Detecting a phishing entity in a virtual universe

• US 8,607,356 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, BRANDON S
• Application Number:
  US13/416,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 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 computer-implemented method of detecting a phishing entity in a virtual universe, the method being implemented by a computer system that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

identifying, by the one or more physical processors, at least one characteristic of a real-world entity;

detecting, by the one or more physical processors, at least one characteristic of a virtual entity; and

comparing, by the one or more physical processors, the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity with the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity to determine whether one of the real-world entity or the virtual entity is a phishing entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity or the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity comprises at least one of:

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying includes identifying the real-world entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the real-world 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 virtual entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing is based on a similarity threshold associated with a physical aspect relating to the real-world entity and the virtual entity.

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

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

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

one or more physical processors programmed to;

identify at least one characteristic of a real-world entity;

detect at least one characteristic of a virtual entity; and

compare the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity with the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity to determine whether one of the real-world entity or the virtual entity is a phishing entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity or the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity comprises at least one of:

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

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify the real-world entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the real-world entity.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect at least one characteristic of a virtual entity by obtaining a 360 degree view of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the virtual entity.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to compare based on a similarity threshold associated with a physical aspect relating to the real-world entity and the virtual entity.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to compare based on a viewing orientation of a third entity visiting the real-world entity and the virtual entity.

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

15. A computer program product for detecting a phishing 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 causes the computer system to;

identify at least one characteristic of a real-world entity;

detect at least one characteristic of a virtual entity; and

compare the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity with the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity to determine whether one of the real-world entity or the virtual entity is a phishing entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity or the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity comprises at least one of:

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

17. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to identify the real-world entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the real-world 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 virtual entity.

19. The program product of claim 15, wherein the comparing is based on a similarity threshold associated with a physical aspect relating to the real-world entity and the virtual entity.

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

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

22. A computer-implemented method of providing a system for detecting a phishing entity in a virtual universe, the method being implemented by a computer system that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

at least one of;

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

identify at least one characteristic of a real-world entity;

detect at least one characteristic of a virtual entity; and

compare the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity with the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity to determine whether one of the real-world entity or the virtual entity is a phishing entity that lures visitors into providing personal information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one characteristic of the real-world entity or the at least one characteristic of the virtual entity comprises at least one of:

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

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to identify the real-world entity using graphics of multiple views of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the real-world entity and to obtain a 360 degree view of at least one of an exterior or an interior of the virtual entity.

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