Systems and methods for classifying applications configured for cloud-based platforms

• US 8,918,387 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gen Digital Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Sokolov, Ilya
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TRUONG V
• Application Number:
  US13/439,468
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 707/707
• US Class Current: 707/707
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for classifying applications configured for cloud-based platforms may include 1) identifying an online platform that hosts an online service and that is capable of hosting a plurality of third-party applications integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, 2) identifying at least one third-party application that is integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, 3) identifying metadata describing at least one characteristic of the third-party application, and 4) generating a classification of the third-party application based at least in part on the characteristic. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for classifying applications configured for cloud-based platforms, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying an online platform that hosts an online service via the Internet and that is capable of hosting a plurality of third-party applications integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, wherein the online service hosts and/or processes data via one or more cloud-based applications;

identifying at least one third-party application as being separate from and configured to operate on the online platform, the third-party application being integrated with the online service and provided by a separate vendor than a vendor of the online service, wherein the online platform is trusted and the third-party application is not yet classified;

identifying a combination of items of metadata, each item of metadata describing at least one characteristic of the third-party application, the combination of items of metadata including at least two of;

an identity of the vendor that provides the third-party application;

a canvas page representing at least a portion of the third-party application;

a topic extracted from text about the third-party application;

permissions used by the third-party application;

generating a most probable classification of the third-party application based on an analysis of the combination of items of metadata.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the combination of items of metadata comprises retrieving an item of metadata from an application programming interface of the online service.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the combination of items of metadata comprises interacting with the third-party application during an active session with the online service.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the combination of items of metadata comprises parsing the canvas page representing at least a portion of the third-party application to identify at least one of:

textual content within the canvas page;

links within the canvas page;

a structure of the canvas page;

at least one element within the canvas page.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the classification of the third-party application comprises:

determining, based on the combination of items of metadata, that the vendor that provides the third-party application is also the vendor of an additional third-party application;

identifying an attribute of the additional third-party application;

generating the classification based at least in part on the attribute of the additional third-party application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the combination of items of metadata comprises identifying at least one permission used by the third-party application within the online platform;

generating the classification comprises identifying a classification of applications with a legitimate use for the permission.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the combination of items of metadata comprises:

identifying a profile space for the third-party application within the online service;

identifying at least one user-submitted comment to a commenting feed on the profile space.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the third-party application comprises:

retrieving, from the online service, a list of third-party applications available on the online platform.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more cloud-based applications comprises at least one of:

a web-based email client;

an online calendar application;

an online picture album;

an online office suite application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the classification to at least one of:

a security system for evaluating third-party applications integrated with the online service;

a content control system for third-party applications integrated with the online service;

a search index for the online service;

a user of the online service.

11. A system for classifying applications configured for cloud-based platforms, the system comprising:

an identification module programmed to identify an online platform that hosts an online service via the Internet and that is capable of hosting a plurality of third-party applications integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, wherein the online service hosts and/or processes data via one or more cloud-based applications;

an application module programmed to identify at least one third-party application as being separate from and configured to operate on the online platform, the third-party application being integrated with the online service and provided by a separate vendor than a vendor of the online service, wherein the online platform is trusted and the third-party application is not yet classified;

a metadata module programmed to identify a combination of items of metadata, each item of metadata describing at least one characteristic of the third-party application, the combination of items of metadata including at least two of;

an identity of the vendor that provides the third-party application;

a canvas page representing at least a portion of the third-party application;

a topic extracted from text about the third-party application;

permissions used by the third-party application;

a classification module programmed to generate a most probable classification of the third-party application based on an analysis of the combination of items of metadata;

at least one processor configured to execute the identification module, the application module, the metadata module, and the classification module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the metadata module is programmed to identify the combination of items of metadata by retrieving an item of metadata from an application programming interface of the online service.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the metadata module is programmed to identify the combination of items of metadata by interacting with the third-party application during an active session with the online service.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the metadata module is programmed to identify the combination of items of metadata by parsing the canvas page representing at least a portion of the third-party application to identify at least one of:

textual content within the canvas page;

links within the canvas page;

a structure of the canvas page;

at least one element within the canvas page.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the classification module is programmed to generate the classification of the third-party application by:

determining, based on the combination of items of metadata, that the vendor that provides the third-party application is also the vendor of an additional third-party application;

identifying an attribute of the additional third-party application;

generating the classification based at least in part on the attribute of the additional third-party application.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the metadata module is programmed to identify the combination of items of metadata by identifying at least one permission used by the third-party application within the online platform;

the classification module is programmed to generate the classification by identifying a classification of applications with a legitimate use for the permission.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the metadata module is programmed to identify the combination of items of metadata at least in part by:

identifying a profile space for the third-party application within the online service;

identifying at least one user-submitted comment to a commenting feed on the profile space.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the metadata module is programmed to identify the third-party application at least in part by retrieving, from the online service, a list of third-party applications available on the online platform.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more cloud-based applications comprises a web-based email client.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

identify an online platform that hosts an online service via the Internet and that is capable of hosting a plurality of third-party applications integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, wherein the online service hosts and/or processes data via one or more cloud-based applications;

identify at least one third-party application as being separate from and configured to operate on the online platform, the third-party application being integrated with the online service and provided by a separate vendor than a vendor of the online service, wherein the online platform is trusted and the third-party application is not yet classified;

identify a combination of items of metadata, each item of metadata describing at least one characteristic of the third-party application, the combination of items of metadata including at least two of;

an identity of the vendor that provides the third-party application;

a canvas page representing at least a portion of the third-party application;

a topic extracted from text about the third-party application;

permissions used by the third-party application;

generate a most probable classification of the third-party application based on an analysis of the combination of items of metadata.