Patents Assigned to Symantec
  • Network-based whitelisting approach for critical systems
    Patent number: 9794278
    Abstract: A method for modeling or monitoring a control system is provided. The method includes deriving a plurality of message prototypes from a plurality of messages of the control system, the plurality of messages gathered from the control system during operation of the control system. The method includes deriving relationships among the plurality of message prototypes and constructing a model of the control system, based upon the derived message prototypes and the derived relationships among the plurality of message prototypes, wherein at least one method operation is executed through a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Corrado Leita, Jakob Fritz
  • Lightweight replicas for securing cloud-based services
    Patent number: 9794275
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products, computer systems, and the like, which provide security in cloud-based services using lightweight replicas, are disclosed. The methods, computer program products, computer systems, and the like include detecting an intrusion into an application server, dynamically provisioning a replica application server in a server system in response to the detecting the intrusion, and transitioning a datastream from the application server to the replica application server, where the application server is provisioned in the server system, the intrusion is an attack on the application server, and the attack is conducted via a datastream between a first computing system and the application server. The replica application server is a replica of at least a portion of the application server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Azzedine Benameur, Nathan S. Evans
  • Techniques for remediating an infected file
    Patent number: 9792436
    Abstract: Techniques for remediating an infected file are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may have the steps of maintaining a plurality of file identities within a remediation repository each associated with a file, wherein for each file identity one or more regions of interest of the associated file are selectively identified, the one or more regions of interest for each file collectively representing less than all of the file; in response, selecting a file associated with a file identity from the remediation repository that matches the infected file; selectively comparing the one or more regions of interest of the matching file with one or more corresponding regions of the infected file; and based on comparing the regions, replacing at least one portion of the one or more regions of the infected file with at least one corresponding portion of the one or more regions of interest of the matching file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Anand D. Sankruthi
  • Applying security policies based on context of a workload
    Patent number: 9794289
    Abstract: A workload to be provided by one or more network resources may be identified. The workload may be analyzed to determine one or more attributes of the workload. Furthermore, a general policy may be identified based on the one or more attributes of the workload. One or more security policies may be applied to a network resource that provides the workload. The one or more security policies may satisfy one or more requirements of the general policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Deb Banerjee, Sheetal Venkatesh Yelimeli, Smita Gadre
  • Techniques for managing authorization
    Patent number: 9794258
    Abstract: Techniques for managing authorization are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method including receiving, from a centralized authorization service, authorization logic for an application; determining the identity of a user; and, based on the identity of the user, authorizing the use of a particular feature of the application using the received authorization logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: John Mears
  • Techniques for mobile geofencing
    Patent number: 9788153
    Abstract: Techniques for mobile geofencing may be realized as a method including: receiving geofence parameters comprising at least one target, wherein the at least one target includes a mobile target; receiving updated position data associated with the mobile target and updating the position of the mobile target in response to the updated position data; monitoring a position of a client device; and determining that the monitored position of the client device transgresses the geofence parameters, wherein the determination includes determining that a distance between the updated position of the mobile target and the monitored position of the client device is greater than a first threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Newstadt, Ilya Sokolov
  • Method and system for smartcard emulation
    Patent number: 9787672
    Abstract: A method and system for emulating a smartcard which includes receiving a one time password and a container PIN for a container, validating the container PIN, upon validating the container PIN, and sending a request to validate the one time password to an authentication server based on a credential ID and a user ID, wherein the request includes the credential ID, the user ID, and the one time password. Upon validation of the one time password by the authentication server, a response is received from the authentication server, and the response includes at least one of: at least a portion of a private key or an authorization to access a at least a portion of the private key stored locally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Dundas, Eirik Herskedal
  • Trusted third party broker for collection and private sharing of successful computer security practices
    Patent number: 9787719
    Abstract: A trusted third party broker collects information concerning successful computer security practices from multiple organizations, and privately shares collected information at an inter-organizational level. Information concerning empirically successful computer security practices is received from multiple source organizations. The information concerning empirically successful computer security practices received from the multiple source organizations is amalgamated and analyzed. Based on the analysis, specific information concerning empirically successful computer security practices is identified to share with specific target organizations. Once information to share with a target organization has been identified, any explicit and/or implicit source information that could identify the organization(s) from which the information originated is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Petros Efstathopoulos
  • Dynamic location tracking
    Patent number: 9788160
    Abstract: Dynamic location tracking may be performed by a mobile app executing on a mobile computing device. A first geo-fence of a predefined size is set on a mobile operating system of a mobile computing device to notify a mobile app when the first geo-fence is crossed by the mobile computing device. The notification occurs even when the mobile app is suspended or not running. Notification is received from the mobile operating system that the mobile computing device has crossed the first geo-fence. A location of the mobile computing device is received. A second geo-fence is set on a mobile operating system of the mobile computing device based on the location of the mobile computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Lei Gu, Abhilash Raipally, Dinesh Ramaswamy Ganesh, Andrew Davis Emerson, Anand Elumalai
  • Heuristics-based protocol labeling for industrial control systems
    Patent number: 9785488
    Abstract: A method for learning aspects of messages in an industrial control system is provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of messages. The method includes starting at a first message field, proceeding via recursion to each next message field, and identifying message values at that message field as constant when constant in messages in a group, as random when random in messages in a group, as length when expressive of a shared length of messages in a group, as opcode when correlated with a shared structure of messages in a group, and otherwise as parameter. The method includes subdividing message groups into subgroups according to the identified message values at that message field, with the recursion applied to each subgroup. A method and system for monitoring messages in an industrial control system is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Corrado Leita, Marc Dacier
