Patents by Inventor Mihai Christodorescu

Mihai Christodorescu 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).

  • Publication number: 20140150100
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for detecting suspicious or performance-degrading mobile device behaviors intelligently, dynamically, and/or adaptively determine computing device behaviors that are to be observed, the number of behaviors that are to be observed, and the level of detail or granularity at which the mobile device behaviors are to be observed. The various aspects efficiently identify suspicious or performance-degrading mobile device behaviors without requiring an excessive amount of processing, memory, or energy resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Rajarshi GUPTA, Vinay Sridhara, Mihai Christodorescu
  • Publication number: 20140137179
    Abstract: A method of converting an original application into a cloud-hosted application includes splitting the original application into a plurality of application components along security relevant boundaries, mapping the application components to hosting infrastructure boundaries, and using a mechanism to enforce a privacy policy of a user. The mapping may include assigning each application component to a distinct virtual machine, which acts as a container for its assigned component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Dimitrios Pendarakis, Kapil K. Singh
  • Publication number: 20140137181
    Abstract: A method of converting an original application into a cloud-hosted application includes splitting the original application into a plurality of application components along security relevant boundaries, mapping the application components to hosting infrastructure boundaries, and using a mechanism to enforce a privacy policy of a user. The mapping may include assigning each application component to a distinct virtual machine, which acts as a container for its assigned component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Dimitrios Pendarakis, Kapil K. Singh
  • Publication number: 20140012976
    Abstract: A method for identifying an unknown user according to a plurality of facets of user activity in a plurality of contexts includes receiving a plurality of priors for the facets with respect to the contexts, receiving a plurality of footprints of known users, aggregating the footprints of the users to determine an ensemble prior, receiving a plurality of network traces relevant to an unknown user in a computer environment, matching the network traces against each of the footprints to determine a plurality of matches, aggregating the matches using the ensemble prior according to the facets and the contexts, and outputting a probable user identity for the unknown user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: MIHAI CHRISTODORESCU, Reiner Sailer, Douglas Lee Schales, Marc Stoecklin, Ting Wang
  • Publication number: 20140012973
    Abstract: A method for identifying an unknown user according to a plurality of facets of user activity in a plurality of contexts includes receiving a plurality of priors for the facets with respect to the contexts, receiving a plurality of footprints of known users, aggregating the footprints of the users to determine an ensemble prior, receiving a plurality of network traces relevant to an unknown user in a computer environment, matching the network traces against each of the footprints to determine a plurality of matches, aggregating the matches using the ensemble prior according to the facets and the contexts, and outputting a probable user identity for the unknown user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: MIHAI CHRISTODORESCU, REINER SAILER, DOUGLAS LEE SCHALES, MARC STOECKLIN, TING WANG
  • Publication number: 20130333041
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for automatic identification of affected network resources after a computer intrusion. The network resources affected by a computer intrusion can be identified by collecting information about an external system from an external source; deriving a list of one or more affected internal systems on an internal network by correlating the information with internal information about internal systems that interacted with the external system; and identifying one or more user accounts associated with the one or more affected internal systems. Data residing on systems accessible by the one or more user accounts can also optionally be identified. A list can optionally be presented of the network resources that may be affected by the computer intrusion. The affected network resources can be, for example, servers, services and/or client machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Josyula R. Rao, Reiner Sailer, Douglas Lee Schales
  • Publication number: 20130333034
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for automatic identification of affected network resources after a computer intrusion. The network resources affected by a computer intrusion can be identified by collecting information about an external system from an external source; deriving a list of one or more affected internal systems on an internal network by correlating the information with internal information about internal systems that interacted with the external system: and identifying one or more user accounts associated with the one or more affected internal systems. Data residing on systems accessible by the one or more user accounts can also optionally be identified. A list can optionally be presented of the network resources that may be affected by the computer intrusion. The affected network resources can be, for example, servers, services and/or client machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Josyula R. Rao, Reiner Sailer, Douglas Lee Schales
  • Publication number: 20130332539
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting unauthorized bulk forwarding of sensitive data over a network. A bulk forwarding of email from a first network environment is automatically detected by determining an arrival rate for internal emails received from within the first network environment into one or more user accounts; determining a sending rate for external emails sent from the one or more user accounts to a second network environment; and detecting the bulk forwarding of email from a given user account by comparing the arrival rate for internal emails and the sending rate for external emails. The bulk forwarding of email from a given user account can be detected by determining whether statistical models of the arrival rate for internal emails and of the sending rate for external emails are correlated in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Josyula R. Rao, Reiner Sailer, Douglas Lee Schales
