Abstract: Outbound network traffic originating from a client computer is monitored, and requests to access URLs in the outbound network traffic are detected. Detected requests to access URLs are compared to each of a plurality of rules, in order to determine whether specific ones of the detected requests were initiated automatically by a process or manually by a human user. Where a rule of the plurality applies to a detected request, a rating concerning the request is adjusted. The rating indicates a likelihood as to whether the request was initiated automatically or manually. Depending upon whether the rating concerning the request reaches a threshold, the request is categorized as being either automatically initiated by a process, or manually initiated by a human user. Only those requests categorized as being manually initiated by a human user are logged.

Abstract: A storage farm is maintained, on which user generated publishable content is stored. Users can copy generated content to the storage farm for automatic publishing to associated target sites. User login information for the plurality of publication sites is maintained, such that the system can use the login information to login to the various publication sites as a given user. The publishable content stored in the storage farm is compared to publishable content published on the associated publication sites. Responsive to finding publishable content on at least one publication site that is not present on the storage farm, that publishable content can be aggregated to the storage farm for future access by the associated user. Responsive to finding publishable content on the storage farm not published on an associated publication site, that publishable content can be automatically published.

Abstract: Malicious code detected on a host computer system is remediated. Further, upon a determination that the user's personal identifiable information (PII) was previously exposed to the malicious code, the user is notified that the user may be a victim of theft of the user's personal identifiable information. The notification contains sufficient information for the user to take proactive steps to reduce the consequences of the personal identifiable information theft such as to contact the user's credit card company to prevent or minimize any loss associated with the personal identifiable information theft.

Abstract: A server computing system receives a request to authenticate the identity of a user. The user may wish to perform an action that requires the user's identity to first be verified. In response to the request, the server computing system automatically contacts trusted associates that are listed in policy data for the user and determines whether the trusted associates validate the identity of the user. The server computing system provides one-time passwords to the user for the trusted associates that have validated the identity of the user. Subsequently, the user can combine the one-time passwords to form an authentication password, which can be used to determine whether the user is allowed to perform the action.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing notification messages generated by one or more applications is described. A policy is configured to control notification messages scheduled to be shown on a display. One or more events associated with the creation of a message are monitored. A determination is made as to whether the created message is a notification message. The configured policy is applied if the created message is a notification message.

Abstract: Security policy changes can be implemented for a user or a user group based on behaviorally-derived risk information. A behavior-receiving module receives information about user behaviors for the user across various clients with which the user interacts. An attribute-receiving module receives one or more user attributes identified for a user. A profile-generating module generates a user risk profile for the user based on the received information about the user behaviors and the received user attributes. A user scoring module assigns the user a user risk score based on an evaluation of the user risk profile for the user. Similarly, groups of users can be given group risk scores, or users can have combined group/user scores. Finally, a remediation module automatically establishes a security policy requiring remediative actions for the user (or user group) based on the user risk score or combined score (or group score).

Abstract: An automated wireless synchronization platform allows users to synchronize files and folders between devices, while transparently providing content transformation services. The content transformation services ensure that content is synchronized to target devices in the appropriate format, at a proper balance of size and quality to be ideally output on the target devices.

Abstract: A filtering policy is defined responsive to parental directives. The filtering policy specifies to filter a child's access to content based on fact-based categorization and subjective factors, such as the emotional tone, expressed sentiment, extremity and/or expressed subjectivity. Content is categorized based on the occurrence of predefined words. A sentiment-based analysis of content is also performed. The categorization and/or analysis can occur prior to a child's attempt to download the content, or in real-time in conjunction with a download attempt. Attempts by the child to access content are detected. It is determined whether the filtering policy permits the child to access the content in question, responsive to results of the categorization and sentiment-based analysis of that content. If so, the attempted access is allowed to proceed. If not, the access attempt is blocked.

Abstract: Independent verification of user profile attributes that are stored on third-party community-based web sites is provided. A user request indicates target profile attributes to verify. Profile attribute data concerning a profile owner is collected from a plurality of community sites. The collected data is verified, and results of the verification process are stored in a database. When a user views verified profile attributes on a page on a community site, the corresponding stored verification status is retrieved, and an indication of the trust status of the profile is output to the user, for example by modifying the displayed web page to display the trust status.

