Protected Environments for Protecting Users Against Undesirable Activities

• US 20070294763A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thane, Anthony G, Starbuck, Bryan T, De Raad, Geurt B, Udezue, Ojiakonobi, Struthers, Daniel S
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12

Abstract

Various embodiments protect against undesirable activities, in at least some embodiments, by combining the protection of a data or message filter with the user'"'"'s own knowledge and judgment. In at least some embodiments, data or a message that is suspected of being associated with an undesirable activity is identified and indicia is provided to a user that the message is suspect. The data or message is presented to the user in a protected environment that allows the user to access the data or message in full fidelity, but prevents them from interacting with the data or message in a manner which would expose them to the undesirable activity. After reviewing the data or message in the protected environment, the user can decide how the message should thereafter be treated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying data that is suspected of being associated with one or more undesirable activities;

providing indicia in a user interface that the data is suspected of being associated with one or more undesirable activities; and

presenting the data in a visually-distinctive protected environment wherein the protected environment allows the data to be scrutinized in full fidelity and prevents user activities with respect to the data that can expose a user to the one or more undesirable activities.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with an option to remove said protected environment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more undesirable activities is associated with phishing.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more email messages.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said protected environment comprises a transparent window which encases the data.

6. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining whether an email message is suspected of being associated with an undesirable activity; and

encasing the email message in a transparent protective window that allows the email message to be scrutinized in full fidelity but prevents a user from engaging in activities with respect to the message that can expose the user to the one or more undesirable activities.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising providing the user with an option of removing said transparent protective window.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising providing user-perceptible indicia that the email message is suspected of being associated with an undesirable activity.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said indicia includes one or more distinctive features associated with said transparent protective window.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein at least one of said one or more undesirable activities is associated with phishing.

11. The met hod of claim 6, wherein allowing the email message to be scrutinized in full fidelity comprises permitting a user to view data associated with the email message.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a notification that said email message is suspected of being associated with one or more undesirable activities.

13. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 6.

14. A system comprising:

one or more computer-readable media; and

an email application that resides on the one or more computer-readable media and which is configured to receive email messages, process the messages to identify suspicious messages and encase any suspicious messages in a transparent, visually distinctive wrap that can allow a user to read the content of any wrapped messages, but which prevents the user from directly interacting with content of any wrapped messages until the user specifically chooses to remove the distinctive wrap.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said email application is further configured to provide the user with an option to removing said transparent, visually distinctive wrap.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said email application is further configured to provide the user with information about one or more undesirable activities associated with said suspicious messages.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said email application is further configured to provide indicia that a message is identified as a suspicious message.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said indicia includes one or more visual features associated with said transparent, visually distinctive wrap.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said visual features are associated with one or more of following:

watermarks, textures, gradients, lighting effects, icons, and textual warnings.

20. A computing device embodying the system of claim 14.