Internet security news network

• US 20070192613A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amoroso, Edward, Rubin, Daniel, Laing, Barbara
• Granted Patent: US 7,926,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/179
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for collecting, analyzing, verifying, producing, and broadcasting security data. Internet security-related information may be broadcast continuously from a data center over a broadcast channel, such as a webcast. As additional security related information is received at the data center, the data is analyzed and video content is produced to describe the incoming data. Video content may take the form of urgent near real-time security alerts, or pre-scheduled programs describing recent news and developments related to internet security. In an alternative embodiment, security news alerts are multi-cast to a selected group of users and the news alert data encrypted so that the group of users may trust its source.

Claims

1. A method for multicasting internet security news to subscribers of an internet security news network, comprising:

receiving data relating to internet security; and

multicasting video content based on said data relating to internet security to subscriber addresses associated with said subscribers of the internet security news network.

2. The method of claim 1, said multicasting comprising a webcast available to subscribers through a web portal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of archiving said video content and publishing links at the web portal enabling subscribers to access said video content after said multicasting to subscriber addresses.

4. The method of claim 1, said data relating to internet security comprising an index value based on at least one of internet traffic, internet virus activity, and a test of internet systems for security vulnerabilities.

5. The method of claim 4, said index value comprising a Threat Reconnaissance Index (TRI) value.

6. The method of claim 4, said video content comprising graphics describing at least one of the composite index value, the index trend, and the individual components of the index.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving data relating to internet security comprises receiving an information feed, said information feed comprising a video presentation by a forensic analyst, describing an incident response security alert, transmitted from a mobile unit, the location of said mobile unit being related to an incident response security alert.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of multicasting comprises determining said subscriber addresses by comparing predetermined user preferences of said subscribers with a category associated with said data relating to internet security.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of verifying the source of the internet security data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of decrypting encrypted internet security data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said subscriber addresses comprise one of a telephone number, an internet address, a physical business address, a physical home address, and a television channel address.

12. A method for broadcasting internet security news, comprising the steps of:

transmitting default video content over a broadcast channel;

receiving, at an internet security data center, data relating to internet security;

producing video content based on said data relating to internet security;

interrupting the transmitting of said default video content; and

transmitting said produced video content over said broadcast channel.

13. The method of claim 12, said broadcast channel comprising a cable television broadcasting channel.

14. The method of claim 12, said broadcast channel comprising a webcast accessible through a web portal.

15. The method of claim 12, said default video content comprising a live video recording of said internet security data center.

16. The method of claim 15, said produced video content comprising a video recording of a news broadcast related to internet security, said news broadcast recorded at a dedicated internet security news studio.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving internet security-related data from an internet security monitoring software program;

analyzing said internet security-related data;

producing graphical video content based on said internet security-related data;

determining subscriber addresses, based on internet addresses of user terminals associated with subscribers of an internet security news network; and

transmitting said video content to said subscriber addresses.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the transmitting said video content comprises a webcast.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said internet security-related data comprises an index value based on at least one of internet traffic, internet virus activity, and a test of internet systems for security vulnerabilities.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein said index value comprises a Threat Reconnaissance Index (TRI) value.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said graphical video content comprises at least one of the composite index value, the index trend, and the individual components of the index.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein determining said subscriber addresses comprises comparing predetermined user preferences of a subscriber with a category associated with said internet security-related data.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said user preferences comprise a list of pre-scheduled security-related programs selected by the subscriber.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said user preferences comprise a category of incident response security alerts selected by the subscriber.

25. A method for producing internet security news content for multicasting to subscribers of an internet security news network, comprising:

receiving data relating to internet security; and

producing video content based on said data relating to internet security, said video content for multicasting to subscriber addresses associated with said subscribers of the internet security news network.

26. The method of claim 25, said producing step comprising recording a forensic analyst reading a script, said script comprising a description of an internet security alert and a location of a software patch associated with said security alert.

27. The method of claim 26, said script further comprising a description of computer systems potentially affected by the security alert.