Intelligent communication screening to restrict spam

• US 9,100,411 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp., DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Credibility Corp. (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.)
• Inventors: Stibel, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US14/510,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20150067842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 705/347, 715/854
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system is provided to restrict the ability of a spammer to freely contact an entity over a communication channel. To do so, the system reconfigures a communication channel used to contact the target entity such that the system can intercept a communication from a source contacting entity en route to the target entity. The system extracts an identifier (e.g., contacting entity'"'"'s telephone number) from the communication and uses the identifier to query a database storing information about the contacting entity. The information reveals the contacting entity'"'"'s industry, occupation, credibility, etc. From this information, the system automatically identifies the contacting entity as a spammer, potential spammer, or non-spammer. The system performs a default screening of the communication based on the classification. Alternatively, the target contacted entity can specify a configuration for different actions the system takes to screen the communication based on the source contacting entity classification.

Claims

1. A communication screening system comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

a computer processor in communication with the memory, the computer-executable instructions programming the computer processor in;

registering a contacted entity for communication screening, wherein said registering comprises configuring in association with a first identifier identifying the contacted entity, a first action blocking communications to the contacted entity from any entity classified as a spammer and a second action allowing communications to the contacted entity from any entity not classified as a spammer;

intercepting a communication intended for delivery to the contacted entity;

extracting from the communication, the first identifier identifying the contacted entity and a second identifier identifying a contacting entity originating the communication;

selecting said configuration from a plurality of configurations based on said extracting of the first identifier from the communication;

retrieving a set of reviews and ratings relating to experiences others have had with the contacting entity using the second identifier extracted from the communication;

screening the communication according to said contacted entity configuration by (i) performing the first action from said configuration and blocking the communication from reaching the contacted entity when the set of reviews and ratings express overall negative sentiment towards the contacting entity and (ii) performing the second action from said configuration and allowing the communication to reach the contacted entity when the set of reviews and rating express overall positive sentiment towards the contacting entity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further program the computer processor in retrieving one of an occupation of the contacting entity and an industry in which the contacting entity operates.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein screening the communication further comprises blocking the communication when the occupation or industry of the contacting entity is within a first set of occupations or industries associated with spamming activity.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said registering further comprises mapping the first set of occupations or industries to be within a spamming first classification, and wherein said screening further comprises retrieving the first set of occupations or industries from said configuration.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further program the computer processor in retrieving a credit score of the contacting entity.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein screening the communication further comprises blocking the communication when the credit score of the contacting entity is below a threshold and permitting the communication when the credit score of the contacting entity is above the threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein blocking the communication comprises at least one of (i) preventing delivery of the communication to the contacted entity and (ii) directing the communication to a mailbox of the contacted entity, and wherein allowing the communication comprises forwarding the communication to the contacted entity.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein screening the communication further comprises blocking communications originating from a particular set of geographic regions defined as part of the configuration.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein screening the communication further comprises blocking communications directed to the contacted entity during a specified time interval defined as part of the configuration.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further program the computer processor in generating a graphical user interface with which the intended contacted entity defines a first set of criteria classifying entities as spammers and a second set of criteria classifying entities not as spammers.

11. A communication screening system comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

a computer processor in communication with the memory, the computer-executable instructions programming the computer processor in;

obtaining from a contacted entity, a set of industries or occupations the contacted entity does not want to receive communications from;

intercepting a communication intended for delivery to the contacted entity;

extracting from the communication, an identifier identifying a contacting entity originating the communication;

retrieving an industry or occupation of the contacting entity using the identifier extracted from the communication;

screening the communication by (i) providing the communication to the contacted entity when the industry or occupation of the contacting entity is not one in the set of industries or occupations enumerated by the contacted entity, and (ii) blocking the communication from the contacted entity when the industry or occupation of the contacting entity is one within said set of industries or occupations.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions further program the computer processor in obtaining a credit score quantifying creditworthiness of the contacting entity.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein retrieving the industry or occupation of the contacting entity comprises querying a database using the identifier, the database comprising a plurality of entity profiles storing identifying information and contact information for a plurality of entities.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein screening the communication further comprises allowing the communication when the credit score of the contacting entity is above a threshold and the industry or occupation of the contacting entity is not within said set of industries or occupations and blocking the communication when the credit score of the contacting entity is below said threshold or the industry or occupation of the contacting entity is within said set of industries or occupations.

15. A communication screening system comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

a computer processor in communication with the memory, the computer-executable instructions programming the computer processor in;

intercepting at the communication screening system, a first communication originating from a contacting entity intended for delivery to a first contacted entity;

determining that the contacting entity cannot be classified to one of a first classification and a second classification based on available information about the contacting entity;

prescreening the first communication by passing a set of verification questions to the contacting entity while continuing blocking delivery of the first communication to the first contacted entity as a result of determining that the contacting entity cannot be classified;

forwarding the first communication to the first contacted entity in response to receiving answers to the set of verification questions from the contacting entity;

providing at conclusion of the first communication as a result of said forwarding, a prompt from the communication screening system with which the first contacted entity provides input classifying the contacting entity to one of the first classification and the second classification;

intercepting at the communication screening system, a second communication from the contacting entity directed to any of the first contacted entity or a different second contacted entity;

classifying the contacting entity to one of the first classification and the second classification using the answers to the set of verifications questions provided by the contacting entity and the input provided by the first contacted entity at conclusion of the first communication; and

screening the second communication by (i) performing a first action for the second communication in response to classifying the contacting entity to the first classification and (ii) performing a second action for the second communication in response to classifying the contacting entity to the second classification.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions further program the computer processor in extracting from the first communication, an identifier identifying the contacting entity and retrieving identifying information about the contacting entity from a database using the identifier in advance of forwarding the first communication.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein forwarding the first communication comprises conveying the identifying information about the contacting entity as a prompt preceding the communication.