SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ENHANCING SECURITY OF A WIRELESS DEVICE THROUGH USAGE PATTERN DETECTION

• US 20140215550A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: ADAMS, Neil Patrick, KRZEMINSKI, Marek
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration

Abstract

A method of identifying a user of a device having a security policy and including a touch sensitive input device. The method includes receiving data corresponding to use of the touch sensitive input device by the user and determining from the received data at least one feature. Based on the at least one feature and a signature associated with an identifiable user, the method determines a likelihood that the user is the identifiable user and modifies, based on the likelihood, the security policy on the device.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a user of a device having a security policy and comprising a touch sensitive input device, the method comprising:

receiving data corresponding to use of said touch sensitive input device by said user;

determining from said received data at least one feature;

determining, based on said at least one feature and a signature associated with an identifiable user, a likelihood that said user is said identifiable user; and

modifying, based on said likelihood, said security policy on said device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said touch sensitive input device is a touchscreen;

and

wherein said data corresponding to use of said touchscreen by said user comprises data corresponding to use by said user of a virtual keyboard displayed on said touchscreen.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said use by said user of a virtual keyboard displayed on said touchscreen comprises said user interacting with said touchscreen at a plurality of areas on said touchscreen;

and wherein said data corresponding to use of said touchscreen by said user further comprises data corresponding to said plurality of areas on said touchscreen.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said device further comprises a connection to a partition, and wherein said modifying said security policy on said device comprises restricting access to said user to said partition through said connection.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said partition further comprises at least one application, and wherein said modifying said security policy on said device further comprises restricting access to said user to said at least one application.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said partition further comprises data, and wherein said modifying said security policy on said device further comprises restricting access to said user to at least a portion of said data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said modifying said security policy on said device comprises a modification selected from the group consisting of:

(a) permitting access to said user to an application on said device;

(b) permitting access to said user to data on said device;

(c) restricting access to said user to an application on said device;

(d) restricting access to said user to data on said device;

(e) requiring said user to provide a pre-determined password;

(f) sending a message to an external computing device; and

(g) performing a security wipe of said device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving training data corresponding to use of said touch sensitive input device by said identifiable user;

determining from said received training data at least one feature;

calculating, based on said at least one feature determined from said received training data, said signature associated with said identifiable user; and

storing said signature on said device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving further data corresponding to use of said touch sensitive input device by said user;

determining from said further received data at least one feature;

determining, based on said at least one feature determined from said further received data and said signature associated with an identifiable user, a second likelihood that said user is said identifiable user; and

modifying, based on said second likelihood, said security policy on said device.

10. A system comprising a device having a security policy, a touch sensitive input device, and a computer readable memory storing computer executable instructions thereon that when executed by said device perform the method of claim 1.

20. A system comprising a device having a security policy and a computer readable memory storing computer executable instructions thereon that when executed by said device perform the method of claim 10.

11. A method of modifying a security policy of a device, the method comprising:

receiving data corresponding to use of said device by a user;

determining, based on said data, a first likelihood that said user is an identifiable user;

modifying said security policy on said device to correlate to said first likelihood;

receiving further data corresponding to further use of said device by said user;

determining, based on said further data, a second likelihood that said user is said identifiable user; and

modifying said security policy on said device to correlate to said second likelihood.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said data corresponding to use of said device by said user comprises data selected from the group consisting of:

(a) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s use of a touch sensitive input device;

(b) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s use of a virtual keyboard on a touchscreen;

(c) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s use of applications accessible through said device;

(d) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s use of application features accessible through said device;

(e) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s use of a physical keyboard;

(f) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s selection among a plurality of options;

(g) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s use of phone numbers;

(h) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s access of websites;

(i) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s writing style; and

(j) data corresponding to said user'"'"'s typographical errors.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said data corresponding to use of said device by said user comprises data corresponding to use of a touchscreen by said user;

wherein said data corresponding to use of said touchscreen by said user comprises data corresponding to use by said user of a virtual keyboard displayed on said touchscreen;

wherein said use by said user of a virtual keyboard displayed on said touchscreen comprises said user interacting with said touchscreen at a plurality of areas on said touchscreen; and

wherein said data corresponding to use of said touchscreen by said user further comprises data corresponding to said plurality of areas on said touchscreen.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said device further comprises a connection to a partition, and wherein at least one of said modifying said security policy on said device to correlate to said first likelihood and said modifying said security policy on said device to correlate to said second likelihood comprises restricting access to said user to said partition through said connection.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said partition further comprises at least one application, and wherein restricting access to said user to said partition through said connection comprises restricting access to said user to said at least one application.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said modifying said security policy on said device to correlate to said first likelihood and said modifying said security policy on said device to correlate to said second likelihood comprises a modification selected from the group consisting of:

(a) permitting access to said user to an application on said device;

(b) permitting access to said user to pre-determined data on said device;

(c) restricting access to said user to an application on said device;

(d) restricting access to said user to pre-determined data on said device;

(e) requiring said user to provide a pre-determined password;

(f) sending a message to an external computing device; and

(g) performing a security wipe of said device.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving training data corresponding to use of said device by said identifiable user;

determining from said received training data at least one feature;

calculating, based on said at least one feature determined from said received training data, a signature associated with said identifiable user; and

storing said signature on said device;

wherein at least one of said determining a first likelihood that said user is an identifiable user and said determining a second likelihood that said user is said user comprises a calculation involving said signature.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving data corresponding to use of said device by a user comprises receiving data corresponding to a first type of use of said device by said user;

and wherein said receiving further data corresponding to further use of said device by said user comprises receiving further data corresponding to said first type of use of said device by said user.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving data corresponding to use of said device by a user comprises receiving data corresponding to a first type of use of said device by said user;

and wherein said receiving further data corresponding to further use of said device by said user comprises receiving further data corresponding to a second type of use of said device by said user.