IP Library Granted Patent US 9,479,530
Granted Patent B2
US 9,479,530 · App. 14/467,668 · Granted Oct 25, 2016

Method and system for detection of malware that connect to network destinations through cloud scanning and web reputation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,479,530
App. No.
14/467,668
Granted
Oct 25, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for detecting malware includes the steps of identifying a one or more open network connections of an electronic device, associating one or more executable objects on the electronic device with the one or more open network connections of the electronic device, determining the address of a first network destination that is connected to the open network connections of the electronic device, receiving an evaluation of the first network destination, and identifying one or more of the executable objects as malware executable objects. The evaluation includes an indication that the first network destination is associated with malware. The malware executable objects includes the executable objects that are associated with the open network connections that are connected to the first network destination.

Claims (96)

1. At least one non-transitory machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed on an electronic device, to cause the electronic device to:

identify an executable file to reside in at least a portion of memory of the electronic device;

provide, over a network, identity information of a network destination associated with the executable file, the identity information to include a uniform resource locator (“URL ”) of the network destination;

receive an indication of reputation information about the network destination;

identify, based at least in part on the received indication of reputation information, the executable file as malware, wherein the identification includes a determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is associated with malware; and

responsive to the identification of the executable file as malware, take at least one of the following actions to protect the electronic device from the malware: block, clean, quarantine, or remove the executable file.

2. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the identity information of the network destination associated with the executable file provided over the network further includes an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination.

3. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the identification further includes a determination of whether the network destination matches a URL in a whitelist of sites known to be safe.

4. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the identification further includes a determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation.

5. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further caused to send a log of information to a reputation server, the log to include an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination and information of the executable file.

6. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the identification further includes a determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation.

7. A method for security, comprising;

identifying an executable file to reside in at least a portion of memory of an electronic device;

providing, over a network, identity information of a network destination associated with the executable file, the identity information to include a uniform resource locator (“URL ”) of the network destination;

receiving an indication of reputation information about the network destination;

identifying the executable file as malware based at least in part on the received indication of reputation information, including determining whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is associated with malware; and

responsive to the identification of the executable file as malware, taking at least one of the following actions to protect the electronic device from the malware: block, clean, quarantine, or remove the executable file.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the identity information of the network destination associated with the executable file provided over the network further includes an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein identifying the executable file as malware further includes determining whether the network destination matches a URL in a whitelist of sites known to be safe.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein identifying the executable file as malware further includes determining whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising sending a log of information to a reputation server, the log including an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination and information of the executable file.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein identifying the executable file as malware further includes determining whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a hardware processor;

at least one machine accessible storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor;

instructions stored on the medium, the instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

identify an executable file to reside in at least a portion of memory of the apparatus;

provide, over a network, identity information of a network destination associated with the executable file, the identity information to include a uniform resource locator (“URL ”) of the network destination;

receive an indication of reputation information about the network destination;

identify, based at least in part on the received indication of reputation information, the executable file as malware, wherein the identification includes a determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is associated with malware; and

responsive to the identification of the executable file as malware, take at least one of the following actions to protect the apparatus from the malware: block, clean, quarantine, or remove the executable file.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination in the identity information of the network destination associated with the executable file provided over the network.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify the executable file as malware further based on a determination of whether the network destination matches a URL in a whitelist of sites known to be safe.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the executable file as malware further based on a determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to send a log of information to a reputation server, the log to include an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination and information of the executable file.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the executable file as malware further based on a determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation.

19. At least one non-transitory machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed on an electronic device, to cause the electronic device to:

receive, over a network, identity information of an executable file to reside in at least a portion of memory of a client, the identity information including a uniform resource locator (“URL ”) of a network destination associated with the executable file;

access reputation information about the network destination in a reputation database; and

send an indication of the reputation information about the network destination to the client to identify the executable file as malware, wherein the indication of the reputation information:

indicates that the network destination is associated with malware; and

indicates that that the executable file is to be blocked, cleaned, quarantined, or removed.

20. The medium of claim 19 , wherein:

the identity information of the network destination associated with the executable file provided over the network further includes an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination; and

the reputation information about the network destination in the reputation database is accessed using at least the IP address of the network destination.

21. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes a determination of whether the network destination matches a URL in a whitelist of sites known to be safe.

22. The medium of claim 19 , wherein:

the electronic device is further caused to determine from the reputation information whether the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation; and

the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes the determination of whether the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation.

23. The medium of claim 19 , wherein the electronic device is further caused to:

receive a log of information, the log to include an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination and information of the executable file; and

update the reputation information of the network destination based upon the log.

24. The medium of claim 19 , wherein:

the electronic device is further caused to determine from the reputation information whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation; and

the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes the determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation.

25. A method for security, comprising:

receiving, over a network, identity information of an executable file to reside in at least a portion of memory of a client, the identity information including a uniform resource locator (“URL ”) of a network destination associated with the executable file;

accessing reputation information about the network destination in a reputation database; and

sending an indication of the reputation information about the network destination to the client to identify the executable file as malware, wherein the indication of the reputation information:

indicates that the network destination is associated with malware; and

indicates that that the executable file is to be blocked, cleaned, quarantined, or removed.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein:

the identity information of the network destination associated with the executable file provided over the network further includes an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination; and

the reputation information about the network destination in the reputation database is accessed using at least the IP address of the network destination.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes a determination of whether the network destination matches a URL in a whitelist of sites known to be safe.

28. The method of claim 25 :

further comprising determining from the reputation information whether the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation; and

wherein the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes the determination of whether the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation.

29. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:

receiving a log of information, the log to include an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination and information of the executable file; and

updating the reputation information of the network destination based upon the log.

30. The method of claim 25 :

further comprising determining from the reputation information whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation; and

wherein the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes the determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a hardware processor;

at least one machine accessible storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor;

instructions stored on the medium, the instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

receive, over a network, identity information of an executable file to reside in at least a portion of memory of a client, the identity information including a uniform resource locator (“URL”) of a network destination associated with the executable file;

access reputation information about the network destination in a reputation database; and

send an indication of the reputation information about the network destination to the client to identify the executable file as malware, wherein the indication of the reputation information:

indicates that the network destination is associated with malware; and

indicates that that the executable file is to be blocked, cleaned, quarantined, or removed.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein:

the identity information of the network destination associated with the executable file provided over the network further includes an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination; and

the reputation information about the network destination in the reputation database is accessed using at least the IP address of the network destination.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes a determination of whether the network destination matches a URL in a whitelist of sites known to be safe.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to determine from the reputation information whether the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation; and

the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes the determination of whether the network destination previously hosted other applications with malicious reputation.

35. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a log of information, the log to include an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of the network destination and information of the executable file; and

update the reputation information of the network destination based upon the log.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to determine from the reputation information whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation; and

the indication of the reputation information about the network destination includes the determination of whether the received indication of reputation information indicates that the network destination is referred by another network destination with a malicious reputation.

Assignments (10)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE PATENT TITLES AND REMOVE DUPLICATES IN THE SCHEDULE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 059354 FRAME: 0335. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 060792/0307 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2022
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059354/0335 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COLLATERAL - REEL/FRAME 045056/0676 Recorded Mar 2, 2022
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 059354/0213 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COLLATERAL - REEL/FRAME 045055/0786 Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 054238/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT 6336186 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 045056 FRAME 0676. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 054206/0593 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT 6336186 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 045055 FRAME 786. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 055854/0047 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2018
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 045056/0676 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2018
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 045055/0786 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: MCAFEE, INC.
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 043665/0918 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SALLAM, AHMED SAID
To: MCAFEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 037674/0634 →