Tracking users over network hosts based on user behavior
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- at a computing apparatus having connectivity to a network, analyzing data included in network traffic logs that represents behavior of active network hosts that were operating at network addresses in the network during at least one of two or more time windows;
generating, based on the analyzing;
a first set of profiles for network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a first time window of the two or more time windows; and
a second set of profiles for the network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a second time window of the two or more time windows, wherein profiles in the first set of profiles and profiles in the second set of profiles include a plurality of behavior models;
determining similarity between a first profile from the first set of profiles and a second profile from the second set of profiles by comparing, in like-kind, the plurality of behavior models from the first profile and the plurality of behavior models from the second profile; and
mapping an identity that is associated with a first network address of the network addresses that has the first profile during the first time window to a second network address of the network addresses that has the second profile during the second time window, wherein the second network address is different from the first network address, and the mapping comprises;
creating a bipartite graph with;
(a) nodes that represent the active network hosts that were operating during the first time window and the second time window; and
(b) edges between the nodes that are weighted based on the similarity;
pruning any of the edges with a weight smaller than a pruning threshold so that remaining edges have a similarity greater than or equal to the pruning threshold; and
pruning the remaining edges with an algorithm that determines maximum weight matchings in the remaining edges of the bipartite graph.
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Abstract
A method of tracking users over network hosts based on behavior includes analyzing data representing behavior of active network hosts during two or more time windows at a computing apparatus having connectivity to a network. Based on the analyzing, a profile is generated for each network host active in the network during the two or more time windows. Similarity between the profiles for the two or more time windows are determined and, based on the similarity, it may be determined that an identity associated with one of the active network hosts during a time window of the two or more time windows has changed.
17 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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at a computing apparatus having connectivity to a network, analyzing data included in network traffic logs that represents behavior of active network hosts that were operating at network addresses in the network during at least one of two or more time windows; generating, based on the analyzing; a first set of profiles for network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a first time window of the two or more time windows; and a second set of profiles for the network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a second time window of the two or more time windows, wherein profiles in the first set of profiles and profiles in the second set of profiles include a plurality of behavior models; determining similarity between a first profile from the first set of profiles and a second profile from the second set of profiles by comparing, in like-kind, the plurality of behavior models from the first profile and the plurality of behavior models from the second profile; and mapping an identity that is associated with a first network address of the network addresses that has the first profile during the first time window to a second network address of the network addresses that has the second profile during the second time window, wherein the second network address is different from the first network address, and the mapping comprises; creating a bipartite graph with;
(a) nodes that represent the active network hosts that were operating during the first time window and the second time window; and
(b) edges between the nodes that are weighted based on the similarity;pruning any of the edges with a weight smaller than a pruning threshold so that remaining edges have a similarity greater than or equal to the pruning threshold; and pruning the remaining edges with an algorithm that determines maximum weight matchings in the remaining edges of the bipartite graph. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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a network interface unit configured to enable network communications; and a processor coupled to the network interface unit, and configured to; analyze data included in network traffic logs that represents behavior of active network hosts that were operating at network addresses in a network during at least one of two or more time windows; generate, based on the analyzing; a first set of profiles for the network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a first time window of the two or more time windows; and a second set of profiles for the network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a second time window of the two or more time windows, wherein profiles in the first set of profiles and profiles in the second set of profiles include a plurality of behavior models; determine similarity between a first profile from the first set of profiles and a second profile from the second set of profiles by comparing, in like-kind, the plurality of behavior models from the first profile and the plurality of behavior models from the second profile; and map an identity that is associated with a first network address of the network addresses that has the first profile during the first time window to a second network address of the network addresses that has the second profile during the second time window, wherein the second network address is different from the first network address and the processor is configured to map by; creating a bipartite graph with;
(a) nodes that represent the active network hosts that were operating during the first time window and the second time window; and
(b) edges between the nodes that are weighted based on the similarity;pruning any of the edges with a weight smaller than a pruning threshold so that remaining edges have a similarity greater than or equal to the pruning threshold; and pruning the remaining edges with an algorithm that determines maximum weight matchings in the remaining edges of the bipartite graph. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:
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analyze data included in network traffic logs that represents behavior of active network hosts that were operating at network addresses in a network during at least one of two or more time windows; generate, based on the analyzing; a first set of profiles for the network addresses on which the active network hosts that were operating during a first time window of the two or more time windows; and a second set of profiles for the network addresses on which the active network hosts were operating during a second time window of the two or more time windows, wherein profiles in the first set of profiles and profiles in the second set of profiles include a plurality of behavior models; determine similarity between a first profile from the first set of profiles and a second profile from the second set of profiles by comparing, in like-kind, the plurality of behavior models from the first profile and the plurality of behavior models from the second; and map an identity that is associated with a first network address of the network addresses that has the first profile during the first time window to a second network address of the network addresses that has the second profile during the second time window, wherein the second network address is different from the first network address and the instructions operable to map comprise instructions operable to; create a bipartite graph with;
(a) nodes that represent the active network hosts that were operating during the first time window and the second time window; and
(b) edges between the nodes that are weighted based on the similarity;prune any of the edges with a weight smaller than a pruning threshold so that remaining edges have a similarity greater than or equal to the pruning threshold; and prune the remaining edges with an algorithm that determines maximum weight matchings in the remaining edges of the bipartite graph. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification