Patents by Inventor Karl Ackerman

Karl Ackerman 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: 11853425
    Abstract: Malware uses various techniques to detect a sandbox environment so that malicious code can avoid execution in closely monitored contexts that might otherwise trigger detection and remediation. A security system is dynamically updated to exploit these anti-sandbox techniques, e.g., by causing endpoints to mimic sandbox environments in a manner that discourages malware execution on the endpoint, and by updating sandboxes to alter or hide sandbox detection triggers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Ross McKerchar, Erik Jan Loman, Simon Neil Reed, Kenneth D. Ray, Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman
  • Patent number: 11843631
    Abstract: An endpoint in an enterprise network is monitored, and when a potential trigger for a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is followed by an increase in network traffic from the endpoint to a high reputation network address, the endpoint is treated as a DDoS service bot and isolated from the network until remediation can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Mark David Harris, Simon Neil Reed, Andrew J. Thomas, Kenneth D. Ray
  • Patent number: 11836664
    Abstract: In a threat management platform, a number of endpoints log events in an event data recorder. A local agent filters this data and feeds a filtered data stream to a central threat management facility. The central threat management facility can locally or globally tune filtering by local agents based on the current data stream, and can query local event data recorders for additional information where necessary or helpful in threat detection or forensic analysis. The central threat management facility also stores and deploys a number of security tools such as a web-based user interface supported by machine learning models to identify potential threats requiring human intervention and other models to provide human-readable context for evaluating potential threats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Russell Humphries, Mark Anthony Russo, Andrew J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230385447
    Abstract: A threat management system provides a collection of queries for investigating security issues within an enterprise. Useful inferences are drawn about the value of different queries, and about the security posture of the enterprise, by monitoring contextual activity such as the popularity and context of query usage, patterns of end user modification to queries, and post-query activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Andrew J. Thomas, Kenneth D. Ray
  • Publication number: 20230344726
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes training a machine-learning model, using a training dataset that distinguishes between critical systems and non-critical systems, to classify a particular computer system as critical or non-critical, wherein a label is applied to the particular computer system during the training that identifies the particular computer system as critical or non-critical, and wherein parameters that describe the critical systems or non-critical systems are used as features during the training. The method further includes receiving an input dataset that describes a plurality of computer systems in the enterprise environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: SOPHOS LIMITED
    Inventor: Karl Ackerman
  • Publication number: 20230336575
    Abstract: Various aspects related to threat management are disclosed. An example method includes monitoring network traffic on a computer network that includes a plurality of endpoints, identifying a software application executing on at least one endpoint from one or more of the sent data or the received data, where execution of the software application is associated with a startup time window and a post-startup time window, determining a security status score for the at least one endpoint based on a comparison of the sent data and the received data with a known pattern of network activity associated with the software application, wherein the known pattern of network activity is based upon the startup time window of the software application, determining a threat status for the at least one endpoint based on the security status score, and, generating an indication of the threat status for the at least one endpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: SOPHOS LIMITED
    Inventor: Karl Ackerman
  • Publication number: 20230308460
    Abstract: When security-related behavior is detected on an endpoint, e.g., through a local security agent executing on the endpoint, a threat management facility associated with the endpoint can interact with a user via a second local security agent on a second endpoint in order to solicit verification, authorization, authentication or the like related to the behavior. In one aspect, an administrator for an enterprise managed by the threat management facility may verify, authorize, or otherwise approve the detected behavior using this technique. In another aspect, a user of the device may use this infrastructure to approve of a potentially risky behavior on one device by using a verification procedure on a second device associated with the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Johan Petter Nordwall, Karl Ackerman, Thomas John Walsh, Christoph Georg Hoyer, Mirco Stratmann, Kerav Vaidya
  • Patent number: 11736522
    Abstract: An endpoint in a network periodically generates a heartbeat encoding health state information and transmits this heartbeat to other network entities. Recipients of the heartbeat may use the health state information to independently make decisions about communications with the source endpoint, for example, by isolating the endpoint to prevent further communications with other devices sharing the network with the endpoint. Isolation may be coordinated by a firewall or gateway for the network, or independently by other endpoints that receive a notification of the compromised health state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Kenneth D. Ray, Karl Ackerman
  • Patent number: 11727143
    Abstract: A threat management system provides a collection of queries for investigating security issues within an enterprise. Useful inferences are drawn about the value of different queries, and about the security posture of the enterprise, by monitoring contextual activity such as the popularity and context of query usage, patterns of end user modification to queries, and post-query activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Andrew J. Thomas, Kenneth D. Ray
  • Patent number: 11722521
