Method and system for application security evaluation

• US 10,419,499 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings SAS (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Cetin, Feride, Ruhl, Torben
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Application Number:
  US15/602,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20180020029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/566 Dynamic detection, i.e. detection performed at run-time, e.g. emulation, suspicious activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/128 Anti-malware arrangements, e.g. protection against SMS fraud or mobile malware
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for evaluating feedback relating to applications running on mobile device and updating information relating to the applications. User feedback messages may be received from mobile communication devices, with the user feedback messages comprising information associated with one or more applications operable on the mobile communication devices. Based on the user feedback messages, an application may be selected, with the selecting comprising computing a most likely application to match at least one parameter in user feedback messages. A classification parameter of the selected application may be determined, such as based on evaluating one or more operating characteristics of the selected application. The classification parameter may be provided to a mobile communication device and/or a server system, to enable the mobile communication device to identify application(s) matching the selected application, and/or to enable the server system to operate application(s) matching the selected application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by a server system, a plurality of user feedback messages from one or more mobile communication devices, wherein the plurality of user feedback messages comprises information associated with one or more applications operable on the one or more mobile communication devices;

selecting, based on the plurality of user feedback messages, one of the one or more applications, wherein the selecting comprises computing a most likely application from the one or more applications to match at least one parameter in the plurality of user feedback messages; and

determining a classification parameter of the selected application based on evaluating one or more operating characteristics of the selected application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter in the plurality of user feedback messages comprises a problem type.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the problem type comprises one of spam, phishing, suspicious user data request, inappropriate content, or phone functionality problem.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising computing the most likely application based on a weighted average of one or more other parameters in the plurality of user feedback messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more other parameters in the plurality of user feedback messages comprise one or more of a version identifier, a certificate identifier, an installation date and/or time, and a usage date and/or time associated with the one or more applications.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising operating the selected application on the server system to obtain the one or more operating characteristics of the selected application.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising operating the selected application using a script.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising generating the script automatically from a functionality tree associated with the selected application.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising determining usage parameters of at least one resource used in operating the selected application, the at least one resource comprising one or more of data received, data transmitted, camera usage, battery usage, network usage, telephone functionality usage and Short-message Service usage.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a type of data accessed, generated, transmitted or otherwise used in operating the selected application.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the classification parameter to at least one mobile communication device, the classification parameter being configured to enable the at least one mobile communication device to identify one or more applications that match the selected application.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the classification parameter to a second server system, the classification parameter being configured to enable the second server system to operate one or more applications that match the selected application.

13. A system comprising:

interfacing circuitry operable to receive a plurality of user feedback messages from one or more mobile communication devices, wherein the plurality of user feedback messages comprises information associated with one or more applications operable on the one or more mobile communication devices; and

processing circuitry operable to;

select, based on the plurality of user feedback messages, one of the one or more applications, wherein the selecting comprises computing a most likely application from the one or more applications to match at least one parameter in the plurality of user feedback messages; and

determine a classification parameter of the selected application based on evaluating one or more operating characteristics of the selected application.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one parameter in the plurality of user feedback messages comprises a problem type.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the problem type comprises one of spam, phishing, suspicious user data request, inappropriate content, or phone functionality problem.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to compute the most likely application based on a weighted average of one or more other parameters in the plurality of user feedback messages.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more other parameters in the plurality of user feedback messages comprise one or more of a version identifier, a certificate identifier, an installation date and/or time, and a usage date and/or time associated with the one or more applications.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to operate the selected application on the server system to obtain the one or more operating characteristics of the selected application.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to operate the selected application using a script.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to generate the script automatically from a functionality tree associated with the selected application.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to determine usage parameters of at least one resource used in operating the selected application, the at least one resource comprising one or more of data received, data transmitted, camera usage, battery usage, network usage, telephone functionality usage and Short-message Service usage.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to determine a type of data accessed, generated, transmitted or otherwise used in operating the selected application.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the interfacing circuitry is operable to provide the classification parameter to at least one mobile communication device, the classification parameter being configured to enable the at least one mobile communication device to identify one or more applications that match the selected application.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the interfacing circuitry is operable to provide the classification parameter to an application server system, the classification parameter being configured to enable the application server system to operate one or more applications that match the selected application.