Abstract: The performance of a boot sequence is improved by presenting the user with easy to read information concerning the performance cost of each boot time application, and allowing the user to remove processes from the boot sequence or uninstall them altogether. Processes associated with the boot sequence are identified, and their corresponding performance cost is determined as percentage of the performance cost of the entire boot sequence, or according to the time they take to execute. The identified processes and their associated performance costs are presented to the user, along with a user interface component for selecting processes to remove from the boot sequence and/or uninstall. Responsive to input from the user, selected processes are removed from the boot sequence and/or uninstalled as directed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method may associate a communication-control policy with a contact. The computer-implemented method may identify a first communication made via a first communication mechanism. The computer-implemented method may also identify a first alias associated with the first communication. The computer-implemented method may determine that the first alias is an alias of the contact. The computer-implemented method may apply the communication-control policy to the first communication, wherein the associating, the identifying the first communication, the identifying the first alias, the determining, and the applying may be performed by a communication-control computing system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for data loss prevention may include (1) identifying a network configured with a data loss prevention system, (2) identifying a file subject to a data loss prevention assessment within the network, (3) identifying a source of the file, the source of the file causing an entry of the file onto the network, (4) determining, based on the source of the file, that the file is subject to a data loss prevention policy, and (5) applying the data loss prevention policy to the file based on the determination that the file is subject to the data loss prevention policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computing device categorizes data items as a corporate data items when a first criterion is satisfied and as personal data items when a second criterion is satisfied. The computing device provides identified corporate data items to a first backup system that stores the corporate data items to a corporate data store. The computing device further provides identified personal data items to a second backup system that stores the personal data items to a personal data store.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring text-based communications to secure a computer is described. In one embodiment, the method for monitoring text-based communications to secure a computer includes defining at least one portion of the computer display that is associated with text-based communications and examining the at least one portion of the computer display to identify textual data within the text-based communications.

Abstract: A computing device categorizes data items as a corporate data items when a first criterion is satisfied and as personal data items when a second criterion is satisfied. The computing device provides identified corporate data items to a first backup system that stores the corporate data items to a corporate data store. The computing device further provides identified personal data items to a second backup system that stores the personal data items to a personal data store.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for correlating online aliases with real-world identities may comprise accessing a first user account associated with a first online communication mechanism, obtaining contact data associated with a first online alias from the first user account, identifying contact data associated with a second online alias, identifying, by comparing the contact data associated with the first online alias with the contact data associated with the second online alias, at least one common characteristic between the first online alias and the second online alias, and associating both the first online alias and the second online alias with a common contact. A graphical user interface may display a contact's name, online aliases for by the contact, and the online communication mechanisms that may be used to communicate with the contact. The method may also facilitate communication with a contact using online communication mechanisms.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for rating a current instance of data is described. An activity occurring on a computing system is monitored. The activity includes the current instance of data. A rating is assigned to the current instance of data. A determination is made as to whether the activity includes at least one additional instance of data. When the activity includes at least one additional instance of data, the rating assigned to the current instance of data is updated. The updated rating is based on the content of the at least one additional instance of data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for facilitating online authentication from untrusted computing devices may comprise receiving a request to access an online service from a computing device, retrieving authentication information for the online service from a database, accessing the online service using the authentication information for the online service, receiving data from the online service, and transmitting at least a portion of the data received from the online service to the computing device. The method may also comprise converting the authentication information for the online service into non-computer-readable authentication information, such as a human-readable image, and transmitting the non-computer-readable authentication information to the computing device. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A user's possession of synchronized data is used as an authentication factor. When the user requests an authentication configuration change, an authentication server requests the user to prove possession of synchronized data for that user. The user launches an authentication module on a client device hosting a local copy of the synchronized data. The authentication module creates a hash of the local copy and transmits the hash to the authorization server. Upon successfully verifying the received hash using a server copy of the synchronized data, the authentication server considers the user authorized and thus allows the user to make the authorization configuration change.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for aiding parental-control-policy decisions may include identifying a computer resource. The computer resource may include any content subject to a parental-control-policy decision. The method may also include identifying a community usage repository. The community usage repository may include information relating to a plurality of children's usage of the computer resource. The method may further include analyzing the community usage repository to generate statistical data relating to the computer resource. The method may additionally include presenting the statistical data to a user. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.