Patents by Inventor John S. Flowers

John S. Flowers 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: 10862923
    Abstract: A digital security threat management system is disclosed. The system detects the presence of a computing system, on a network, that has been compromised by an undetected and/or unknown digital security threat. The digital security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a computer system that has been compromised. Because the characteristic emanations that result from a known threat can be the same as the characteristic emanations that result from an undetected and/or unknown threat, the digital security threat management system can learn to detect a computing system that has been compromised by an unknown threat if the security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a previous attack, based on a known threat, of the computing system. In this way, the system can detect the presence of a compromised computing system, even if the cause of the compromise remains undetected and/or unknown. Appropriate remedial action may be taken upon detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SecureSky, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Flowers, Ridgely C. Evers
  • Patent number: 10701027
    Abstract: A self-organizing distributed network architecture is described. An example method includes, by a network node, sending via a network gateway node a DNS lookup request to a DNS service. The DNS lookup request comprises a string that at least includes a MAC address of the network gateway node that is used by the DNS service to identify a network address for the network node to access the network service of interest. The method further includes receiving via the network gateway node a DNS lookup response from the DNS service. The DNS lookup response comprises the network address for the network node to access the network service of interest. The method further includes accessing the network service of interest from another network node in the network system that is addressable by the received network address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: SecureSky, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Flowers, Martin Quiroga
  • Publication number: 20200014709
    Abstract: Network activity detectors, such as firewalls, communicate with one another to form a Unified Threat Management System. A first network activity detector sends a request for configuration settings to a second network activity detector. The second network activity detector sends a set of configuration settings in response to the request. The configuration settings include information for detecting digital security threats and/or for responding to detected digital security threats. In this way, configuration settings are propagated from one network activity detector to another so that network activity detectors within a UTMS system are configured consistently, e.g., have up-to-date information for detecting and/or responding to digital security threats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventor: John S. FLOWERS
  • Patent number: 10440038
    Abstract: Network activity detectors, such as firewalls, communicate with one another to form a Unified Threat Management System. A first network activity detector sends a request for configuration settings to a second network activity detector. The second network activity detector sends a set of configuration settings in response to the request. The configuration settings include information for detecting digital security threats and/or for responding to detected digital security threats. In this way, configuration settings are propagated from one network activity detector to another so that network activity detectors within a UTMS system are configured consistently, e.g., have up-to-date information for detecting and/or responding to digital security threats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Inventor: John S. Flowers
  • Publication number: 20190297099
    Abstract: A network activity detection system is trained to detect network activities of interest such as threats by malicious computer data. The training involves distilling the characteristics of known network activities of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a minimal set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the network activity detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known network activities of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of network activity. The network activity detection system may produce appropriate responses upon the detection of network activities of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventor: John S. FLOWERS
  • Patent number: 10326784
    Abstract: A network activity detection system is trained to detect network activities of interest such as threats by malicious computer data. The training involves distilling the characteristics of known network activities of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a minimal set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the network activity detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known network activities of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of network activity. The network activity detection system may produce appropriate responses upon the detection of network activities of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventor: John S. Flowers
  • Publication number: 20190141007
    Abstract: A self-organizing distributed network architecture is described. An example method includes, by a network node, sending via a network gateway node a DNS lookup request to a DNS service. The DNS lookup request comprises a string that at least includes a MAC address of the network gateway node that is used by the DNS service to identify a network address for the network node to access the network service of interest. The method further includes receiving via the network gateway node a DNS lookup response from the DNS service. The DNS lookup response comprises the network address for the network node to access the network service of interest. The method further includes accessing the network service of interest from another network node in the network system that is addressable by the received network address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventors: John S. FLOWERS, Martin QUIROGA
  • Publication number: 20190132335
    Abstract: A digital security threat management system is disclosed. The system detects the presence of a computing system, on a network, that has been compromised by an undetected and/or unknown digital security threat. The digital security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a computer system that has been compromised. Because the characteristic emanations that result from a known threat can be the same as the characteristic emanations that result from an undetected and/or unknown threat, the digital security threat management system can learn to detect a computing system that has been compromised by an unknown threat if the security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a previous attack, based on a known threat, of the computing system. In this way, the system can detect the presence of a compromised computing system, even if the cause of the compromise remains undetected and/or unknown. Appropriate remedial action may be taken upon detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: John S. FLOWERS, Ridgely C. EVERS
  • Publication number: 20190058716
    Abstract: Network activity detectors, such as firewalls, communicate with one another to form a Unified Threat Management System. A first network activity detector sends a request for configuration settings to a second network activity detector. The second network activity detector sends a set of configuration settings in response to the request. The configuration settings include information for detecting digital security threats and/or for responding to detected digital security threats. In this way, configuration settings are propagated from one network activity detector to another so that network activity detectors within a UTMS system are configured consistently, e.g., have up-to-date information for detecting and/or responding to digital security threats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventor: JOHN S. FLOWERS
  • Patent number: 10182070
    Abstract: A digital security threat management system is disclosed. The system detects the presence of a computing system, on a network, that has been compromised by an undetected and/or unknown digital security threat. The digital security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a computer system that has been compromised. Because the characteristic emanations that result from a known threat can be the same as the characteristic emanations that result from an undetected and/or unknown threat, the digital security threat management system can learn to detect a computing system that has been compromised by an unknown threat if the security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a previous attack, based on a known threat, of the computing system. In this way, the system can detect the presence of a compromised computing system, even if the cause of the compromise remains undetected and/or unknown. Appropriate remedial action may be taken upon detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventors: John S. Flowers, Ridgely C. Evers
