IP Library Granted Patent US 11,361,100
Granted Patent B1
US 11,361,100 · App. 16/368,623 · Granted Jun 14, 2022

Systems and methods for detecting potentially malicious content in decentralized machine-learning model updates

Inventors: Christopher Gates (Culver City, CA); Yufei Han (Antibes, FR)
Assignee: NortonLifeLock Inc.
G06F21/6236G06F9/546G06N5/043G06N20/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,361,100
App. No.
16/368,623
Granted
Jun 14, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

The disclosed computer-implemented method for detecting potentially malicious content in decentralized machine-learning model updates may include (i) receiving messages communicated within a group of client devices for performing an update of a shared machine-learning model, (ii) determining a bias of a target message in the messages communicated from a target client device in the group with respect to a remaining number of the messages in the messages communicated from the other client devices in the group, (iii) assigning a confidence score to each of the other client devices based on the bias determined for the target message, the confidence score representing a likelihood of potentially malicious content in the target message, and (iv) performing, based on the confidence score, a security action that prevents the potentially malicious content from compromising the update of the shared machine-learning model. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims (60)

1. A computer-implemented method for detecting potentially malicious content in decentralized machine-learning model updates, at least a portion of the method being performed by one or more computing devices comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a plurality of messages communicated within a group of client devices for performing an update of a shared machine-learning model;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a bias of a target message in the plurality of messages communicated from a target client device in the group with respect to a remaining number of the messages in the plurality of messages communicated from the other client devices in the group;

assigning, by the one or more computing devices, a confidence score to each of the other client devices based on the bias determined for the target message, the confidence score representing a likelihood of potentially malicious content in the target message; and

performing, by the one or more computing devices and based on the confidence score, a security action that prevents the potentially malicious content from compromising the update of the shared machine-learning model.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a plurality of new messages for performing the update of the shared machine-learning model from additional client devices outside of the group of the client devices;

assigning a weight to the additional client devices; and

minimizing, based on the assigned weight, an influence of the new messages communicated from the additional client devices when performing the update of the shared machine-learning model.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of messages communicated within the group of client devices and the new messages communicated from the additional client devices are combined into the shared-machine learning model over a plurality of iterations.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the additional client devices have a trusted relationship level with the group of the client devices.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein a pre-determined trust relationship level shared by the group of the client devices exceeds the trusted relationship level of the additional client devices.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the bias of the target message comprises:

calculating a ratio of a plurality of message variables associated with the messages communicated from the other client devices and a plurality of message variables associated with the target message communicated from the target client device; and

determining the bias of the target message based on a size of the calculated ratio.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the confidence score comprises:

determining, based on the bias, that the target message represents a large deviation from at least one of:

the remaining number of messages; or

the shared machine-learning model; and

assigning a value to the other client devices indicating a high likelihood of the potentially malicious content in the target message.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the confidence score comprises:

determining, based on the bias, that the target message represents a small deviation from at least one of:

the remaining number of messages; or

the shared-machine learning model; and

assigning a value to the other client devices indicating a low likelihood of the potentially malicious content in the target message.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the confidence score comprises updating a previously determined confidence score for each of the other client devices based on the bias determined for the target message.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein performing the security action comprises minimizing an impact of the potentially malicious content by filtering the potentially malicious content from the update of the shared machine-learning model.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each of the client devices in the group share at least one of a learned and a pre-defined trust relationship and wherein, based on the trust relationships, each of the client devices learns a custom machine-learning model.

12. A system for detecting potentially malicious content in decentralized machine-learning model updates, the system comprising:

at least one physical processor;

physical memory comprising a plurality of modules and computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the physical processor, cause the physical processor to:

receive, by a receiving module, a plurality of messages communicated within a group of client devices for performing an update of a shared machine-learning model;

determine, by a determining module, a bias of a target message in the plurality of messages communicated from a target client device in the group with respect to a remaining number of the messages in the plurality of messages communicated from the other client devices in the group;

assign, by an assignment module, a confidence score to each of the other client devices based on the bias determined for the target message, the confidence score representing a likelihood of potentially malicious content in the target message; and

perform, by a security module and based on the confidence score, a security action that prevents the potentially malicious content from compromising the update of the shared machine-learning model.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the assignment module:

receives a plurality of new messages for performing the update of the shared machine-learning model from additional client devices outside of the group of the client devices;

assigns a weight to the additional client devices; and

minimizes, based on the assigned weight, an influence of the new messages communicated from the additional client devices when performing the update of the shared machine-learning model.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of messages communicated within the group of client devices and the new messages communicated from the additional client devices are combined into the shared-machine learning model over a plurality of iterations.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the additional client devices have a trusted relationship level with the group of the client devices.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein a pre-determined trust relationship level shared by the group of the client devices exceeds the trusted relationship level of the additional client devices.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the determining module determines the bias of the target message by:

calculating a ratio of a plurality of message variables associated with the messages communicated from the other client devices and a plurality of message variables associated with the target message communicated from the target client device; and

determining the bias of the target message based on a size of the calculated ratio.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the assignment module assigns the confidence score by:

determining, based on the bias, that the target message represents a large deviation from at least one of:

the remaining number of messages; or

the shared-machine learning model; and

assigning a value to the other client devices indicating a high likelihood of the potentially malicious content in the target message.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the assignment module assigns the confidence score by:

determining, based on the bias, that the target message represents a small deviation from at least one of:

the remaining number of messages; or

the shared machine-learning model; and

assigning a value to the other client devices indicating a low likelihood of the potentially malicious content in the target message.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive a plurality of messages communicated within a group of client devices for performing an update of a shared machine-learning model;

determine a bias of a target message in the plurality of messages communicated from a target client device in the group with respect to a remaining number of the messages in the plurality of messages communicated from the other client devices in the group;

assign a confidence score to each of the other client devices based on the bias determined for the target message, the confidence score representing a likelihood of potentially malicious content in the target message; and

perform, based on the confidence score, a security action that prevents the potentially malicious content from compromising the update of the shared machine-learning model.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 6, 2023
From: NORTONLIFELOCK INC.
To: GEN DIGITAL INC.
Reel/Frame 062714/0605 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY (REEL 050926 / FRAME 0560) Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061422/0371 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: NORTONLIFELOCK INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062220/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 14, 2020
From: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
To: NORTONLIFELOCK INC.
Reel/Frame 051935/0228 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 4, 2019
From: SYMANTEC CORPORATION; BLUE COAT LLC; LIFELOCK, INC,; SYMANTEC OPERATING CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050926/0560 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2019
From: GATES, CHRIS; HAN, YUFEI
To: SYMANTEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048732/0861 →
Cited By (4)
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