IP Library Granted Patent US 9,805,191
Granted Patent B2
US 9,805,191 · App. 14/652,330 · Granted Oct 31, 2017

Method for protecting an electronic terminal, corresponding computer program and electronic terminal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,805,191
App. No.
14/652,330
Granted
Oct 31, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is provided for protecting an electronic terminal. The method includes: activating a state of monitoring the terminal; in the state of monitoring, detecting a manipulation of the terminal, generating the passage of the terminal to a so-called suspect state, representative of a risk of attempted fraudulent use of the terminal; in the suspect state, triggering a reaction by the terminal, the reaction of the terminal including updating an alert level representative of a probability of attempted fraudulent use of the terminal, and a implementing at least one reactive action dependent on the alert level.

Claims (52)

1. A method for protecting an electronic terminal comprising:

activating a state of surveillance of said terminal when a current value of at least one piece of information characterizing a context of said terminal is situated in a predefined range of values of said information, and assigning a minimum value to a level of alert;

in said state of surveillance, detecting a first handling of said terminal and passing said terminal into a suspect state, representing a risk of an attempt at fraudulent use of said terminal; and

in said suspect state, triggering a reaction by said terminal, wherein said reaction of said terminal comprises updating the level of alert, which represents a probability of an attempt at fraudulent use of said terminal and implementing at least one reactive action according to said level of alert, wherein updating the level of alert comprises:

in response to detecting of the first handling, updating the level of alert to a first value and implementing a first reactive action according to said first value; and

in response to detecting a second, subsequent handling, updating the level of alert from the first value to a second value, and implementing a second, different reactive action according to said second value.

2. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according to claim 1 wherein said detecting a handling of said terminal comprises a sub-act of comparing the current value of at least one piece of further information characterizing a context of said terminal with a further predefined range of values of said further information.

3. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second handlings belong to the group of events consisting of:

an action on an input control component of an interface of said terminal;

an overturning of said terminal;

a partial rotation of said terminal;

a shift of said terminal;

a pressure on a portion of a casing of the terminal;

a combination of at least two of said events.

4. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according claim 1 , wherein said piece of information belongs to the group consisting of:

a piece of information coming from a time-stamp;

an orientation of said terminal;

a localizing of said terminal;

an acceleration or a speed of movement of said terminal;

a combination of at least two of the pieces of information in the group.

5. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the method furthermore comprises deactivating said state of surveillance.

6. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second reactive actions belong to the group consisting of:

an at least partial blocking of said terminal;

an erasure of at least one part of sensitive data of said terminal;

a falsification and/or a corruption of at least one part of the sensitive data of said terminal;

a sending of a warning message;

a recording by said terminal of at least one piece of information representing said handling;

a combination of at least two of said actions of said group.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product stored thereon and comprising program code instructions to implement a method for protecting an electronic terminal, when said program is executed on a computer, wherein the instructions comprise:

instructions that configure the terminal to activate a state of surveillance of said terminal when a current value of at least one piece of information characterizing a context of said terminal is situated in a predefined range of values of said information, and assigning a minimum value to a level of alert;

instructions that configure the terminal to, in said state of surveillance, detect a first handling of said terminal and passing said terminal into a suspect state, representing a risk of an attempt at fraudulent use of said terminal; and

instructions that configure the terminal to, in said suspect state, trigger a reaction by said terminal, wherein said reaction of said terminal comprises updating the level of alert, which represent a probability of an attempt at fraudulent use of said terminal and implementing at least one reactive action according to said level of alert, wherein updating the level of alert comprises:

in response to detecting of the first handling, updating the level of alert to a first value and implementing a first reactive action according to said first value; and

in response to detecting a second, subsequent handling, updating the level of alert from the first value to a second value, and implementing a second, different reactive action according to said second value.

8. An electronic terminal comprising:

means for activating a state of surveillance of said terminal when a current value of at least one piece of information characterizing a context of said terminal is situated in a predefined range of values of said information, and assigning a minimum value to a level of alert;

in said state of surveillance, means for detecting a first handling of said terminal, generating the passage of said terminal into a suspect state, representing a risk of an attempt at fraudulent use of said terminal; and

in said suspect state, means for triggering a reaction by said terminal, wherein said means for triggering a reaction by said terminal comprise means for updating the level of alert, which represent a probability of an attempt at fraudulent use of said terminal, and means for implementing at least one reactive action as a function of said level of alert, wherein updating the level of alert comprises:

in response to detecting of the first handling, updating the level of alert to a first value and implementing a first reactive action according to said first value; and

in response to detecting a second, subsequent handling, updating the level of alert from the first value to a second value, and implementing a second, different reactive action according to said second value.

9. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according claim 2 , wherein said piece of further information belongs to the group consisting of:

a piece of information coming from a time-stamp;

an orientation of said terminal;

a localizing of said terminal;

an acceleration or a speed of movement of said terminal;

a combination of at least two of the pieces of information in the group.

10. The method for protecting an electronic terminal according claim 2 , wherein said piece of further information belongs to the group consisting of:

a piece of information coming from a time-stamp;

an orientation of said terminal;

a localizing of said terminal;

an acceleration or a speed of movement of said terminal;

a combination of at least two of the pieces of information in the group.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2021
From: INGENICO GROUP
To: BANKS AND ACQUIRERS INTERNATIONAL HOLDING
Reel/Frame 058173/0055 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 21, 2015
From: COMPAGNIE INDUSTRIELLE ET FINANCIERE D'INGENIERIE "INGENICO"
To: INGENICO GROUP
Reel/Frame 036919/0703 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2015
From: VOELCKEL, JEAN-MARC; SOUSSANA, ISAAC
To: INGENICO GROUP
Reel/Frame 036847/0768 →