Generating phish messages
First Claim
1. A method of inciting unsolicited email messages, the method comprising:
- searching a listing of domain registration records for a domain registration record associated with a candidate domain that would be suitable for attracting unsolicited email messages;
monitoring the listing of domain registration records for an expiration of the domain registration record;
registering the candidate domain; and
accepting with a computer at least one received email message addressed to a userid at the candidate domain.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of the invention provide solutions (including inter alia, systems, methods and software) for dealing with online fraud. In particular, various embodiments of the invention provide ways to incite unsolicited email messages (such as spam messages, phish messages, etc.). In accordance with some embodiments, a bait email address may be planted in a particular location on the Internet. In particular embodiments, the location of the planted email address may be tracked in order to determine which locations are relatively more likely to generate unsolicited email messages. In other embodiments, domains likely to host the bait email addresses receiving unsolicited messages may be obtained. In some cases, unsolicited messages may be analyzed and/or otherwise processed to determine whether the messages are possibly associated with a fraudulent activity. Such analysis may lead to the investigation of one or more web sites and/or to the initiation of a response against a fraudulent activity.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A method of inciting unsolicited email messages, the method comprising:
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searching a listing of domain registration records for a domain registration record associated with a candidate domain that would be suitable for attracting unsolicited email messages; monitoring the listing of domain registration records for an expiration of the domain registration record; registering the candidate domain; and accepting with a computer at least one received email message addressed to a userid at the candidate domain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of inciting unsolicited email messages, the method comprising:
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planting at least one bait email address at a location on a computer network, the location being a likely target for a third party attempting to harvest email addresses; receiving an email message addressed to the bait email address; and analyzing with a computer the received email message to determine whether the received email message is an unsolicited email message. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-implemented method of inciting unsolicited email messages, the method comprising:
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planting a bait email address at a location on the Internet; correlating the bait email address with the location at which it was planted; receiving an received email message addressed to the bait email address; determining, based on the received email message, that the location is likely to generate additional unsolicited email messages; and planting at least one additional bait email address at the location.
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21. A method of inciting email messages, the method comprising:
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generating with a computer a userid component of a bait email address; selecting with a computer a domain component of a bait email address; combining the userid component and the domain component to generate a bait email address; identifying a location on the Internet likely to generate unsolicited email messages; planting the generated bait email address at the identified location; and tracking in a database the generated email address along with the identified location. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of inciting unsolicited email messages, the method comprising:
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providing a bait email address; identifying a plurality of locations on the Internet, each of the plurality of locations being likely to generate unsolicited email messages; planting the bait email address at each of the plurality of locations; for a particular location, the particular location being one of the plurality of locations, providing at least one piece of information associated with the bait email address, the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location at which the bait email address is planted; and tracking the particular location, along with the bait email address and the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location from other of the plurality of locations. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A computer system for inciting unsolicited email messages, the computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable medium having instructions executable by the processor to:
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search a listing of domain registration records for a domain registration record associated with a candidate domain that would be suitable for attracting unsolicited email messages; monitor the listing of domain registration records for an expiration of the domain registration record; register the candidate domain; and accept at least one received email message addressed to a userid at the candidate domain.
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46. A computer system for inciting unsolicited email messages, the computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable medium having instructions executable by the processor to:
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plant at least one bait email address at a location on a computer network, the location being a likely target for a third party attempting to harvest email addresses; receive an email message addressed to the bait email address; and analyze the received email message to determine whether the received email message is an unsolicited email message.
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47. A computer system for inciting unsolicited email messages, the computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable medium having instructions executable by the processor to:
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plant a bait email address at a location on the Internet; correlate the bait email address with the location at which it was planted; receive an received email message addressed to the bait email address; determine, based on the received email message, that the location is likely to generate additional unsolicited email messages; and plant at least one additional bait email address at the location.
