Method and system for preventing computer worm dissemination using encryption

• US 20030018904A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (f/k/a ITUS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (f/k/a ITUS Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewit, Edward, DiSanto, Frank J., Krusos, Denis A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/188
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms

Abstract

A method and system for preventing a computer worm from unauthorized use of data indicative of at least one e-mail address stored in a data base is presented. The method comprises the steps of encrypting said data, receiving at least one e-mail message by accessing an e-mail server, decrypting said selected ones of said data to provide access thereto, and addressing at least one e-mail message using said decrypted data. The method further includes the step of re-encrypting the selected decrypted data. In one aspect of the invention, the method of encrypting the data comprises the steps of obtaining a key value, selecting each of the at least one e-mail address, encrypting the selected e-mail address using the key value; and storing said encrypted e-mail in the data base.

Claims

1. A method for preventing a computer worm from unauthorized use of data indicative of at least one e-mail address stored in a data base in encrypted form, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing a e-mail program;

decrypting said selected ones of said data to provide access thereto; and

addressing at least one e-mail message using said decrypted data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

encrypting said selected decrypted data.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said encrypted data form comprises the steps of:

obtaining a key value;

selecting each of said at least one e-mail address;

encrypting said selected e-mail address using said key value; and

storing said encrypted e-mail in said data base.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of decrypting said data comprises the steps of:

obtaining a key value;

selecting desired ones of said at least one e-mail address stored in said data base; and

decrypting said selected desired ones of said at least one e-mail address.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the step of obtaining said key value comprises the steps of:

determining whether a key value is available; and

inputting said key value when said key value is unavailable.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of obtaining said key value comprises the steps of:

determining whether a key value is available; and

inputting said key value when said key value is unavailable.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of receiving said e-mail messages further comprises the steps of:

verifying said data is encrypted.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of encrypting utilizes a method selected from the group comprising:

public/private key, translation, proxy, substitution.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of decryption utilizes a method selected from the group comprising:

public/private key, translation, proxy, substitution.

32. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said data base may be selected from the group comprising:

a local data base, a local address file, a local address book, a remotely located data base, a remotely located address book, a remotely located address file.

10. A system for preventing a computer worm from unauthorized use of data indicative of at least one e-mail address stored in a data base in a encrypted form, said system comprising:

a processor in communication with a memory operable to execute code for;

decrypting said selected ones of said data; and

addressing at least one e-mail message using said decrypted data.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor is further operable to execute code for:

encrypting said selected decrypted data.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor is operable to encrypt said data by executing code to:

obtain a key value;

select each of said at least one e-mail address;

encrypt said selected e-mail address using said key value; and

store said encrypted e-mail in said a data base.

13. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor decrypting code is operable to:

obtain a key value;

select desired ones of said at least one e-mail address stored in said data base; and

decrypt said selected desired ones of said at least one e-mail address.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said processor key obtaining code is operable to:

determine whether a key value is available; and

to receive said key value when said key value is unavailable.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, processor key obtaining code is operable to:

determine whether a key value is available; and

to receive said key value when said key value is unavailable.

16. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein processor is further operable to execute code for:

verifying said data is encrypted prior to receiving said e-mail.

17. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor is further operable to execute code for encrypting said data wherein said encryption process is selected from the group comprising:

public/private key, translation, proxy, substitution.

18. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor is further operable to execute code for decrypting said data wherein said decryption process is selected from the group comprising:

public/private key, translation, proxy, substitution.

19. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said key value is contained in an external device.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said external device is in communication with said processor over network.

21. The system as recited in claim 20 wherein said network is selected from the group comprising:

PCMCIA, PCI, USB, ISA, SCSI, FIREWIRE, BLUETOOTH, PS/2, WIFI.

30. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said external device is a memory medium.

31. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said external device is an interactive medium.

34. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said data base may be selected from the group comprising:

a local data base, a local address file, a local address book, a remotely located data base, a remotely located address book, a remotely located address file.

22. The system as recited in 10, wherein said code is contained in said memory.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein said scrambling technique is selected from the group comprising:

public/private key, translation, proxy, substitution.

25. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

descrambling selected ones of said scrambling data using a known scrambling technique, wherein said scrambling key is obtained from an external source; and

addressing at least one e-mail message using said descrambled selected data.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

scrambling said decrypted data using a known scrambling technique, wherein said scrambling key is obtained from an external source; and

storing said scrambled data in lieu of said e-mail addresses.

28. The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said external source is a memory medium.

29. The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said external source is an interactive medium.

33. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said data base may be selected from the group comprising:

a local data base, a local address file, a local address book, a remotely located data base, a remotely located address book, a remotely located address file.

23. A method for preventing dissemination of computer worms comprising the steps of:

scrambling data indicative of e-mail addresses using a known scrambling technique, wherein said scrambling key is obtained from an external source; and

storing said scrambled data in lieu of said e-mail addresses in a data base.

27. A method for preventing dissemination of computer worms, comprising the steps of:

accessing an e-mail server containing at least one e-mail messages;

verifying data indicative of e-mail addresses stored in a data base are encrypted; and

encrypting said e-mail addresses determined not encrypted using a key value obtained from an external source.