IP Library Granted Patent US 10,659,487
Granted Patent B2
US 10,659,487 · App. 16/517,135 · Granted May 19, 2020

Systems and methods for providing user interfaces based on actions associated with untrusted emails

Inventors: Bret Lowry (Largo, FL); Gauvin Repuspolo (San Pedro, PH); Greg Kras (Dunedin, FL)
Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
H04L63/1425G06F21/56H04L51/12H04L63/1441H04L63/1483G06F2221/2119
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,659,487
App. No.
16/517,135
Granted
May 19, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure describes a system that notifies users regarding specific user decisions with respect to solution phishing emails. The system notifies users when users perform specific actions with respect to the untrusted phishing emails. The system pauses execution of these actions and prompts the user to confirm whether to take the actions or to revert back to review the actions. In contrast from anti-ransomware technologies which are entirely in control, the system gives the user autonomy in deciding actions relating to untrusted phishing emails. The system interrupts execution of actions related to untrusted phishing emails in order to give users a choice on whether to proceed with actions.

Claims (27)

1. A method comprising

(a) detecting, by a driver, that an application received a request of a user to take an action with respect to one of an untrusted domain or an untrusted email;

(b) intercepting, by the driver, the request of the user prior to the action being taken, wherein the application is paused;

(c) providing, by a client service responsive to the driver, a user interface to receive input from the user to confirm whether to continue to take the action or to revert back to a point in the application at which the user made the request, wherein the user interface receives input to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the request;

(d) unpausing the application responsive to the input; and

(e) reverting the application back to the point in the application in which the user made the request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein (a) further comprises monitoring execution of the application via one or more processes initiated from the application.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein (a) further comprises detecting, by the driver, the request to take the action comprising opening a file via the untrusted email.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein (a) further comprises detecting, by the driver, the request to take the action comprising clicking on a uniform resource locator of the untrusted domain.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising one of the driver or the client service pausing execution of the application.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein (c) further comprises receiving input via the user interface confirming to continue to take the action.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein (e) further comprises allowing the application to continue to take the action.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein (d) further comprises one of the driver or the client service unpausing execution of the application.

9. A system comprising

a driver executable on one or more processors, coupled to memory and configured to:

detect that an application received a request of a user to take an action with respect to one of an untrusted domain or an untrusted email and intercept the request of the user prior to the action being taken; and

wherein the application is paused;

a client server executable on one or more processors, coupled to memory and configured to provide, responsive to the driver, a user interface to receive input from the user to confirm whether to continue to take the action or to revert back to a point in the application at which the user made the request;

wherein the application is unpaused responsive to the input; and

wherein responsive to the user interface receiving input to revert back to the point in the application, the application is reverted back to the point in the application in which the user made the request.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the driver is further configured to monitor execution of the application via one or more processes initiated from the application.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the driver is further configured to detect the request to take the action comprising opening a file via the untrusted email.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the driver is further configured to detected the request to take the action comprising clicking on a uniform resource locator of the untrusted domain.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein one of the driver or the client service is further configured to pause execution of the application.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user interface is further configured to receive input via the user interface confirming to continue to take the action.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the application is allowed to continue to take the action.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein one of the driver or the client service is further configured to unpause execution of the application.

Assignments (6)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2025
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072337/0277 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME: 062627/0001 Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: BLUE OWL CREDIT INCOME CORP. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS OWL ROCK CORE INCOME CORP.)
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 072108/0205 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME NO.: 056885/0889 Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 062625/0841 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: OWL ROCK CORE INCOME CORP., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062627/0001 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 12, 2021
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056885/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2019
From: LOWRY, BRET; REPUSPOLO, GAUVIN; KRAS, GREG
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 049806/0910 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 15972937 · May 7, 2018
Provisional Application 62503212 · May 8, 2017
Provisional Application 62539204 · Jul 31, 2017
Provisional Application 62653862 · Apr 6, 2018
Related Publication 20190342320A1 · Nov 7, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,513,120