System and method for spam detection

• US 8,085,915 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Reumann, John, Saha, Debanjan, Shae, Zon-Yin, Sripanidkulchai, Kunwadee
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US12/131,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20080226047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/207.13, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/211.01, 379/188, 379/196, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/142.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

A voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) caller verification method includes generating a challenge to be sent to a VoIP caller which needs a response from the VoIP caller prior to accepting a VoIP call, wherein the challenge includes a test pattern crafted to create a greater load at a spammer VoIP caller as compared to a human VoIP caller. A response or lack thereof is determined from the VoIP caller, and the response is analyzed relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the VoIP caller is acceptable to communicate with.

Claims

1. A voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) caller verification method comprising:

generating a challenge to be sent to a VoIP caller which needs a response from the VoIP caller prior to accepting a VoIP call, wherein the challenge includes a test pattern crafted to create a greater load at a spammer VoIP caller as compared to a human VoIP caller;

determining a response or lack thereof from the VoIP caller; and

analyzing the response relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the VoIP caller is acceptable to communicate with.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein analyzing includes analyzing a response to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the response to the test pattern includes provisional response acknowledgements (PRACKS).

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein analyzing includes analyzing the response by measuring the PRACKS to correlate the PRACKS to the test pattern to deter nine if the response is acceptable.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the challenge includes content which is undecipherable by machine for recognition.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the challenge includes an image the content of which is decipherable by a human, the method further comprising transmitting the image to the VoIP caller to evoke a response to the content.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the image includes an instruction and determining a response includes determining if the VoIP caller responds to the instruction properly.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the challenge includes audio the content of which is decipherable by a human, the method further comprising transmitting the audio to the VoIP caller to evoke a response to the content.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the audio includes an instruction and determining a response includes determining if the VoIP caller responds to the instruction properly.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising fingerprinting the caller using a session initiation protocol (SIP) profile to determine whether the VoIP caller is acceptable.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising if the VoIP caller is acceptable, accepting the VoIP call wherein accepting the VoIP call includes permitting a ring at the callee.

12. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the method steps of:

generating a challenge to be sent to a VoIP caller which requires a response from the VoIP caller prior to accepting a VoIP call or permitting the VoIP call to ring at the callee, wherein the challenge includes a test pattern crafted to create a greater load at a spammer VoIP caller as compared to a human VoIP caller;

determining a response or lack thereof from the VoIP caller;

analyzing the response relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the VoIP caller is acceptable to communicate with; and

if the VoIP caller is acceptable, accepting the VoIP call or permitting a ring at the callee.

17. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a rendering device wherein the challenge includes content which is rendered undecipherable by machine for recognition by the rendering device.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the image includes an instruction and an acceptable response includes the VoIP caller responding to the instruction properly.

13. A non-software system for VoIP caller verification, comprising:

a challenge generator which generates challenges to be sent to a VoIP caller responsive to an initiation by the VoIP caller for communications, the challenge requiring a response, wherein the challenge includes a test pattern crafted to create a greater load at a spammer VoIP caller as compared to a human VoIP caller;

a determination module which determines if a response has been received and receives the response from the VoIP caller; and

an analyzing device which determines if the response is acceptable as compared to an acceptable response to determine whether the VoIP caller is acceptable to communicate with.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the analyzing device compares the response to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the response to the test pattern includes a pattern of provisional response acknowledgements (PRACKS).

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the PRACKS are measured to correlate the PRACKS to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the challenge includes an image the content of which is decipherable by a human.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the challenge includes audio the content of which is decipherable by a human.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the audio includes an instruction and an acceptable response includes the VoIP caller responding to the instruction properly.