IP Library Granted Patent US 12,063,231
Granted Patent B2
US 12,063,231 · App. 17/819,501 · Granted Aug 13, 2024

Systems and methods for threat disruption

Inventors: Samuel Kevin Small (Baltimore, MD); Michael Morgan Price (Baltimore, MD); Jason Emile Sumpter (Abingdon, MD); James Christopher Foster (Baltimore, MD)
Assignee: ZeroFOX, Inc.
H04L63/1416
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,063,231
App. No.
17/819,501
Granted
Aug 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for disrupting a detected cyberthreat can include receiving a request, the request identifying suspected malicious content; identifying one or more indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with the content; enriching the request with the IOCs; verifying the request; and reporting the verified request and the one or more IOCs to a disruption network.

Claims (61)

1. A system for disrupting a detected cyberthreat, the system comprising a server, the server comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method operable to:

receive a request, the request identifying suspected malicious content;

identify one or more indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with the content;

enrich the request with the IOCs;

verify the request; and

report the verified request and the one or more IOCs to a third-party, wherein reporting the verified request and the one or more IOCs to the third-party comprises:

transmitting a first report to the third-party, the first report comprising the verified request and the one or more IOCs; and

transmitting a second report to the third-party after a pre-defined time period.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein reporting the verified request and the one or more IOCs to the third-party comprises:

identifying an entity associated with the request;

identifying a format associated with the entity;

transforming the one or more IOCs based on the format; and

transmitting the transformed one or more IOCs and the request to the entity.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is further configured to capture feedback associated with the reporting, the capturing comprising at least one of:

determining, via a browser driver, if any of the one or more IOCs is indicated as being malicious;

determining, via querying a DNS server, if any of the one or more IOCs is blocked; or

determining, via an email security provider, if any of the one or more IOCs is indicated as being malicious.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein transmitting the second report to the third-party after the pre-defined time period comprises:

obtaining one or more additional IOCs in a subsequent 24-hour time period; and

transmitting the second report to the third-party, the second report comprising the verified request, the one or more IOCs, and the one or more additional IOCs.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein verifying the request comprises:

transmitting the request and the one or more IOCs to an analyst device; and

receiving a verification indication from the analyst device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more IOCs comprises identifying at least one of a social media account, a username of the social media account, an account ID of the social media account, a URL, a phishing kit, an author of the phishing kit, source code associated with the phishing kit, and one or more images.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein enriching the request comprises identifying at least one of a social network associated with the content, a geo-location associated with the content, a host associated with the content, a registrar associated with the content, an Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) ID associated with the content, an IP address associated with the content, an autonomous system number associated with the content, or a link shortener associated with the content.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the method further is further operable to perform a live scan of the content to determine whether the content is active.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein performing the live scan comprises at least one of:

scanning a webpage associated with the content to identify a change of a removal of the content;

scanning a webpage or a service for a service response; or

monitoring an extensive provisional protocol (EPP) status of a domain associated with the content.

10. A system for disrupting a detected cyberthreat, the system comprising a server, the server comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method operable to:

receive a request, the request identifying suspected malicious content;

identify one or more indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with the content;

enrich the request with the IOCs, wherein enriching the request comprises:

identifying a URL associated with the suspected malicious content;

expanding the URL to determine a second URL; and

identifying one or more additional IOCs based on the second URL;

verify the request; and

report the verified request, the one or more IOCs, and the one or more additional IOCs to a third-party.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein reporting the verified request and the one or more IOCs to the third-party comprises:

identifying an entity associated with the request;

identifying a format associated with the entity;

transforming the one or more IOCs based on the format; and

transmitting the transformed one or more IOCs and the request to the entity.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the server is further configured to capture feedback associated with the reporting, the capturing comprising at least one of:

determining, via a browser driver, if any of the one or more IOCs is indicated as being malicious;

determining, via querying a DNS server, if any of the one or more IOCs is blocked; or

determining, via an email security provider, if any of the one or more IOCs is indicated as being malicious.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein transmitting the second report to the third-party after the pre-defined time period comprises:

obtaining one or more additional IOCs in a subsequent 24-hour time period; and

transmitting the second report to the third-party, the second report comprising the verified request, the one or more IOCs, and the one or more additional IOCs.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein verifying the request comprises:

transmitting the request and the one or more IOCs to an analyst device; and

receiving a verification indication from the analyst device.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein identifying the one or more IOCs comprises identifying at least one of a social media account, a username of the social media account, an account ID of the social media account, a URL, a phishing kit, an author of the phishing kit, source code associated with the phishing kit, and one or more images.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein enriching the request comprises identifying at least one of a social network associated with the content, a geo-location associated with the content, a host associated with the content, a registrar associated with the content, an Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) ID associated with the content, an IP address associated with the content, an autonomous system number associated with the content, or a link shortener associated with the content.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the method further is further operable to perform a live scan of the content to determine whether the content is active.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein performing the live scan comprises at least one of:

scanning a webpage associated with the content to identify a change of a removal of the content;

scanning a webpage or a service for a service response; or

monitoring an extensive provisional protocol (EPP) status of a domain associated with the content.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2024
From: STIFEL BANK
To: ZEROFOX, INC.
Reel/Frame 067429/0328 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2024
From: ZEROFOX, INC.; LOOKINGGLASS CYBER SOLUTIONS, LLC; IDENTITY THEFT GUARD SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: MONROE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LLC
Reel/Frame 067396/0304 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: ZEROFOX, INC.
To: STIFEL BANK
Reel/Frame 063976/0113 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2022
From: SMALL, SAMUEL KEVIN; PRICE, MICHAEL MORGAN; SUMPTER, JASON EMILE; FOSTER, JAMES CHRISTOPHER
To: ZEROFOX, INC.
Reel/Frame 060800/0602 →