IP Library Granted Patent US 8,826,438
Granted Patent B2
US 8,826,438 · App. 13/008,257 · Granted Sep 2, 2014

Method and system for network-based detecting of malware from behavioral clustering

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,826,438
App. No.
13/008,257
Granted
Sep 2, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computerized system and method for performing behavioral clustering of malware samples, comprising: executing malware samples in a controlled computer environment for a predetermined time to obtain HTTP traffic; clustering the malware samples into at least one cluster based on network behavioral information from the HTTP traffic; and extracting, using the at least one processor, network signatures from the HTTP traffic information for each cluster, the network signatures being indicative of malware infection.

Claims (31)

1. A computerized method for performing behavioral clustering of malware samples, comprising:

executing malware samples in a controlled computer environment for a predetermined time to obtain HTTP traffic;

clustering, using at least one processing device, the malware samples into at least one coarse-grain cluster based on network behavioral information measured from content of the HTTP traffic;

splitting, using the at least one processing device, the at least one coarse-grain cluster into at least two fine-grain cluster;

clustering, using the at least one processing device, the at least two fine-grain cluster into merged clusters; and

extracting, using the at least one processing device, network signatures from the HTTP traffic information for each merged cluster, the network signatures being indicative of malware infection.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

pruning the network signatures that generate false positives.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

deploying the network signatures for each merged cluster in order to detect malicious outbound HTTP requests.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein statistical features extracted from the HTTP traffic and structural features extracted from the HTTP traffic are utilized.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein single-linkage hierarchical clustering and/or at least one DB index are utilized.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing at least one AV label graph to measure how well clustering was done.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one AV label graph utilizes at least one cohesion index and/or at least one separation index.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein network signatures that may generate false alarms are filtered out.

9. A computerized system for performing behavioral clustering of malware samples, comprising:

at least one application executed by at least one processing device, the at least one application configured for:

executing malware samples in a controlled computer environment for a predetermined time to obtain HTTP traffic;

clustering, using the at least one processing device, the malware samples into at least one coarse-grain cluster based on network behavioral information measured from content of the HTTP traffic;

splitting, using the at least one processing device, the at least one coarse-grain cluster into at least two fine-grain clusters;

clustering, using the at least one processing device, the at least two fine-grain clusters into merged clusters; and

extracting, using the at least one processing device, network signatures from the HTTP traffic information for each merged cluster, the network signatures being indicative of malware infection.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one application is further configured for:

pruning the network signatures that generate false positives.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one application is further configured for:

deploying the network signatures for each cluster in order to detect malicious outbound HTTP requests.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein statistical features extracted from the HTTP traffic and structural features extracted from the HTTP traffic are utilized.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein single-linkage hierarchical clustering and/or at least one DB index are utilized.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one application is further configured for: utilizing at least one AV label graph to measure how well clustering was done.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system is further configured such that the at least one AV label graph utilizes at least one cohesion index and/or at least one separation index.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein network signatures that may generate false alarms are filtered out.

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 →
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 →
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 FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: FORTRA, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073663/0914 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 Aug 2, 2011
From: PERDISCI, ROBERTO; LEE, WENKE; OLLMANN, GUNTER
To: DAMBALLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 026686/0087 →