IP Library Granted Patent US 9,686,291
Granted Patent B2
US 9,686,291 · App. 14/096,803 · Granted Jun 20, 2017

Method and system for detecting malicious domain names at an upper DNS hierarchy

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,686,291
App. No.
14/096,803
Granted
Jun 20, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system for detecting a malicious domain name, comprising: collecting domain name statistical information from a non-recursive domain name system name server (RDNS NS); and utilizing the collected domain name statistical information to determine if a domain name is malicious or benign.

Claims (31)

1. A method for detecting a malicious domain name, comprising:

collecting statistical information about a domain name from at least one non-recursive domain name system name server (RDNS NS), wherein the domain name statistical information comprises at least one of requester diversity information and requester profile information;

wherein the requester diversity information identifies each RDNS NS that queries the domain name as either localized or globally distributed, and wherein the requester profile information identifies each RDNS NS as being associated with one of internet service provider networks and enterprise networks; and

utilizing the collected domain name statistical information to determine the reputation of a domain name and whether a domain name is malicious or benign.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the domain name statistical information also comprises at least one of reputation information and requester diversity information.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reputation information classifies a domain name as malignant or benign utilizing historic information about domain name resolution.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether an additional domain name is malicious based on how close the additional domain name's statistical information is to the known malicious domain name's statistical information.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the additional domain name is a new domain name.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requester diversity information comprises diversity in terms of network location of the RDNS NSs that query a domain name; or the requester profile information comprises a level of popularity of the querying RDNS NSs that query a domain name; or both.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting domain name information from the non-RDNS NS comprises monitoring DNS traffic flowing towards the non-RDNS NS.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein monitoring DNS traffic flowing towards the non-RDNS NS allows monitoring of DNS queries from servers around the Internet that attempt to resolve a domain name for which the non-RDNS NS has authority or is a point of delegation.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a sensor is attached to or by the non RDNS NS.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a DNS operator is able to detect and remediate a malicious domain name within his or her name space.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-RDNS name server comprises: a top level domain name server (TLD NS), or an authoritative name server (AUTH NS), or a root name server (NS), or any combination thereof.

12. A system for detecting a malicious domain name, comprising:

a processor configured for:

collecting statistical information about a domain name from at least one non-recursive domain name system name server (RDNS NS), wherein the domain name statistical information comprises at least one of requester diversity information and requester profile information;

wherein the requester diversity information identifies each RDNS NS that queries the domain name as either localized or globally distributed, and wherein the requester profile information identifies each RDNS NS as being associated with one of internet service provider networks and enterprise networks; and

utilizing the collected domain name statistical information to determine the reputation of a domain name and whether a domain name is malicious or benign.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the domain name statistical information also comprises reputation information.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining whether an additional domain name is malicious based on how close the additional domain name's statistical information is to the known malicious domain name's statistical information.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the additional domain name is a new domain name.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein: the requester diversity information comprises diversity in terms of network location of the RDNS NSs that query a domain name; or the requester profile information comprises a level of popularity of the querying RDNS NSs that query a domain name, or both.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the reputation information classifies a domain name as malignant or benign utilizing historic information about domain name resolution.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein collecting domain name information from the non-RDNS NS comprises monitoring DNS traffic flowing towards the non-RDNS NS.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein monitoring DNS traffic flowing towards the non-RDNS NS allows monitoring of DNS queries from servers around the Internet that attempt to resolve a domain name for which the non-RDNS NS has authority or is a point of delegation.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein a sensor is attached to or by the non RDNS NS.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein a DNS operator is able to detect and remediate a malicious domain name within his or her name space.

22. The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-RDNS name server comprises: a top level domain name server (TLD NS), or an authoritative name server (AUTH NS), or a root name server (NS), or any combination thereof.

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 Feb 12, 2014
From: ANTONAKAKIS, MANOS; PERDISCI, ROBERTO; LEE, WENKE; VASILOGLOU, NIKOLAOS, II
To: DAMBALLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 032207/0996 →