  • Validating certificate chains for both internal and public facing server using unified interface
    Patent number: 9787477
    Abstract: Embodiments presented herein provide a validation service used to validate a certificate chain for both public facing servers as well as internal, non-public facing servers. To validate a certificate chain, the client generates a request with the network address and sends it to the validation service. In response, the validation service attempts to establish a connection with the server at the network address. If successful, the validation service receives a certificate chain from the server and can verify that the certificate chain is complete, valid, and chains to a trusted root. If the validation service cannot connect to the network address identified in the request, then the validation service sends a local validation component to the requesting client. The local validation component executes from the client and validates the certificate chain presented by the network server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Padam Singal, Deepa Priya Ramachandran
  • Pre-calculating and updating data loss prevention (DLP) policies prior to distribution of sensitive information
    Patent number: 9785779
    Abstract: A method and apparatus submitting information to be protected before permitting an outbound data transfer with the information is described. A DLP agent, incorporating a DLP submission tool, receives information of an outbound data transfer by the client computing system. The DLP agent can temporarily block the outbound data transfer and send a request to update a DLP policy to protect the information before permitting the outbound data transfer. The DLP agent subsequently receives receiving an indication that the DLP policy is updated to protect the information. After receiving the indication, the DLP agent permits the outbound data transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Ajil Koshy, Milind Torney, Manish V. Pai
  • Using the home wireless router to detect an intruder not carrying any wireless device
    Patent number: 9786138
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting an intruder is provided. The method includes monitoring received signal strength in a wireless router and creating a profile of the received signal strength as monitored during a learn mode. The method includes comparing activity of the received signal strength in the wireless router, during an intruder detection mode, to the profile and issuing a notification, based on the comparing, wherein at least one step of the method is performed by a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anand Kashyap, Qiyan Wang
  • Malware management
    Patent number: 9785775
    Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for managing malware for a computing device is described. In one embodiment, an attempt by a process to modify at least one file on the computing device may be identified. The identified process may be analyzed to estimate an age value associated with the identified process. The estimated age value of the identified process may be compared to an age value associated with the at least one file. The attempt to modify the at least one file may be prevented based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: George R. Turner
  • Systems and methods for detecting near field communication risks
    Patent number: 9781143
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting near field communication risks may include (1) identifying a mobile device capable of near field communication, (2) identifying an attempted near field communication involving the mobile device, (3) tracking at least one contextual behavior relating to the attempted near field communication; and (4) determining, based at least in part on the contextual behavior, that the attempted near field communication poses a risk to the mobile device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Qu Bo Song
  • Techniques for identifying malicious downloadable applications
    Patent number: 9781151
    Abstract: Techniques for identifying malicious downloadable applications are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for identifying malicious downloadable applications comprising receiving a signature of a downloadable application, identifying, using at least one computer processor, a known good application having at least one attribute in common with the downloadable application and having a signature different from the signature of the downloadable application, analyzing the downloadable application to evaluate one or more risk factors based at least in part on the at least one common attribute and the difference in signatures, and determining, based on the evaluated one or more risk factors, one or more responsive actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce E. McCorkendale, Sourabh Satish, Xuefeng Tian, Jingnan Si, Jun Mao, Xiaole Zhu, Sheng Gong
  • Systems and methods for detecting illegitimate devices on wireless networks
    Patent number: 9781604
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for detecting illegitimate devices on wireless networks may include (1) identifying a baseline signal strength for a wireless network, (2) monitoring a signal strength of the wireless network to obtain at least one additional signal strength measurement, (3) determining that the additional signal strength measurement varies from the baseline signal strength beyond a threshold, (4) determining, in response to determining that the additional signal strength measurement varies from the baseline signal strength, that an illegitimate device is present on the wireless network, and (5) initiating, in response to determining that the illegitimate device is present on the wireless network, a security action. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Shavell, Matt Boucher, Christopher Robichaud
  • Method, apparatus and system for protecting identity information
    Patent number: 9781159
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for using login information includes an account where login information is used to access the account, a login information usage data for storing the login information used on the account and a manager application coupled to the accounts through a network. The manager application is configured to access the login information and determine at least one potentially or actually compromised account, determine login information related to the at least one potentially or actually compromised account, determine at least one other account having similar login information and notify a user regarding a potential threat to the at least one other account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Hernacki, Sourabh Satish, Michael Spertus
  • Systems and methods for managing network communication
    Patent number: 9781019
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing network communication may include (1) identifying a pattern of network communication between a network node and a network service, (2) creating a representation of the network communication pattern, (3) querying, using the representation of the communication pattern, a network communication pattern database that associates network communication patterns with computer programs responsible for generating the patterns, (4) receiving, in response to querying the database, identification of a computer program associated with the network communication pattern, and then, (5) applying a network communication management policy assigned to the computer program associated with the pattern to network communication between the network node and network service. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Shaun Cooley
  • Authentication of PKI credential by use of a one time password and pin
    Patent number: 9780950
    Abstract: A method and system for authenticating a credential via a one time password which includes receiving a user ID, a client ID, and the one time password from a client device, and then validating the one time password based on the user ID and the credential ID. Upon validating the one time password, a response is sent to the client device, and the response includes at least one of an authorization to access a private key stored on the client device or at least a portion of the private key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Dundas, Eirik Herskedal