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48. A computer system for inciting unsolicited email messages, the computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable medium having instructions executable by the processor to:
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generate a userid component of a bait email address; select a domain component of a bait email address; combine the userid component and the domain component to generate a bait email address; identify a location on the Internet likely to generate unsolicited email messages; plant the generated bait email address at the identified location; and track in a database the generated email address along with the identified location.
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49. A computer system for inciting unsolicited email messages, the computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable medium having instructions executable by the processor to:
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identify a plurality of locations on the Internet, each of the plurality of locations being likely to generate unsolicited email messages; plant a bait email address at each of the plurality of locations; for a particular location, the particular location being one of the plurality of locations, provide at least one piece of information associated with the bait email address, the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location at which the bait email address is planted; and track the particular location, along with the bait email address and the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location from other of the plurality of locations.
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50. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by one or more computers to:
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search a listing of domain registration records for a domain registration record associated with a candidate domain that would be suitable for attracting unsolicited email messages; monitor the listing of domain registration records for an expiration of the domain registration record; register the candidate domain; and accept at least one received email message addressed to a userid at the candidate domain.
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51. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by one or more computers to:
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plant at least one bait email address at a location on a computer network, the location being a likely target for a third party attempting to harvest email addresses; receive an email message addressed to the bait email address; and analyze the received email message to determine whether the received email message is an unsolicited email message.
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52. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by one or more computers to:
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plant a bait email address at a location on the Internet; correlate the bait email address with the location at which it was planted; receive an received email message addressed to the bait email address; determine, based on the received email message, that the location is likely to generate additional unsolicited email messages; and plant at least one additional bait email address at the location.
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53. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by one or more computers to:
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generate a userid component of a bait email address; select a domain component of a bait email address; combine the userid component and the domain component to generate a bait email address; identify a location on the Internet likely to generate unsolicited email messages; plant the generated bait email address at the identified location; and track in a database the generated email address along with the identified location.
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54. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by one or more computers to:
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identify a plurality of locations on the Internet, each of the plurality of locations being likely to generate unsolicited email messages; plant a bait email address at each of the plurality of locations; for a particular location, the particular location being one of the plurality of locations, provide at least one piece of information associated with the bait email address, the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location at which the bait email address is planted; and track the particular location, along with the bait email address and the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location from other of the plurality of locations.
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55. A system comprising:
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means for searching a listing of domain registration records for a domain registration record associated with a candidate domain that would be suitable for attracting unsolicited email messages; means for monitoring the listing of domain registration records for an expiration of the domain registration record; means for registering the candidate domain; and means for accepting at least one received email message addressed to a userid at the candidate domain.
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56. A system comprising:
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means for planting at least one bait email address at a location on a computer network, the location being a likely target for a third party attempting to harvest email addresses; means for receiving an email message addressed to the bait email address; and means for analyzing the received email message to determine whether the received email message is an unsolicited email message.
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57. A system comprising:
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means for planting a bait email address at a location on the Internet; means for correlating the bait email address with the location at which it was planted; means for receiving an received email message addressed to the bait email address; means for determining, based on the received email message, that the location is likely to generate additional unsolicited email messages; and means for planting at least one additional bait email address at the location.
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58. A system comprising:
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means for generating a userid component of a bait email address; means for selecting a domain component of a bait email address; means for combining the userid component and the domain component to generate a bait email address; means for identifying a location on the Internet likely to generate unsolicited email messages; means for planting the generated bait email address at the identified location; and means for tracking in a database the generated email address along with the identified location.
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59. A system, comprising:
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means for identifying a plurality of locations on the Internet, each of the plurality of locations being likely to generate unsolicited email messages; means for planting a bait email address at each of the plurality of locations; for a particular location, the particular location being one of the plurality of locations, means for providing at least one piece of information associated with the bait email address, the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location at which the bait email address is planted; and means for tracking the particular location, along with the bait email address and the at least one piece of information sufficient to identify the particular location from other of the plurality of locations.
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Specification