    Abstract: A firewall uses information about an application that originates a network request to determine whether and how to forward the request over a network. The firewall may more generally rely on the identity of the originating application, the security state of the originating application, the security state of the endpoint, and any other information that might provide an indication of malicious activity, to make routing and forwarding decisions for endpoint-originated network traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman, James Douglas Bean, Kenneth D. Ray, Daniel Stutz
  • Patent number: 11695647
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes training a machine-learning model, using a training dataset that distinguishes between critical systems and non-critical systems, to classify a particular computer system as critical or non-critical, wherein a label is applied to the particular computer system during the training that identifies the particular computer system as critical or non-critical, and wherein parameters that describe the critical systems or non-critical systems are used as features during the training. The method further includes receiving an input dataset that describes a plurality of computer systems in the enterprise environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventor: Karl Ackerman
  • Publication number: 20230208879
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique for detecting potential phishing attacks by monitoring outbound web traffic from an endpoint, along with inbound electronic mail traffic addressed to a user of the endpoint. With this information, a search can be performed for possible sources in the web traffic of a request for a hyperlink located in the inbound mail traffic, and when no source is located, phishing remediation can be performed, including restrictions on access to the hyperlink at an endpoint operated by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman, James Douglas Bean, Kenneth D. Ray, Daniel Stutz
  • Patent number: 11616811
    Abstract: Phishing attacks attempt to solicit valuable information such as personal information, account credentials, and the like from human users by disguising a malicious request for information as a legitimate inquiry, typically in the form of an electronic mail or similar communication. By tracking a combination of outbound web traffic from an endpoint and inbound electronic mail traffic to the endpoint, improved detection of phishing attacks or similar efforts to wrongly obtain sensitive information can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman, James Douglas Bean, Kenneth D. Ray, Daniel Stutz
  • Publication number: 20220166794
    Abstract: A firewall uses information about an application that originates a network request to determine whether and how to forward the request over a network. The firewall may more generally rely on the identity of the originating application, the security state of the originating application, the security state of the endpoint, and any other information that might provide an indication of malicious activity, to make routing and forwarding decisions for endpoint-originated network traffic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman, James Douglas Bean, Kenneth D. Ray, Daniel Stutz
  • Publication number: 20220156399
    Abstract: A ledger stores chain of custody information for files throughout an enterprise network. By identifying files with a homologous identifier such as a fuzzy hash that permits piecewise evaluation of similarity, the ledger can be used to track a chain of custody over a sequence of changes in content, ownership, and file properties. The ledger can be used, e.g., to evaluate trustworthiness of a file the first time it is encountered by an endpoint, or to apply enterprise policies based on trust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Russell Humphries, Daniel Salvatore Schiappa, Kenneth D. Ray, Andrew J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20220114257
    Abstract: Malware uses various techniques to detect a sandbox environment so that malicious code can avoid execution in closely monitored contexts that might otherwise trigger detection and remediation. A security system is dynamically updated to exploit these anti-sandbox techniques, e.g., by causing endpoints to mimic sandbox environments in a manner that discourages malware execution on the endpoint, and by updating sandboxes to alter or hide sandbox detection triggers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Ross McKerchar, Erik Jan Loman, Simon Neil Reed, Kenneth D. Ray, Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman
  • Patent number: 11288385
    Abstract: A ledger stores chain of custody information for files throughout an enterprise network. By identifying files with a homologous identifier such as a fuzzy hash that permits piecewise evaluation of similarity, the ledger can be used to track a chain of custody over a sequence of changes in content, ownership, and file properties. The ledger can be used, e.g., to evaluate trustworthiness of a file the first time it is encountered by an endpoint, or to apply enterprise policies based on trust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Russell Humphries, Daniel Salvatore Schiappa, Kenneth D. Ray, Andrew J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11258821
    Abstract: A firewall uses information about an application that originates a network request to determine whether and how to forward the request over a network. The firewall may more generally rely on the identity of the originating application, the security state of the originating application, the security state of the endpoint, and any other information that might provide an indication of malicious activity, to make routing and forwarding decisions for endpoint-originated network traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventors: Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman, James Douglas Bean, Kenneth D. Ray, Daniel Stutz
  • Publication number: 20210400070
    Abstract: A threat management system provides a collection of queries for investigating security issues within an enterprise. Useful inferences are drawn about the value of different queries, and about the security posture of the enterprise, by monitoring contextual activity such as the popularity and context of query usage, patterns of end user modification to queries, and post-query activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Karl Ackerman, Andrew J. Thomas, Kenneth D. Ray
  • Publication number: 20210400071
    Abstract: An endpoint in an enterprise network is instrumented with sensors to detect security-related events occurring on the endpoint. Event data from these sensors is augmented with contextual information about, e.g., a source of each event in order to facilitate improved correlation, analysis, and visualization at a threat management facility for the enterprise network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Kenneth D. Ray, Andrew J. Thomas, Karl Ackerman