Identity and reputation monitoring

• US 8,868,719 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gen Digital Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Satish, Sourabh, Hernacki, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kyle, Tamara T
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORMAN, JAMES Q
• Application Number:
  US11/590,389
• Time in Patent Office: 2,912 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 705/39, 705/35
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

Monitoring for potential misuses of identity information is disclosed. A profile comprising a user'"'"'s identity information is received. An indication from a third party website that at least a portion of the identity information in the user'"'"'s profile is being or has been provided to register at the third party website, alter user information stored by the third party website, or both is received. Whether the indicated use of the identity information is a potential misuse is evaluated.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring for potential misuses of identity information comprising:

creating, at a monitoring system, an electronic profile comprising first identity information of a user;

receiving, at the monitoring system, from a third party website;

a first indication that at least a portion of the first identity information has been used to successfully log into an account of the user that is maintained by the third party website; and

a second indication that a request to alter second identity information of the user stored by the third party website has been initiated while the account was successfully logged into;

evaluating whether the use of the first identity information is a potential misuse based on a match analysis of information from the electronic profile of the user created at the monitoring system, the first indication from the third party website that at least a portion of the first identity information has been used, and the second indication from the third party website that a request to alter second identity information of the user has been initiated, wherein match analysis criteria to determine the potential misuse of the first identity information is customizable by the user, an administrator of the monitoring system, or a combination thereof; and

determining one or more actions to take if the use of the first identity information is a potential misuse, wherein the one or more actions include polling the user as to whether the use of the first identity information is a misuse and, in response to the user indicating that the use of the first identity information is a misuse, having the third party website request proof of identity to verify the identity of the person who submitted the request to alter the second identity information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the actions further include refusing the request to alter the second identity information.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the electronic profile based at least in part on a response by the user to the polling.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is a first user and wherein the actions include polling a plurality of users as to whether the indicated use is a misuse.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the third party website is an electronic commerce site.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the third party website is a social networking site.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is one of a plurality of users for whom monitoring for potential misuse of identity information is performed.

8. A system for monitoring for potential misuses of identity information, including:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

create an electronic profile comprising first identity information of a user;

receive from a third party website;

a first indication that at least a portion of the first identity information has been used to successfully log into an account of the user that is maintained by the third party website; and

a second indication that a request to alter second identity information of the user stored by the third party website has been initiated while the account was successfully logged into;

evaluate whether the use of the first identity information is a potential misuse based on a match analysis of information from the electronic profile of the user, the first indication from the third party website that at least a portion of the first identity information has been used, and the second indication from the third party website that a request to alter second identity information of the user has been initiated, wherein match analysis criteria to determine the potential misuse of the first identity information is customizable by the user, an administrator of the system, or a combination thereof; and

determining one or more actions to take if the use of the first identity information is a potential misuse, wherein the one or more actions include polling the user as to whether the use of the first identity information is a misuse and, in response to the user indicating that the use of the first identity information is a misuse, having the third party website request proof of identity to verify the identity of the person who submitted the request to alter the second identity information.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the actions further include refusing the request to alter the second identity information.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to update the electronic profile based at least in part on a response by the user to the polling.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the user is a first user and wherein the actions include polling a plurality of users as to whether the indicated use is a misuse.

12. A non-transitory computer storage medium having embodied thereon computer instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

creating, at the computer, an electronic profile comprising first identity information of a user;

receiving from a third party website;

a first indication that at least a portion of the first identity information has been used to successfully log into an account of the user that is maintained by the third party website; and

a second indication that a request to alter second identity information of the user stored by the third party website has been initiated while the account was successfully logged into;

evaluating whether the use of the first identity information is a potential misuse based on a match analysis of information from the created electronic profile from the computer, the indication from the third party website that at least a portion of the first identity information has been used, and the indication from the third party website that a request to alter second identity information of the user has been initiated, wherein match analysis criteria to determine the potential misuse of the first identity information is customizable by the user, an administrator of the computer, or a combination thereof; and

determining one or more actions to take if the use of the first identity information is a potential misuse, wherein the one or more actions include polling the user as to whether the use of the first identity information is a misuse and, in response to the user indicating that the use of the first identity information is a misuse, having the third party website request proof of identity to verify the identity of the person who submitted the request to alter the second identity information.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 wherein the actions further include refusing the request to alter the second identity information.