Patents by Inventor Walter N. Scaife

Walter N. Scaife 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).

  • Patent number: 11265717
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting Signaling System 7 (SS7) redirection attacks by measuring call audio round trip times between phones. Such redirection attacks force calls to travel longer physical distances than usual, thereby causing longer end-to-end delay. Accordingly, various embodiments implement a distance bounding-inspired protocol that allows for securely characterizing the round trip time between two call endpoints. As a result, telephone users can reliably detect SS7 redirection attacks and protect the information contained in their calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick G. Traynor, Christian Peeters, Bradley G. Reaves, Hadi Abdullah, Kevin Butler, Jasmine Bowers, Walter N. Scaife
  • Patent number: 10936928
    Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Walter N. Scaife, Patrick G. Traynor, Christian Peeters
  • Patent number: 10803261
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting counterfeit magnetic stripes are provided. A method can include detecting magnetic flux transitions encoded on a magnetic stripe and the variation in distances between clocking flux transitions. The distance between variations in clocking flux transitions is greater in counterfeit cards than in legitimate cards. The variations in distances can be compared with known values of legitimate cards to detect the presence of a counterfeit magnetic stripe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick G. Traynor, David P. Arnold, Walter N. Scaife, Christian Peeters, Camilo Velez Cuervo
  • Patent number: 10685114
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are described for detecting malware's bulk transformation of a user's data before the malware is able to complete the data transformation. Included are methods and systems for enabling malware detection by monitoring the file operations of a computer application or process for particular kinds of suspicious data transformation indicators. Indicators include primary indicators, such as file-type signature changes, notable changes in file data entropy, and out-of-range similarity measurements between the read and write versions of file data, as well as secondary indicators, such as a large number of file deletions and a large reduction in the number of file-types written versus read by a process over time. When indicators are triggered by a process, an adjustment to the process' malware score is made; in the event that the process' malware score reaches a malware detection threshold, the process is marked as malware and appropriate actions are taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter N. Scaife, Patrick G. Traynor, Henry Carter, Kevin Butler
  • Publication number: 20200167625
    Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Walter N. SCAIFE, Patrick G. TRAYNOR, Christian PEETERS
  • Patent number: 10496914
    Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter N. Scaife, Patrick G. Traynor, Christian Peeters
  • Publication number: 20190297503
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting Signaling System 7 (SS7) redirection attacks by measuring call audio round trip times between phones. Such redirection attacks force calls to travel longer physical distances than usual, thereby causing longer end-to-end delay. Accordingly, various embodiments implement a distance bounding-inspired protocol that allows for securely characterizing the round trip time between two call endpoints. As a result, telephone users can reliably detect SS7 redirection attacks and protect the information contained in their calls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Patrick G. Traynor, Christian Peeters, Bradley G. Reaves, Hadi Abdullah, Kevin Butler, Jasmine Bowers, Walter N. Scaife
  • Publication number: 20190281062
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Publication number: 20190228153
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are described for detecting malware's bulk transformation of a user's data before the malware is able to complete the data transformation. Included are methods and systems for enabling malware detection by monitoring the file operations of a computer application or process for particular kinds of suspicious data transformation indicators. Indicators include primary indicators, such as file-type signature changes, notable changes in file data entropy, and out-of-range similarity measurements between the read and write versions of file data, as well as secondary indicators, such as a large number of file deletions and a large reduction in the number of file-types written versus read by a process over time. When indicators are triggered by a process, an adjustment to the process' malware score is made; in the event that the process' malware score reaches a malware detection threshold, the process is marked as malware and appropriate actions are taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Walter N. Scaife, Patrick G. Traynor, Henry Carter, Kevin Butler
  • Patent number: 10348734
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Publication number: 20190130240
    Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Walter N. SCAIFE, Patrick G. TRAYNOR, Christian PEETERS
  • Publication number: 20180314862
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting counterfeit magnetic stripes are provided. A method can include detecting magnetic flux transitions encoded on a magnetic stripe and the variation in distances between clocking flux transitions. The distance between variations in clocking flux transitions is greater in counterfeit cards than in legitimate cards. The variations in distances can be compared with known values of legitimate cards to detect the presence of a counterfeit magnetic stripe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick G. Traynor, David P. Arnold, Walter N. Scaife, Christian Peeters, Camilo Velez Cuervo
  • Publication number: 20180124058
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Patent number: 9888009
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Publication number: 20170155657
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Patent number: 9600660
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Publication number: 20150169867
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Patent number: 8914857
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife
  • Publication number: 20140143843
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to performing an operation in a computing environment that is prohibited by a security application governing the computing environment. Exemplary embodiments can generate a security bypass environment in a computing environment governed by the security application to provide a bypass to the security application. In exemplary embodiments, a request to perform the operation can be received via the security bypass environment and the operation can be performed through the security bypass environment in response to satisfaction of access control criteria specified for the security bypass environment so that the performance of the operation bypasses the security application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventor: Walter N. Scaife