IP Library Granted Patent US 11,240,261
Granted Patent B2
US 11,240,261 · App. 16/850,695 · Granted Feb 1, 2022

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 11,240,261
App. No.
16/850,695
Granted
Feb 1, 2022
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 (29)

1. A method comprising:

intercepting, by the device, a first request of a user to take an action for an application, executing on the device, with respect to one of a domain or a communication not determined to be trusted;

pausing, by the device, execution of the application at a point in the application at which the user made the first request;

receiving, by the device, a second request from the user to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the first request; and

reverting the application back to the point in the application in which the user made the first request and unpausing the application to cause the application to continue to execute from the point in the application.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting, by the device, the first request of the user prior to taking the action.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the device, a user interface configured to receive the second request from the user to confirm whether to continue to take the action or to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the first request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a driver of the device is configured to one of detect or intercept the first request of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a client service of the device is configured to receive the second request from the user to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the first request.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises interacting with one of a link or uniform resource locator associated with the domain.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises interacting with one of an attachment or a file associated with the communication.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application comprises a messaging application.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application comprises an email client.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the domain or the communication is one of untrusted or not yet determined to be trusted.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors, coupled to memory, and configured to:

intercept a first request of a user to take an action for an application, executing on the one or more processors, with respect to one of a domain or a communication not determined to be trusted;

pause execution of the application at a point in the application at which the user made the first request;

receive a second request from the user to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the first request; and

revert the application back to the point in the application in which the user made the first request and unpause the application to cause the application to continue to execute from the point in the application.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processes are further configured to detect the first request of the user prior to taking the action.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processes are further configured to provide a user interface configured to receive the second request from the user to confirm whether to continue to take the action or to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the first request.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein a driver of the one or more processors is configured to one of detect or intercept the first request of the user.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein a client service of the one or more processors is configured to receive the second request from the user to revert back to the point in the application at which the user made the first request.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the action comprises interacting with one of a link or uniform resource locator associated with the domain.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the action comprises interacting with one of an attachment or a file associated with the communication.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the application comprises a messaging application.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the application comprises an email client.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein one of the domain or the communication is one of untrusted or not yet determined to be trusted.

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 Apr 16, 2020
From: LOWRY, BRET; REPUSPOLO, GAUVIN; KRAS, GREG
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 052420/0176 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 16517135 · Jul 19, 2019
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 20200314131A1 · Oct 1, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,225,005