Detecting a phishing entity in a virtual universe

• US 8,171,559 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, BRANDON S
• Application Number:
  US12/047,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting

Abstract

An invention for detecting a phishing virtual entity in a virtual universe is disclosed. A virtual entity may be registered as authentic and be identified with multiple physical characteristics thereof. Another virtual entity will be monitored to detect whether it includes a physical characteristic that is sufficiently similar to that of a registered virtual entity to cause confusion. A phishing virtual entity is detected based on the monitoring and phishing prevention processes may be implemented on the phishing virtual entity.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a phishing virtual entity in a virtual universe, comprising:

identifying a first virtual entity using characteristics of multiple physical aspects of the first virtual entity wherein the first virtual entity represents a store within a virtual universe;

detecting a characteristic of at least one of the multiple physical aspects of a second virtual entity; and

comparing the characteristic of the second virtual entity with the characteristic of the first virtual entity of a same physical aspect to determine whether one of the first virtual entity or the second virtual entity is a phishing virtual entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple physical aspects include at least one of:

a text, a dimension, a location coordinate, or a graphic.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying includes identifying the first virtual entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the first virtual entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting includes obtaining a 360 degree view of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the second virtual entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing is based on a similarity threshold set for the same physical aspect.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing is based on a viewing orientation of a third virtual entity visiting the first virtual entity and the second virtual entity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the viewing orientation is determined based on an entrance of the first virtual entity and an entrance of the second virtual entity.

8. A system for detecting a phishing virtual entity in a virtual universe, comprising:

a computer configured to perform the method comprising;

identifying a first virtual entity using characteristics of multiple physical aspects of the first virtual entity wherein the first virtual entity represents a store within a virtual universe;

detecting a characteristic of at least one of the multiple physical aspects of a second virtual entity; and

comparing the characteristic of the second virtual entity with the characteristic of the first virtual entity of a same physical aspect to determine whether one of the first virtual entity or the second virtual entity is a phishing virtual entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the multiple physical aspects include at least one of:

a text, a dimension, a location coordinate, or a graphic.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifying identifies the first virtual entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the first virtual entity.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the detecting obtains a 360 degree view of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the second virtual entity.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the comparing is based on a similarity threshold set for the same physical aspect.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the comparing is based on a viewing orientation of a third virtual entity visiting the first virtual entity and the second virtual entity.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the viewing orientation is determined based on an entrance of the first virtual entity and an entrance of the second virtual entity.

15. A computer program product for detecting a phishing virtual entity in a virtual universe, comprising:

computer usable program code embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by a computer system enables the computer system to;

identify a first virtual entity using characteristics of multiple physical aspects of the first virtual entity wherein the first virtual entity represents a store within a virtual universe;

detect a characteristic of at least one of the multiple physical aspects of a second virtual entity; and

compare the characteristic of the second virtual entity with the characteristic of the first virtual entity of a same physical aspect to determine whether one of the first virtual entity or the second virtual entity is a phishing virtual entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the multiple physical aspects include at least one of:

a text, a dimension, a location coordinate, or a graphic.

17. The program product of claim 16, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to identify the first virtual entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the first virtual entity.

18. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to obtain a 360 degree view of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the second virtual entity.

19. The program product of claim 15, wherein the comparing is based on a similarity threshold set for the same physical aspect.

20. The program product of claim 15, wherein the comparing is based on a viewing orientation of a third virtual entity visiting the first virtual entity and the second virtual entity.

21. The program product of claim 20, wherein the viewing orientation is determined based on an entrance of the first virtual entity and an entrance of the second virtual entity.

22. A method for providing a system for detecting a phishing virtual entity in a virtual universe, comprising:

at least one of;

creating, maintaining, deploying or supporting a computer infrastructure being operable to;

identify a first virtual entity using characteristics of multiple physical aspects of the first virtual entity wherein the first virtual entity represents a store within a virtual universe;

detect a characteristic of at least one of the multiple physical aspects of a second virtual entity; and

compare the characteristic of the second virtual entity with the characteristic of the first virtual entity of a same physical aspect to determine whether one of the first virtual entity or the second virtual entity is a phishing virtual entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the multiple physical aspects include at least one of:

a text, a dimension, a location coordinate, or a graphic.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to identify the first virtual entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the first virtual entity and to obtain a 360 degree view of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the second virtual entity.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the comparing is based on a viewing orientation of a third virtual entity visiting the first virtual entity and the second virtual entity.