Method and apparatus for controlling unsolicited messaging

• US 8,223,751 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WatchGuard Technologies Incorporated (Gladiator Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WatchGuard Technologies Incorporated (Gladiator Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilchrist, Rod, Fogel, Richard, Osborne, Robert, Alsop, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/610,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20100046727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 379/142.05, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 709/206, 709/207, 709/202, 709/203, 709/209, 709/229, 235/375, 455/456.4, 702/176, 713/168
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service
• 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 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Sensor nodes (or addresses therefore), acting as real-time message decoys, are distributed across a real-time communications network to attract unsolicited real-time messages. Filtering rules are derived from the message characteristics (such as the source address) and messaging content of the traffic encountered at the sensor nodes. The filtering rules are distributed to filtering agents positioned in the communications network in such a way that they can filter traffic for legitimate users. The filtering agents may identify and control the disposition of real-time messaging traffic that is part of a mass communication campaign on behalf of legitimate users of the real-time messaging communication system. Disposition may include suppressing, diverting, or labeling.

Claims

1. A method for controlling unsolicited RTM calls, the method comprising:

assigning a system identifier to a sensor node in an RTM network, wherein the system identifier assigned to the sensor node does not correspond to an actual user of the RTM network;

receiving a first call to the system identifier of the sensor node;

retrieving caller identification information from the first call; and

creating one or more filter rules based upon the caller identification information, the one or more filter rules indicating that the caller identification information is a source of unsolicited RTM calls.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second call;

determining if the second call matches one or more of the filter rules;

upon determining that the second call matches one or more of the filter rules, acting upon the second call; and

upon determining that the second call does not match one or more of the filter rules, allowing the second call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second call comprises a Voice Over Internet Protocol call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call identifiers correspond to IP addresses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller identification information includes a calling telephone number or other call identifier.

6. A system for controlling unsolicited messaging in a real-time (RTM) network comprising at least one receiving terminal device adapted to receive RTM messages, said system comprising:

a sensor node coupled to the RTM network adapted to receive RTM messages from said one or more sending terminal devices, wherein the sensor node does not correspond to an actual user of the RTM network;

a monitoring and analysis facility coupled to the sensor node, said monitoring and analysis facility adapted to;

collect RTM message characteristics determined from unsolicited RTM messages received by said sensor node; and

construct filtering rules to identify and control unsolicited RTM messages, said filtering rules identifying sources of unsolicited RTM messages received at the sensor node.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the RTM message comprises a voice call.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the RTM messages include at least one of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messaging;

Instant Messaging (IM), voice communications via a POTS or wireless network, or video conferencing.