  • Publication number: 20130332541
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting unauthorized bulk forwarding of sensitive data over a network. A bulk forwarding of email from a first network environment is automatically detected by determining an arrival rate for internal emails received from within the first network environment into one or more user accounts; determining a sending rate for external emails sent from the one or more user accounts to a second network environment; and detecting the bulk forwarding of email from a given user account by comparing the arrival rate for internal emails and the sending rate for external emails. The bulk forwarding of email from a given user account can be detected by determining whether statistical models of the arrival rate for internal emails and of the sending rate for external emails are correlated in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Josyula R. Rao, Reiner Sailer, Douglas Lee Schales
  • Publication number: 20130318616
    Abstract: Systems for determining cyber-attack target include a network monitor module configured to collect network event information from sensors in one or more network nodes; a processor configured to extract information regarding an attacker from the network event information, to form an attack scenario tree that encodes network topology and vulnerability information including a plurality of paths from known compromised nodes to a set of potential targets, to calculate a likelihood for each of the paths, to calculate a probability distribution for the set of potential targets to determine which potential targets are most likely pursued by the attacker, to calculate a probability distribution over a set of nodes and node vulnerability types already accessed by the attacker, and to determine a network graph edge to remove that minimizes a defender's expected uncertainty over the potential targets; and a network management module configured to remove the determined network graph edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Dmytro Korzhyk, Reiner Sailer, Douglas L Schales, Marc Ph Stoecklin, Ting Wang
  • Publication number: 20130318615
    Abstract: Methods for determining cyber-attack targets include collecting and storing network event information from sensors to extract information regarding an attacker; forming an attack scenario tree that encodes network topology and vulnerability information including paths from known compromised nodes to a set of potential targets; calculating a likelihood for each of the paths using a processor; calculating a probability distribution for the set of potential targets to determine which potential targets are most likely pursued by the attacker; calculating a probability distribution over a set of nodes and node vulnerability types already accessed by the attacker; determining a network graph edge to remove which minimizes a defender's expected uncertainty over the potential targets; and removing the determined network graph edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Dmytro Korzhyk, Reiner Sailer, Douglas L. Schales, Marc Ph. Stoecklin, Ting Wang
  • Publication number: 20120096549
    Abstract: Performing adaptive cyber-security analytics including a computer implemented method that includes receiving a report on a network activity. A score responsive to the network activity and to a scoring model is computed at a computer. The score indicates a likelihood of a security violation. The score is validated and the scoring model is automatically updated responsive to results of the validating. The network activity is reported as suspicious in response to the score being within a threshold of a security violation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Amini, Mihai Christodorescu, Mitchell A. Cohen, Srinivasan Parthasarathy, Josyula Rao, Reiner Sailer, Douglas L. Schales, Wietse Z. Venema, Olivier Verscheure
  • Publication number: 20110258610
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for verifying integrity of a running application program on a computing device. The method comprises: determining entry points into an application programs processing space that impact proper execution impact program integrity; mapping data elements reachable from the determined entry points into a memory space of a host system where the application to verify is running; run-time monitoring, in the memory space, potential modification of the data elements in a manner potentially breaching program integrity; and initiating a response to the potential modification. The run-time monitoring detects when a data transaction, e.g., a write event, reaches a malicious agent's entry point, a corresponding memory hook is triggered and control is passed to a security agent running outside the monitored system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Najwa Aaraj, Mihai Christodorescu, Dimitrios Pendarakis, Reiner Sailer, Douglas L. Schales
  • Patent number: 7739737
    Abstract: A technique for finding malicious code such as viruses in an executable binary file converts the executable binary to a function unique form to which function unique forms of virus code may be compared. By avoiding direct comparison of the expression of the viral code but looking instead at its function, obfuscation techniques intended to hide the virus code are substantially reduced in effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Somesh Jha
  • Publication number: 20100011441
    Abstract: Computer programs are preprocessed to produce normalized or standard versions to remove obfuscation that might prevent the detection of embedded malware through comparison with standard malware signatures. The normalization process can provide an unpacking of compressed or encrypted malware, a reordering of the malware into a standard form, and the detection and removal of semantically identified nonfunctional code added to disguise the malware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Somesh Jha, Stefan Katzenbeisser, Johannes Kinder, Helmut Veith
  • Publication number: 20050028002
    Abstract: A technique for finding malicious code such as viruses in an executable binary file converts the executable binary to a function unique form to which function unique forms of virus code may be compared. By avoiding direct comparison of the expression of the viral code but looking instead at its function, obfuscation techniques intended to hide the virus code are substantially reduced in effectiveness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Mihai Christodorescu, Somesh Jha