Automated classification of applications for mobile devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for automated classification of applications (“
- apps”
) for mobile devices, comprising;
a processor configured to;
receive an application (“
app”
);
perform an analysis of the app using a classification engine, wherein the performing of the analysis of the app comprises;
extract data from the app, the data including an image, a string, a keyword and phrase, an uniform resource locator (URL), an email address, a phone number, a database, a Software Development Kit (SDK) in use, or any combination thereof; and
classify the app based on the extracted data and app behavior, the app behavior including perform location tracking, access a contact or address book on a mobile device, access a social app or Application Programming Interface (API), access a device microphone or camera, access a feature or function of the mobile device or operating system platform in a manner that is not consistent or in compliance with permissions granted to the app by a user or the mobile device, or any combination thereof;
determine an app category for the app based on the analysis performed using the classification engine, comprising;
determine whether a network activity of the app matches a network activity of another app, wherein the network activity includes hostname, the URL, Internet Protocol (IP), or any combination thereof; and
in the event that the network activity of the app matches the network activity of the other app, classify the app category for the app to be a category of the other app;
determine whether the app is to be placed on a blacklist with respect to the determined app category based on the determined app category, comprising;
compare the app behavior with a list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, wherein one behavior is in a list of unsafe behaviors associated with a first app category and the same one behavior is in a list of safe behaviors associated with a second app category; and
in the event that the app behavior matches a behavior on the list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, classify the app to be placed on the blacklist with respect to the app category; and
in the event that a new version of the app has new content or behavior that changes a classification of the app, violates an app policy, or a combination thereof, create a new entry within a database to record how the app has changed in the new version and how the new content or behavior has triggered a new or additional app classification, a new or additional app policy violation, or a combination thereof; and
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
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Abstract
Automated classification of applications (“apps”) for mobile devices is provided. In some embodiments, automated classification of apps for mobile devices includes receiving an application (“app”); performing an analysis of the app using a classification engine; and determining an app category for the app based on the analysis performed using the classification engine.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system for automated classification of applications (“
- apps”
) for mobile devices, comprising;a processor configured to; receive an application (“
app”
);perform an analysis of the app using a classification engine, wherein the performing of the analysis of the app comprises; extract data from the app, the data including an image, a string, a keyword and phrase, an uniform resource locator (URL), an email address, a phone number, a database, a Software Development Kit (SDK) in use, or any combination thereof; and classify the app based on the extracted data and app behavior, the app behavior including perform location tracking, access a contact or address book on a mobile device, access a social app or Application Programming Interface (API), access a device microphone or camera, access a feature or function of the mobile device or operating system platform in a manner that is not consistent or in compliance with permissions granted to the app by a user or the mobile device, or any combination thereof; determine an app category for the app based on the analysis performed using the classification engine, comprising; determine whether a network activity of the app matches a network activity of another app, wherein the network activity includes hostname, the URL, Internet Protocol (IP), or any combination thereof; and in the event that the network activity of the app matches the network activity of the other app, classify the app category for the app to be a category of the other app; determine whether the app is to be placed on a blacklist with respect to the determined app category based on the determined app category, comprising; compare the app behavior with a list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, wherein one behavior is in a list of unsafe behaviors associated with a first app category and the same one behavior is in a list of safe behaviors associated with a second app category; and in the event that the app behavior matches a behavior on the list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, classify the app to be placed on the blacklist with respect to the app category; and in the event that a new version of the app has new content or behavior that changes a classification of the app, violates an app policy, or a combination thereof, create a new entry within a database to record how the app has changed in the new version and how the new content or behavior has triggered a new or additional app classification, a new or additional app policy violation, or a combination thereof; and a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- apps”
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11. A method of automated classification of applications (“
- apps”
) for mobile devices, comprising;receiving an application (“
app”
);performing an analysis of the app using a classification engine executed on a processor, wherein the performing of the analysis of the app comprises; extracting data from the app, the data including an image, a string, a keyword and phrase, an uniform resource locator (URL), an email address, a phone number, a database, a Software Development Kit (SDK) in use, or any combination thereof; and classifying the app based on the extracted data and app behavior, the app behavior including perform location tracking, access a contact or address book on a mobile device, access a social app or Application Programming Interface (API), access a device microphone or camera, access a feature or function of the mobile device or operating system platform in a manner that is not consistent or in compliance with permissions granted to the app by a user or the mobile device, or any combination thereof; and determining an app category for the app based on the analysis performed using the classification engine, comprising; determining whether a network activity of the app matches a network activity of another app, wherein the network activity includes hostname, the URL, Internet Protocol (IP), or any combination thereof; in the event that the network activity of the app matches the network activity of the other app, classifying the app category for the app to be a category of the other app; determining whether the app is to be placed on a blacklist with respect to the determined app category based on the determined app category, comprising; comparing the app behavior with a list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, wherein one behavior is in a list of unsafe behaviors associated with a first app category and the same one behavior is in a list of safe behaviors associated with a second app category; and in the event that the app behavior matches a behavior on the list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, classifying the app to be placed on the blacklist with respect to the app category; and in the event that a new version of the app has new content or behavior that changes a classification of the app, violates an app policy, or a combination thereof, creating a new entry within a database to record how the app has changed in the new version and how the new content or behavior has triggered a new or additional app classification, a new or additional app policy violation, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (12)
- apps”
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13. A computer program product for automated classification of applications (“
- apps”
) for mobile devices, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for;receiving an application (“
app”
);performing an analysis of the app using a classification engine, wherein the performing of the analysis of the app comprises; extracting data from the app, the data including an image, a string, a keyword and phrase, an uniform resource locator (URL), an email address, a phone number, a database, a Software Development Kit (SDK) in use, or any combination thereof; and classifying the app based on the extracted data and app behavior, the app behavior including perform location tracking, access a contact or address book on a mobile device, access a social app or Application Programming Interface (API), access a device microphone or camera, access a feature or function of the mobile device or operating system platform in a manner that is not consistent or in compliance with permissions granted to the app by a user or the mobile device, or any combination thereof; and determining an app category for the app based on the analysis performed using the classification engine, comprising; determining whether a network activity of the app matches a network activity of another app, wherein the network activity includes hostname, the URL, Internet Protocol (IP), or any combination thereof; in the event that the network activity of the app matches the network activity of the other app, classifying the app category for the app to be a category of the other app; determining whether the app is to be placed on a blacklist with respect to the determined app category based on the determined app category, comprising; comparing the app behavior with a list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, wherein one behavior is in a list of unsafe behaviors associated with a first app category and the same one behavior is in a list of safe behaviors associated with a second app category; and in the event that the app behavior matches a behavior on the list of unsafe behaviors associated the app category, classifying the app to be placed on the blacklist with respect to the app category; and in the event that a new version of the app has new content or behavior that changes a classification of the app, violates an app policy, or a combination thereof, creating a new entry within a database to record how the app has changed in the new version and how the new content or behavior has triggered a new or additional app classification, a new or additional app policy violation, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (14)
- apps”
Specification