IP Library Granted Patent US 11,659,000
Granted Patent B2
US 11,659,000 · App. 16/953,865 · Granted May 23, 2023

System, methods, and media for protecting network devices from malicious rich text format (RTF) files

Inventor: Chintan Shah (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: McAfee, LLC
H04L63/145G06F21/562G06F21/563G06F40/10H04L63/1416
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,659,000
App. No.
16/953,865
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Mechanisms, which can include systems, method, and media, for protecting network devices from malicious rich text format (RTF) files are provided, the mechanisms comprising: intercepting an RTF file destined for a network device; parsing the RTF file to identify a plurality of objects in the RTF file; checking a first object of the plurality of objects for a first heuristic; based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, increasing a cumulative weight by a first weight value; comparing the cumulative weight against at least one threshold to classify the RTF file; and based on the classification of the RTF file, taking a protective action on the RTF file.

Claims (70)

1. A system for protecting network devices from malicious rich text format (RTF) files, comprising:

memory; and

a hardware processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

intercept an RTF file destined for a network device;

parse the RTF file to identify a plurality of objects in the RTF file;

check a first object of the plurality of objects for a first heuristic;

based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, increase a cumulative weight by a first weight value;

compare the cumulative weight against at least one threshold to classify the RTF file;

based on the classification of the RTF file, take a protective action on the RTF file: and

for each of a plurality of non-object-linking-and-embedding control words in the RTF file:

identify the non-object-linking-and-embedding control word in the RTF file; and

check a data stream associated with the non-object-linking-and-embedding control word for at least one of: static shell code; dynamic shellcode; an embedded file; a Flash file; encryption; a sledge, and return-oriented- programming code.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

based upon the outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, check the first object for a second heuristic; and

based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the second heuristic, increase the cumulative weight by a second weight value.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the protective action includes quarantining the RTF file.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

identify overlay data in the RTF file;

determine a length of the overlay data; and

increase the cumulative weight if the length of the overlay data is greater than a threshold.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

identify a MicrosoftTM Office Open XML (MS-OOXML) file in the RTF file; and

increase the cumulative weight based on the contents of the MS-OOXML file.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

identify a MicrosoftTM Compound File Binary (MS-CFB) file in the RTF file; and

increase the cumulative weight based on the contents of the MS-CFB file.

7. A method for protecting network devices from malicious rich text format (RTF) files, comprising:

intercepting an RTF file destined for a network device;

parsing the RTF file to identify a plurality of objects in the RTF file;

checking a first object of the plurality of objects for a first heuristic;

based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, increasing a cumulative weight by a first weight value;

comparing the cumulative weight against at least one threshold to classify the RTF file;

based on the classification of the RTF file, taking a protective action on the RTF file; and for each of a plurality of non-object-linking-and-embedding control words in the RTF file:

identifying the non-object-linking-and-embedding control word in the RTF file; and

checking a data stream associated with the non-object-linking-and-embedding control word for at least one of: static shell code; dynamic shellcode; an embedded file; a Flash file; encryption; a sledge, and return-oriented-programming code.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

based upon the outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, checking the first object for a second heuristic; and

based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the second heuristic, increasing the cumulative weight by a second weight value.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the protective action includes quarantining the RTF file.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

identifying overlay data in the RTF file;

determining a length of the overlay data; and

increasing the cumulative weight if the length of the overlay data is greater than a threshold.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

identifying a MicrosoftTM Office Open XML (MS-OOXML) file in the RTF file; and

increasing the cumulative weight based on the contents of the MS-OOXML file.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

identifying a MicrosoftTM Compound File Binary (MS-CFB) file in the RTF file; and

increasing the cumulative weight based on the contents of the MS-CFB file.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for protecting network devices from malicious rich text format (RTF) files, the method comprising:

intercepting an RTF file destined for a network device;

parsing the RTF file to identify a plurality of objects in the RTF file;

checking a first object of the plurality of objects for a first heuristic;

based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, increasing a cumulative weight by a first weight value;

comparing the cumulative weight against at least one threshold to classify the RTF file;

based on the classification of the RTF file, taking a protective action on the RTF file; and

for each of a plurality of non-object-linking-and-embedding control words in the RTF file:

identifying the non-object-linking-and-embedding control word in the RTF file; and

checking a data stream associated with the non-object-linking-and-embedding control word for at least one of: static shell code; dynamic shellcode; an embedded file; a Flash file; encryption; a sledge, and return-oriented-programming code.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

based upon the outcome of the checking of the first object for the first heuristic, checking the first object for a second heuristic; and

based upon an outcome of the checking of the first object for the second heuristic, increasing the cumulative weight by a second weight value.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the protective action includes quarantining the RTF file.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying overlay data in the RTF file;

determining a length of the overlay data; and

increasing the cumulative weight if the length of the overlay data is greater than a threshold.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a MicrosoftTM Office Open XML (MS-OOXML) file in the RTF file; and

increasing the cumulative weight based on the contents of the MS-OOXML file.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE PATENT TITLES AND REMOVE DUPLICATES IN THE SCHEDULE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 059354 FRAME: 0335. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 060792/0307 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2022
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059354/0335 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2020
From: SHAH, CHINTAN
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 054461/0994 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 202011040344 · Sep 17, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220086172A1 · Mar 17, 2022