Method and apparatus for monitoring an online identity of a user on a network

• US 8,978,116 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gen Digital Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Spertus, Michael, Egan, Gerry, Walters, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salehi, Helai
• Application Number:
  US11/731,322
• Time in Patent Office: 2,902 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 713/185, 726 3- 7, 726/20
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33

Abstract

Method for monitoring an online identity of a user on a network is described. In one example, data exchanged between a browser client on a device associated with the user and the network is monitored. Creation or use of an online identity by the user is detected within the data. The online identity is associated with a host site. The host site may be any of a plurality of point of presence sites. A notification of the online identity is generated for presentation to a custodian of the user. The notification may then be sent to the custodian.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of detecting use of a new online identity by a user on a network, comprising:

receiving, using a first computer, a first request from a custodian of the user to create a user profile, wherein the user profile comprises contact information of the custodian and information about at least one custodian-approved online identity associated with at least one of a plurality of point of presence sites;

monitoring, using the first computer, data conveyed in incoming and outgoing traffic between a browser client on the first computer and the network;

detecting, using the first computer and within the data, the use of the new online identity by a host site to identify the user based on profile information for the user, wherein the host site is at least one of the plurality of point of presence sites, and wherein the new online identity was created using a second computer not being monitored;

comparing, using the first computer, the new online identity with the user profile to determine whether the new online identity is custodian-approved; and

sending, using the first computer and the contact information of the custodian, a notification of the new online identity for presentation to the custodian of the user if the new online identity is not custodian-approved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the use of the new online identity comprises:

detecting use of an account on the host site by the user, the host site conveying the new online identity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of point of presence sites comprises a social networking site, a blog site, and a message board site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes at least one of:

one or more identity attributes, an identity of the host site conveying the new online identity, one or more web pages conveying the new online identity, or one or more hyperlinks for accessing the new online identity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring comprises:

processing hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) network traffic at the first computer using at least one of an HTTP filter or a browser helper object to obtain the data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the use of the new online identity comprises:

detecting a login to a web site conveying the new online identity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user comprises a minor child and wherein the custodian comprises a parent or guardian of the minor child.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of detecting the use of the new online identity further comprises:

detecting, within the data, at least one web page conveying the new online identity using at least one of the HTTP filter or the browser helper object.

9. An apparatus for detecting use of a new online identity by a user on a network, comprising:

means for receiving, using a first device, a first request from a custodian of the user to create a user profile, wherein the user profile comprises contact information of the custodian and information about at least one custodian-approved online identity associated with at least one of a plurality of point of presence sites;

means for monitoring data conveyed in incoming and outgoing traffic between a browser client on the first device and the network;

means for detecting, within the data, the use of the new online identity by a host site to identify the user based on profile information for the user, wherein the host site is at least one of the plurality of point of presence sites, and wherein the new online identity was created using a second device not being monitored;

means for comparing the new online identity with the user profile to determine whether the new online identity is custodian-approved; and

means for sending a notification of the new online identity using the contact information of the custodian for presentation to the custodian of the user if the new online identity is not custodian-approved.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for detecting the creation or use of the new online identity comprises:

means for detecting use of an account on the host site by the user, the host site conveying the new online identity.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the notification includes at least one of:

one or more identity attributes, an identity of the host site conveying the new online identity, one or more web pages conveying the new online identity, or one or more hyperlinks for accessing the new online identity.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for monitoring comprises:

means for processing hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) network traffic at the first device using at least one of an HTTP filter or a browser helper object to obtain the data.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for detecting the creation or use of the new online identity comprises:

means for detecting a login to a web site conveying the new online identity.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for detecting the use of the new online identity further comprises:

means for detecting, within the data, at least one web page conveying the new online identity using at least one of the HTTP filter or the browser helper object.

15. A system for detecting use of a new online identity by a user on a network, comprising:

a client for receiving, using a first computer, a first request from a custodian of the user to create a user profile, wherein the user profile comprises contact information of the custodian and information about at least one custodian-approved online identity associated with at least one of a plurality of point of presence sites, monitoring data conveyed in incoming and outgoing traffic between a browser client on a first device associated with the user and the network, obtaining information related to the use of the new online identity by a host site to identify the user by the user associated with a host site based on profile information for the user, wherein the host site is at least one of the plurality of point of presence sites, and wherein the new online identity was created using a second computer not being monitored, comparing the information against the profile for the user to determine whether the new online identity is custodian-approved, and sending a notification of the new online identity using the contact information of the custodian for presentation to a custodian of the user if the new online identity is not custodian-approved.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the client is configured to:

detect the use of an account on the host site by the user, the host site conveying the new online identity.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the notification includes at least one of:

one or more identity attributes, an identity of the host conveying the new online identity, one or more web pages conveying the new online identity, or one or more hyperlinks for accessing the new online identity.