IP Library Granted Patent US 10,158,659
Granted Patent B1
US 10,158,659 · App. 15/097,004 · Granted Dec 18, 2018

Phony profiles detector

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,158,659
App. No.
15/097,004
Granted
Dec 18, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

A phony profiles detector for an on-line social network system is described. The phony profiles detector uses characteristics of a profile that was associated with an indication that it represents a malicious user, a so-called seed profile, to identify other profiles that should be flagged as potentially the source of undesirable behavior. Based on the degree of similarity determined for a subject profile with respect to a seed profile, the phony profiles detector generates a malicious user indicator and stores it as associated with the subject profile.

Claims (38)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

comparing respective registration times and IP addresses associated with a seed profile and a subject profile representing respective members in an on-line social networking system, the seed profile associated with a malicious user indicator;

generating a partial connectedness score based on the results of the comparing;

using at least one processor, generating a connectedness score for the subject profile with respect to the seed profile based on the result of the comparing, as a sum of the partial connectedness score and one or more other values;

modifying the subject profile by storing the malicious user indication as associated with the subject profile based on the connectedness score.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising including the subject profile in a cluster of phony profiles, each profile in the cluster of phony profiles associated with the malicious user indicator.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising:

generating a user interface including a listing of items identifying phony profiles in the cluster of phony profiles; and

causing presentation of the user interface on a display device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a category from the plurality of connectedness categories is email address, the generating of a partial connectedness score comprises comparing respective one or more parts of the respective email addresses associated with the seed profile and the subject profile.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a category from the plurality of connectedness categories is login time, the generating of a partial connectedness score comprises comparing respective login times associated with the seed profile and the subject profile.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a category from the plurality of connectedness categories is content similarity, the generating of a partial connectedness score comprises comparing content generated by the seed profile and the subject profile, respectively, in the on-line social network system.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving a request from the seed profile in the on-line social network system; and

denying the request based on the malicious user indicator associated with the seed profile.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is a request to create a connection link between the seed profile and another profile representing another member in the on-line social network system.

9. A computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by the one or processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

comparing respective registration times and IP addresses associated with a seed profile and a subject profile representing respective members in an on-line social networking system, the seed profile associated with a malicious user indicator;

generating a partial connectedness score based on the results of the comparing;

generating a connectedness score for the subject profile with respect to the seed profile based on the result of the comparing, as a sum of the partial connectedness score and one or more other values;

modifying the subject profile by storing the malicious user indication as associated with the subject profile based on the connectedness score.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the cluster generator is to include the subject profile in a cluster of phony profiles, each profile in the cluster of phony profiles associated with the malicious user indicator.

11. The system of claim 10 , comprising a presentation generator, implemented using at least one processor, to:

generate a user interface including a listing of items identifying phony profiles in the cluster of phony profiles; and

cause presentation of the user interface on a display device.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein a category from the plurality of connectedness categories is email address, the generating of a partial connectedness score comprises comparing respective one or more parts of the respective email addresses associated with the seed profile and the subject profile.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein a category from the plurality of connectedness categories is login time, the generating of a partial connectedness score comprises comparing respective login times associated with the seed profile and the subject profile.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein a category from the plurality of connectedness categories is content similarity, the generating of a partial connectedness score comprises comparing content generated by the seed profile and the subject profile respectively in the on-line social network system.

15. The system of claim 9 , a request evaluator, implemented using at least one processor, to:

receive a request from the seed profile in the on-line social network system; and

deny the request based on the malicious user indicator associated with the seed profile.

16. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium having instruction data executable by a machine to cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

comparing respective registration times and IP addresses associated with a seed profile and a subject profile representing respective members in an on-line social networking system, the seed profile associated with a malicious user indicator;

generating a partial connectedness score based on the results of the comparing;

generating a connectedness score for the subject profile with respect to the seed profile based on the result of the comparing, as a sum of the partial connectedness score and one or more other values;

modifying the subject profile by storing the malicious user indication as associated with the subject profile based on the connectedness score.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: LINKEDIN CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 044746/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2016
From: HUANG, XIAOSU; LIN, ZILIANG; KUAN, CHI-YI; ZHAO, HAIMING
To: LINKEDIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038258/0047 →