  • Patent number: 10015239
    Abstract: A self-organizing distributed network architecture is described. An example method includes, by a network node, sending via a network gateway node a DNS lookup request to a DNS service. The DNS lookup request comprises a string that at least includes a MAC address of the network gateway node that is used by the DNS service to identify a network address for the network node to access the network service of interest. The method further includes receiving via the network gateway node a DNS lookup response from the DNS service. The DNS lookup response comprises the network address for the network node to access the network service of interest. The method further includes accessing the network service of interest from another network node in the network system that is addressable by the received network address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventors: John S. Flowers, Martin Quiroga
  • Publication number: 20180069877
    Abstract: A network activity detection system is trained to detect network activities of interest such as threats by malicious computer data. The training involves distilling the characteristics of known network activities of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a minimal set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the network activity detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known network activities of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of network activity. The network activity detection system may produce appropriate responses upon the detection of network activities of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventor: John S. FLOWERS
  • Patent number: 9888018
    Abstract: Network activity detectors, such as firewalls, communicate with one another to form a Unified Threat Management System. A first network activity detector sends a request for configuration settings to a second network activity detector. The second network activity detector sends a set of configuration settings in response to the request. The configuration settings include information for detecting digital security threats and/or for responding to detected digital security threats. In this way, configuration settings are propagated from one network activity detector to another so that network activity detectors within a UTMS system are configured consistently, e.g., have up-to-date information for detecting and/or responding to digital security threats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventor: John S. Flowers
  • Publication number: 20180034830
    Abstract: A digital security threat management system is disclosed. The system detects the presence of a computing system, on a network, that has been compromised by an undetected and/or unknown digital security threat. The digital security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a computer system that has been compromised. Because the characteristic emanations that result from a known threat can be the same as the characteristic emanations that result from an undetected and/or unknown threat, the digital security threat management system can learn to detect a computing system that has been compromised by an unknown threat if the security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a previous attack, based on a known threat, of the computing system. In this way, the system can detect the presence of a compromised computing system, even if the cause of the compromise remains undetected and/or unknown. Appropriate remedial action may be taken upon detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: John S. FLOWERS, Ridgely C. EVERS
  • Patent number: 9819692
    Abstract: A network activity detection system is trained to detect network activities of interest such as threats by malicious computer data. The training involves distilling the characteristics of known network activities of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a minimal set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the network activity detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known network activities of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of network activity. The network activity detection system may produce appropriate responses upon the detection of network activities of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventor: John S. Flowers
  • Patent number: 9787713
    Abstract: A digital security threat management system is disclosed. The system detects the presence of a computing system, on a network, that has been compromised by an undetected and/or unknown digital security threat. The digital security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a computer system that has been compromised. Because the characteristic emanations that result from a known threat can be the same as the characteristic emanations that result from an undetected and/or unknown threat, the digital security threat management system can learn to detect a computing system that has been compromised by an unknown threat if the security threat management system recognizes characteristic emanations from a previous attack, based on a known threat, of the computing system. In this way, the system can detect the presence of a compromised computing system, even if the cause of the compromise remains undetected and/or unknown. Appropriate remedial action may be taken upon detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: EVENGX, LLC
    Inventors: John S. Flowers, Ridgely C. Evers
  • Publication number: 20170279821
    Abstract: An instruction sequence detection system is trained to detect instruction sequences of interest, such as threats by malicious computer data. Training includes distilling the characteristics of known instruction sequences of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the instruction sequence detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known instruction sequences of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of instruction sequences. The instruction sequence detection system may provide an appropriate response upon the detection of instruction sequences of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: TrustPipe LLC
    Inventors: John S. FLOWERS, Martin QUIROGA
  • Publication number: 20170163667
    Abstract: A network activity detection system is trained to detect network activities of interest such as threats by malicious computer data. The training involves distilling the characteristics of known network activities of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a minimal set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the network activity detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known network activities of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of network activity. The network activity detection system may produce appropriate responses upon the detection of network activities of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventor: John S. FLOWERS
  • Patent number: 9621578
    Abstract: A network activity detection system is trained to detect network activities of interest such as threats by malicious computer data. The training involves distilling the characteristics of known network activities of interest (e.g., intrusion by computer viruses, exploits, worms, or the like) into a minimal set of meta-expressions. At run-time, the network activity detection system combines the minimal set of meta-expressions with efficient computer algorithms for evaluating meta-expressions to detect known network activities of interest, as well as their unknown variants, among an unknown set of network activity. The network activity detection system may produce appropriate responses upon the detection of network activities of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TrustPipe LLC
    Inventor: John S. Flowers
  • Patent number: 9548992
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a visual characteristic of interest within an image are disclosed. An example method involves obtaining an image that includes at least one pixel representing a visual characteristic of interest, creating a first sequence and a second sequence of bitwise data from values associated with the pixel, and converting these bitwise sequences into a first sequence of integers and a second sequence of integers. Using a distance function, a similarity metric is determined between the first sequence of integers and the second sequence of integers. Based on the similarity metric, a third sequence of integers is created and stored. The third sequence of integers can be used to facilitate the identification of the visual characteristic of interest in other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TRUSTPIPE LLC
    Inventor: John S. Flowers