IP Library Granted Patent US 8,578,497
Granted Patent B2
US 8,578,497 · App. 12/985,140 · Granted Nov 5, 2013

Method and system for detecting malware

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,578,497
App. No.
12/985,140
Granted
Nov 5, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method of analysis. NX domain names are collected from an asset in a real network. The NX domain names are domain names that are not registered. The real network NX domain names are utilized to create testing vectors. The testing vectors are classified as benign vectors or malicious vectors based on training vectors. The asset is then classified as infected if the NX testing vector created from the real network NX domain names is classified as a malicious vector.

Claims (29)

1. A method of analysis, comprising:

performing processing associated with collecting, using at least one processor circuit in communication with at least one database, at least one pre-defined number of NX domain names from at least one asset in at least one real network, the NX domain names being domain names that are not registered;

performing processing associated with utilizing, using the at least one processor circuit in communication with the at least one database, the statistical information about the at least one set of NX domain names to create testing vectors;

performing processing associated with classifying, using at least one processor circuit in communication with at least one database, the testing vectors as benign vectors or malicious vectors by comparing the statistical information in the testing vectors to statistical information in training vectors using at least one meta-classifier comprising at least two classifiers; and

performing processing associated with classifying, using at least one processor circuit in communication with at least one database, the at least one asset in the at least one real network as infected if the NX testing vector created from the real network NX domain names is classified as a malicious vector;

wherein the training vectors and the testing vectors are created by: computing the statistical information for at least one set of NX domain names; and collecting the statistical information for each set of NX domain names in at least one vector.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising classifying previously unclassified malware from the NX domain names.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein only DNS NX domain name information is utilized to classify the at least one asset as infected.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein only NX domain traffic is utilized.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meta-classifier provides intelligence for identifying new malware.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising classifying previously classified malware from the NX domain names.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the NX domain names collected from the at least one honeypot and the at least one real network are grouped into sets of 10 using absolute timing sequence information.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the statistical information comprises: an average of domain name length; a standard deviation of a domain name length; a number of different top level domains; a length of a domain name excluding a top level domain; a median of a number of unique characters; an average of a number of unique characters; a standard deviation of a number of unique characters; a median of unique 2-grams; an average of unique 2-grams; a standard deviation of unique 2-grams; a frequency of ,com top level domains over frequency of remaining to level domains; a median of unique 3-grams; an average of unique 3-grams; a standard deviation of unique 3-grams; a median count of unique top level domains; an average count of unique top level domains; or a standard deviation count of to level domains; or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein NX domain names from honeypots are used to create the training vectors.

10. A system of analysis, comprising:

at least one processor circuit in communication with at least one database, the at least one processor circuit connected to at least one network and configured for;

performing processing associated with collecting at least one pre-defined number of NX domain names from at least one asset comprising at least one processor in at least one real network, the NX domain names being domain names that are not registered;

performing processing associated with using statistical information about the pre-defined number of -NX domain names to create testing vectors;

performing processing associated with classifying the testing vectors as benign vectors or malicious vectors by comparing the statistical information in the testing vectors to statistical information in training vectors using at least one meta-classifier comprising at least two classifiers; and

performing processing associated with classifying the at least one asset in the at least one real network as infected if the NX testing vector created from the real network NX domain names is classified as a malicious vector;

wherein the training vectors and the testing vectors are created by: computing the statistical information for at least one set of NX domain names; and collecting the statistical information for each set of NX domain names in at least one vector.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one application is further configured for classifying previously unclassified malware from the NX domain names.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein only DNS NX domain name information is utilized to classify the at least one asset as infected.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein only NX domain traffic is utilized.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the meta-classifier provides intelligence for identifying new malware.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one application is further configured for classifying previously classified malware from the NX domain names.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the NX domain names collected from the at least one honeypot and the at least one real network are grouped into sets of 10 using absolute timing sequence information.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the statistical information comprises: an average of domain name length; a standard deviation of a domain name length; a number of different top level domains; a length of a domain name excluding a top level domain; a median of a number of unique characters; an average of a number of unique characters; a standard deviation of a number of unique characters; a median of unique 2-grams; an average of unique 2-grams; a standard deviation of unique 2-grams; a frequency of .com top level domains over frequency of remaining to level domains; a median of unique 3-grams; an average of unique 3-grams; a standard deviation of unique 3-grams; a median count of unique top level domains; an average count of unique top level domains; or a standard deviation count of to level domains; or any combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein NX domain names from honeypots are used to create the training vectors.

Assignments (20)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2026
From: ALERT LOGIC, INC.; DIGITAL GUARDIAN LLC; ECRIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, INC.; FORTRA, LLC; GLOBALSCAPE, INC.; TRIPWIRE, INC.
To: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 074233/0632 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 51059/0861 Recorded Nov 24, 2025
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: FORTRA, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC)
Reel/Frame 073783/0406 →
EXTENDED FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: FORTRA, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073663/0914 →
NEW MONEY FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: ALERT LOGIC, INC.; DIGITAL GUARDIAN LLC; ECRIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, INC.; FORTRA, LLC; GLOBALSCAPE, INC.; TRIPWIRE, INC.; VERA SECURITY, INC.
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073683/0534 →
EXTENDED RCF FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: FORTRA, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073663/0327 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 51059/0911 Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERV ICES LLC
To: FORTRA, LLC (F/K/A HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC)
Reel/Frame 073662/0442 →
ASSIGNMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: GOLUB CAPITAL MARKETS LLC (AS EXISTING AGENT)
To: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC (AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT)
Reel/Frame 072471/0665 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: DAMBALLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 070086/0189 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 15, 2022
From: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
To: FORTRA, LLC
Reel/Frame 062136/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 20, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS EXISTING AGENT
To: GOLUB CAPITAL MARKETS LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 056322/0628 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051059/0861 →
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051059/0911 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: DAMBALLA, INC.
To: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 048386/0329 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2019
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: COURION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.; CORE SECURITY SDI CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CORE SDI, INC.; CORE SECURITY LIVE CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY HOLDINGS, INC.; DAMABLLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 048281/0835 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 4, 2018
From: SARATOGA INVESTMENT CORP. SBIC LP
To: DAMBALLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 044535/0907 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2017
From: DAMBALLA, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 044492/0654 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 10, 2016
From: DAMBALLA, INC.
To: SARATOGA INVESTMENT CORP. SBIC LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 040297/0988 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2016
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: DAMBALLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 039678/0960 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2015
From: DAMBALLA, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 035639/0136 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2011
From: ANTONAKAKIS, EMMANOUIL; PERDISCI, ROBERTO; LEE, WENKE; OLLMANN, GUNTER
To: DAMBALLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 025975/0829 →