Abstract: Techniques for authenticating a login that avoid the imposition of memorization burdens on users of a computer system. The present techniques include determining whether an appropriate token is stored on a client system that originates the login, authenticating a login by communicating with a user via a secondary communication channel, and authenticating a login by engaging in a private question/private answer dialogue with a user.

Abstract: A human test that is based on a human conceptual capability. A human test according to the present techniques includes posing a question that is selected to exercise a human conceptual capability, obtaining an answer to the question, and comparing the answer to a correct answer that would be rendered by a human being.

Abstract: A method for adapting a Bayesian network includes determining a set of parameters for the Bayesian network, for example, initial parameters, and then updating the parameters in response to a set of observation data using an adaptive learning rate. The adaptive learning rate responds to any changes in the underlying modeled environment using minimal observation data.

Abstract: Techniques for third-party access control include performing a communication to a third-party in response to an attempt by an individual to access an object. A control input from the third-party is obtained using the communication and a determination is made whether to allow the individual to access the object in response to the control input.

Abstract: Techniques for protecting a service provider from abuse include methods for protecting an object that is intended to be rendered to an authentic human client of the service provider from capture as well as methods for protecting against using low-paid laborers to abuse a service provider.

Abstract: A health assessor for assessing health of a target element within a multi-element system includes multiple sensors, each being operatively coupled to the target element to produce measures of the target element. The health assessor also includes measure collectors, each of which collects a measure from one of the sensor. In addition, the health assessor includes evaluators. Each evaluator evaluates at least a subset of all the measures collected by the measure collectors in accordance with (1) a predefined evaluation definition for the respective evaluator and (2) at least a subset of all historical measures to provide an assessment. A probabilistic reasoning network is coupled to the evaluators to receive the assessment from each of the evaluators and to combine all the assessments in accordance with a pre-configured reasoning definition so as to provide an overall health assessment of the target element. A health assessment system including the health assessor is also described.

Abstract: Techniques for defense against unwanted communications by striking back against the beneficiaries of the unwanted communications include identifying a communication channel to a beneficiary of an unwanted communication and sending a communication via the communication channel to the beneficiary such that the communication imposes a cost to the beneficiary. The cost to the beneficiary may be used to deter further unwanted communication from the beneficiary.

Abstract: Techniques for communication that enable a low latency communication system to accommodate high latency communication transactions without substantial changes to its communication infrastructure. Communication according to the present teachings includes obtaining a set of information using a high latency communication transaction in response to a first attempt at a low latency communication transaction and completing a second attempt at the low latency communication transaction using the information.

Abstract: A fraud protection system that enables individuals to take control over securing the use of their own identities. A fraud protection system according to the present teachings includes a registration service that enables an individual to register a set of personalized transaction significance settings. The personalized transaction significance settings enable the individual to control what transactions and conditions associated with those transactions are significant enough to the individual to trigger a security measure. A fraud protection system according to the present teachings further includes an authorization service that receives an authorization request pertaining a transaction purportedly initiated by the individual and that performs a security measure if the transaction significance settings indicate that the transaction is significant to the individual.

Abstract: Techniques for authenticating a login that avoid the imposition of memorization burdens on users of a computer system. The present techniques include determining whether an appropriate token is stored on a client system that originates the login, authenticating a login by communicating with a user via a secondary communication channel, and authenticating a login by engaging in a private question/private answer dialogue with a user.

Abstract: Techniques for protecting a service provider from abuse include methods for protecting an object that is intended to be rendered to an authentic human client of the service provider from capture as well as methods for protecting against using low-paid laborers to abuse a service provider.

Abstract: Techniques for authenticating a web site that protect a user from a forged/spoofed web site. A web site according to the present techniques obtains from the user an indicator to be used in authenticating the web site to the user. In response to a request to access the web site, the web site generates a web page that includes the indicator. Recognition of the indicator provides the user with assurance of the authenticity of the web page before entering any personal information, e.g. login name, password, etc. into a web site.

Abstract: A human test that is based on a human conceptual capability. A human test according to the present techniques includes posing a question that is selected to exercise a human conceptual capability, obtaining an answer to the question, and comparing the answer to a correct answer that would be rendered by a human being.

Abstract: Techniques for defense against unwanted communications by striking back against the beneficiaries of the unwanted communications include identifying a communication channel to a beneficiary of an unwanted communication and sending a communication via the communication channel to the beneficiary such that the communication imposes a cost to the beneficiary. The cost to the beneficiary may be used to deter further unwanted communication from the beneficiary.

Abstract: A method that yields more accurate Bayesian network classifiers when learning from unlabeled data in combination with labeled data includes learning a set of parameters for a structure of a classifier using a set of labeled data and learning a set of parameters for the structure using the labeled data and a set of unlabeled data and then modifying the structure if the parameters based on the labeled and unlabeled data leads to less accuracy in the classifier in comparison to the parameters based on the labeled data only. The present technique enable an increase in the accuracy of a statistically learned Bayesian network classifier when unlabeled data are available and reduces the likelihood of degrading the accuracy of the Bayesian network classifier when using unlabeled data.

Abstract: A method for adapting a Bayesian network includes determining a set of parameters for the Bayesian network, for example, initial parameters, and then updating the parameters in response to a set of observation data using an adaptive learning rate. The adaptive learning rate responds to any changes in the underlying modeled environment using minimal observation data.

Abstract: A health assessor for assessing health of a target element within a multi-element system includes multiple sensors, each being operatively coupled to the target element to produce measures of the target element. The health assessor also includes measure collectors, each of which collects a measure from one of the sensor. In addition, the health assessor includes evaluators. Each evaluator evaluates at least a subset of all the measures collected by the measure collectors in accordance with (1) a predefined evaluation definition for the respective evaluator and (2) at least a subset of all historical measures to provide an assessment. A probabilistic reasoning network is coupled to the evaluators to receive the assessment from each of the evaluators and to combine all the assessments in accordance with a pre-configured reasoning definition so as to provide an overall health assessment of the target element. A health assessment system including the health assessor is also described.

Abstract: A software infrastructure for providing an open digital services marketplace including a naming manager that enables a requesting task to refer to a desired resource using a name which is local to the requesting task and a router that forwards the request to an appropriate handler for the desired resource and that enables at least one additional task to be invoked in response to the request. The infrastructure includes a permission manager that compares a set of access rights of the requesting task to the desired resource to a set of permissions associated with the desired resource such that the access rights are kept separately from the reference to the desired resource. The desired resource, the requesting task, the additional task, and a set of additional components used to handle the request are each modeled as a resource defined by a corresponding set of meta-data which includes a set of attributes and a reference to a grammar for interpreting the attributes.