of the selection is altered in response to the making of the selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20170264641
    Abstract: A system and method are described for securing a network-connected device from a hacker having access to a network to which the network-connected device is communicatively connected. Such network-connected devices include a variety of electronics that when connected to the Internet are commonly referred to as the Internet of things (“IoT”). The systems and methods described herein include a transparent traffic control (TTC) device that is installed between an IoT device and a communications network to intercept data packets transmitted between the IoT device and the network and to allow or block the data packets based on rules for a group to which the IoT device or a remote destination are assigned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 9742734
    Abstract: A firewall security platform is provided for enhancing security of a network. The firewall security platform includes at least one interface to communicate the identity and current status of one or more traffic requesters and at least one device for receiving instructions from a user. Communication data packets associated with the one or more traffic requesters are allowed for communication via the network or denied and blocked by the firewall security platform based on the current status of each of the one or more traffic requesters. The user's instructions include making a selection, with the selection including members that are at least one of the one or more traffic requesters. The current status of each member of the selection is altered in response to the making of the selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Publication number: 20170237749
    Abstract: Systems and methods for allowing and blocking data packets sent to and from browser software applications and non-browser software applications operated on a computing device are described. The systems can use whitelisting based on the maker of a non-browser software application being a trusted source of data packets sent to the non-browser application or based on consensus by one or more consensus trusted computing devices that connections made by an URL open in a browser software application are correct and trusted. The system uses a firewall to block data packets to and from web addresses that are not owned by the maker of the application, are not trusted by the consensus trusted computing devices, or are blocked by selection by a user of the computing device. The system can also include a health monitor engine to ensure a kernel drive of the system is operational and not disabled by malware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventor: Michael C. Wood
  • Patent number: 9640083
    Abstract: A method for providing electronic content for a learning appliance is disclosed. The method includes selecting a learning appliance from a set of different learning appliances on a host site. The set of learning appliances is previously selected from a group of learning appliances. The electronic content package is received and is loaded into the learning appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Wood, Heather Regan