IP Library Granted Patent US 9,256,766
Granted Patent B1
US 9,256,766 · App. 14/012,433 · Granted Feb 9, 2016

Systems and methods for collecting thief-identifying information on stolen computing devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,256,766
App. No.
14/012,433
Granted
Feb 9, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A computer-implemented method for collecting thief-identifying information on stolen computing devices may include (1) receiving an indication that a computing device has been stolen, (2) detecting an attempt by a thief of the stolen computing device to access a user account of the thief via the stolen computing device, (3) collecting, based at least in part on detecting the attempt by the thief of the stolen computing device to access the user account of the thief via the stolen computing device, information capable of identifying the thief, and (4) reporting, to a remote computing device, the information capable of identifying the thief. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims (45)

1. A computer-implemented method for collecting thief-identifying information on stolen computing devices, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that the computing device has been stolen;

determining that an attempt by a thief of the stolen computing device to log into a user account of the thief via the stolen computing device was successful;

collecting, at the stolen computing device based at least in part on determining that the attempt was successful, information capable of identifying the thief, wherein the information capable of identifying the thief is accessible at the stolen computing device only when the thief has successfully logged into the user account of the thief via the stolen computing device;

reporting, to a remote computing device, the information capable of identifying the thief.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful comprises detecting the attempt to log into the user account of the thief via the stolen computing device;

collecting the information capable of identifying the thief comprises collecting login information entered by the thief as part of the attempt to log into the user account of the thief.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the login information comprises a username of the user account.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful comprises detecting an attempt to access content associated with the user account of the thief;

the content associated with the user account of the thief comprises the information capable of identifying the thief.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the information capable of identifying the thief comprises at least one of

a username of the user account;

profile information of the user account.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful comprises detecting an attempt to access content associated with the user account of the thief via a uniform resource locator associated with the user account of the thief, wherein the uniform resource locator associated with the user account of the thief comprises the information capable of identifying the thief.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful comprises detecting an authentication token that was used to access the user account of the thief;

collecting the information capable of identifying the thief comprises using the authentication token to access content associated with the user account of the thief, wherein the content associated with the user account of the thief comprises the information capable of identifying the thief.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based at least in part on the information capable of identifying the thief, the identity of the thief of the stolen computing device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising locating, based at least in part on the information capable of identifying the thief, the stolen computing device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user account comprises a user account at a web site.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining and collecting is performed at least in part by a web-browser plugin at the computing device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining and collecting is performed at least in part by a network filter at the computing device.

13. A system for collecting thief-identifying information on stolen computing devices, the system comprising:

a receiving module that receives an indication that a computing device has been stolen;

a detecting module that determines that an attempt by a thief of the stolen computing device to log into a user account of the thief via the stolen computing device was successful;

a collecting module that collects, at the stolen computing device based at least in part on the determination that the attempt was successful, information capable of identifying the thief, wherein the information capable of identifying the thief is accessible at the stolen computing device only when the thief has successfully logged into the user account of the thief via the stolen computing device;

a reporting module that reports, to a remote computing device, the information capable of identifying the thief;

at least one processor that executes the receiving module, the detecting module, the collecting module, and the reporting module.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the detecting module determines that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful by detecting the attempt to log into the user account of the thief via the stolen computing device;

the collecting module collects the information capable of identifying the thief by collecting login information entered by the thief as part of the attempt to log into the user account of the thief.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the detecting module determines that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful by detecting an attempt to access content associated with the user account of the thief;

the content associated with the user account of the thief comprises the information capable of identifying the thief.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detecting module determines that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful by detecting an attempt to access content associated with the user account of the thief via a uniform resource locator associated with the user account of the thief, wherein the uniform resource locator associated with the user account of the thief comprises the information capable of identifying the thief.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the detecting module determines that the attempt to log into the user account of the thief was successful by detecting an authentication token that was used to access the user account of the thief;

the collecting module collects the information capable of identifying the thief by using the authentication token to access content associated with the user account of the thief, wherein the content associated with the user account of the thief comprises the information capable of identifying the thief.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive an indication that the computing device has been stolen;

determine that an attempt by a thief of the stolen computing device to log into a user account of the thief via the stolen computing device was successful;

collect, at the stolen computing device based at least in part on determining that the attempt was successful, information capable of identifying the thief, wherein the information capable of identifying the thief is accessible at the stolen computing device only when the thief has successfully logged into the user account of the thief via the stolen computing device;

report, to a remote computing device, the information capable of identifying the thief.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 6, 2023
From: NORTONLIFELOCK INC.
To: GEN DIGITAL INC.
Reel/Frame 062714/0605 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY (REEL 050926 / FRAME 0560) Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061422/0371 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: NORTONLIFELOCK INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062220/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 14, 2020
From: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
To: NORTONLIFELOCK INC.
Reel/Frame 051935/0228 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 4, 2019
From: SYMANTEC CORPORATION; BLUE COAT LLC; LIFELOCK, INC,; SYMANTEC OPERATING CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050926/0560 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2013
From: NEWSTADT, KEITH; BOUCHER, MATT
To: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031102/0061 →