Abstract: A communications server apparatus for determination of an abstention attack associated with a user communications device, configured to transmit handshake data to the user communications device, monitor, for a defined time duration, for a handshake response from the user communications device corresponding to the handshake data, and in response to expiry of the defined time duration with no handshake response corresponding to the handshake data being received by the communications server apparatus, and, further, in response to the communications server apparatus determining presence of an event that is indicative of the user communications device being in a communication mode with the communications server apparatus, determine that there is the abstention attack, and generate termination data in response to the determination of the abstention attack for denying the user communications device access to a service associated with the communications server apparatus.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that include use of a distributed ledger to arrange for and/or initiate provisioning of network services, and also to validate payment for such network services. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes modifying, by a computing system, a distributed ledger maintained by a consensus network to implement a smart contract that is configured to generate, in response to receiving a request for network services, a provisioning request; receiving the provisioning request, by the computing system and from a computing device on the consensus network that is executing the smart contract, wherein the provisioning request includes information describing requested network services; and provisioning, by the computing system and based on the information describing the requested network services, network services.

Abstract: A trusted device is positioned within a private consensus network. The trusted device includes a memory and processing circuitry in communication with the memory. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain, from a private distributed ledger associated with the private consensus network, rules associated with the private consensus network, the private distributed ledger being accessible only to devices positioned within the private consensus network, to identify one or more other trusted devices positioned within the private consensus network, to receive, from an unidentified device positioned within the private consensus network, an identity verification request to identify the unidentified device within the private consensus network, to determine, based on the obtained rules, whether to approve or deny the identity verification request, and to communicate, to the one or more other trusted devices, a vote indicative of the determination of whether to approve or deny the identity verification request.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying code signing certificate misuse may include (1) identifying a software file that has been signed using a code signing certificate, (2) identifying a software publisher that is identified by the code signing certificate used to sign the software file, (3) obtaining a reputation score for the software file that indicates a trustworthiness of the software file independently of the code signing certificate, and (4) providing, to the software publisher, information that is based on the reputation score and that indicates that the code signing certificate has been compromised. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.