Simplified Communication of a Reputation Score for an Entity
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for communicating an entity'"'"'s reputation to a user, the method comprising:
- determining hygiene scores associated with a plurality of clients, the hygiene scores representing assessments of the trustworthiness of the clients;
encountering an entity by one of the plurality of clients;
identifying a set of trustworthy clients based on the hygiene scores of the clients;
calculating a reputation score for the entity as a function of the trustworthy clients that have used the entity, wherein the calculated reputation score represents an assessment of whether the entity is malicious; and
presenting the reputation score on the client that encountered the entity, the reputation score accompanied by a message indicating that the reputation score is based on other clients deemed trustworthy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reputation server is coupled to multiple clients via a network. A security module in each client monitors client encounters with entities such as files, programs, and websites, and then computes a hygiene score based on the monitoring. The hygiene scores are then provided to the reputation server, which computes reputation scores for the entities based on the clients'"'"' hygiene scores and the interactions between the clients and the entity. When a particular client encounters an entity, the security module obtains a reputation score for the entity from the reputation server. The reputation score may comprises a statistical measure based on a number of other trustworthy or “good hygiene” clients that have a hygiene score above a threshold. The client communicates this reputation score to a user with a message indicating that the reputation score is based on other clients deemed trustworthy.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for communicating an entity'"'"'s reputation to a user, the method comprising:
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determining hygiene scores associated with a plurality of clients, the hygiene scores representing assessments of the trustworthiness of the clients; encountering an entity by one of the plurality of clients; identifying a set of trustworthy clients based on the hygiene scores of the clients; calculating a reputation score for the entity as a function of the trustworthy clients that have used the entity, wherein the calculated reputation score represents an assessment of whether the entity is malicious; and presenting the reputation score on the client that encountered the entity, the reputation score accompanied by a message indicating that the reputation score is based on other clients deemed trustworthy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method for communicating a reputation of an entity to a user, the reputation based on a plurality of other clients, each client having a hygiene score representing an assessment of the trustworthiness of the client, the method comprising:
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encountering an entity at a client; receiving a reputation score that represents an assessment of whether the entity is malicious, wherein the reputation score comprises a statistical measure of use of the entity by other trustworthy clients, a trustworthy client defined as a client that has a hygiene score above a threshold; communicating the reputation score via an output device of the client; and communicating a message indicating that the reputation score is based on other clients deemed trustworthy. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product for communicating an entity'"'"'s reputation to a user, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code for:
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determining hygiene scores associated with a plurality of clients, the hygiene scores representing assessments of the trustworthiness of the clients; encountering an entity by one of the plurality of clients; determining a set of trustworthy clients based on the hygiene scores of the clients; calculating a reputation score for the entity as a function of the trustworthy clients that have used the entity, wherein the calculated reputation score represents an assessment of whether the entity is malicious; and presenting the reputation score on the client that encountered the entity, the reputation score accompanied by a message indicating that the reputation score is based on other clients deemed trustworthy. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-implemented method for communicating a reputation of an entity to a user, the reputation based on a plurality of other clients, each client having a hygiene score representing an assessment of the trustworthiness of the client, the method comprising:
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encountering an entity at a client; receiving a reputation score that represents an assessment of whether the entity is malicious, wherein the reputation score comprises a statistical measure of use of the entity by other trustworthy clients, a trustworthy client defined as a client that has a hygiene score above a threshold; communicating the reputation score via an output device of the client; and communicating a message indicating that the reputation score is based on other clients deemed trustworthy. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification