IP Library Granted Patent US 10,230,757
Granted Patent B2
US 10,230,757 · App. 14/914,040 · Granted Mar 12, 2019

Method and system for handling malware

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,230,757
App. No.
14/914,040
Granted
Mar 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and software products prevent malware attacks on networks, which include endpoint devices, by providing an environment to the endpoint device which simulates an environment, for example, a security environment, where malware is known to refrain from executing.

Claims (29)

1. A computer-implemented method for preventing malware from attacking a network at an endpoint device, comprising:

obtaining policy rules defining for each of a plurality of endpoints of a network whether said respective endpoint is designated as a protected endpoint or is designated as an unprotected endpoint;

identifying at an endpoint device of said network, controlling a specific hardware component a query from a malware attempting to communicate with the endpoint device, the query querying which hardware component is controlled by the endpoint device;

in response to an identification that said endpoint device is designated as protected, navigating said malware away from said endpoint, through said network, to another endpoint of said network designated as unprotected, by disguising said endpoint device by responding to said query with a response simulating a response of another endpoint device that does not control said specific hardware component;

wherein said another endpoint designated as unprotected is isolated within the network to allow said malware to execute without damaging said network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the response is provided by an agent executed on the endpoint device and simulates an disguising environment which is different from an environment executed by the endpoint device, to cause a malware to refrain from executing.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the endpoint device includes a processor.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the agent simulates an environment disguising actual environment of the endpoint device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the agent is executed between two abstraction layers associated with the endpoint device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said specific hardware component is a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) machine.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the simulating is performed by at least one of mimicking a hardware vendor different from a hardware vendor of said endpoint and mimicking a username different than a username associated with said endpoint.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , additionally comprising: reporting said query to at least one third party agent via a network.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , additionally comprising: reporting said query to a management server via a network.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said policy rules are defined for a predetermined time period.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said definition for each of said plurality of endpoints is dynamically changeable.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein isolating said another endpoint designated as unprotected is by quarantining said another endpoint.

13. A computer program product for preventing malware from attacking a network at an endpoint device, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium storing program code wherein the program code is executed by a processor, the program code comprising:

first computer usable program code stored on said non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium for obtaining policy rules defining for each of a plurality of endpoints of a network whether said respective endpoint is designated as a protected endpoint or is designated as an unprotected endpoint;

second computer usable program code stored on said non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium for identifying at an endpoint device of said network, controlling a specific hardware component a query from malware attempting to communicate with the endpoint device, the query querying which hardware component is controlled by the endpoint device; and

third computer usable program code stored on said non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium for navigating said malware away from said endpoint, through said network, to another endpoint of said network designated as unprotected, in response to an identification that said endpoint device is designated as protected, by disguising said endpoint device by responding to said query with a response simulating a response of another endpoint device that does not control said specific hardware component;

wherein said another endpoint designated as unprotected is isolated within the network to allow said malware to execute without damaging said network.

14. A system for preventing malware from attacking a network at an endpoint device, comprising:

a memory adapted for storing an agent code;

at least one processor coupled to the memory for executing said stored agent code, the agent code comprising:

instructions for obtaining policy rules defining for each of a plurality of endpoints of a network whether said respective endpoint is designated as a protected endpoint or is designated as an unprotected endpoint;

instructions for identifying at an endpoint device of said network, controlling a specific hardware component a query from malware attempting to communicate with the endpoint device, the query querying which hardware component is controlled by the endpoint device; and

instructions for navigating said malware away from said endpoint, through said network, to another endpoint of said network designated as unprotected, in response to an identification that said endpoint device is designated as protected, by disguising said endpoint device by responding to said query with a response simulating a response of another endpoint device that does not control said specific hardware component;

wherein said another endpoint designated as unprotected is isolated within the network to allow said malware to execute without damaging said network.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2025
From: RAPID7 LLC; RAPID7 INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: INTSIGHTS CYBER INTELLIGENCE LTD.
Reel/Frame 072392/0254 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2025
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: MINERVA LABS, LTD
Reel/Frame 071693/0154 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2025
From: RAPID7, INC.; RAPID7 LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 071743/0537 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2024
From: MINERVA LABS LIMITED
To: RAPID7 LLC; RAPID7 INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067355/0900 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2017
From: MINERVA LABS LTD
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 044465/0486 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2016
From: BOBRITSKY, EDUARD
To: MINERVA LABS LTD.
Reel/Frame 038108/0508 →
Cited By (3)
US 12,225,055 US 12,500,941 US 12,719,932