Method and application for a reactive defense against illegal distribution of multimedia content in file sharing networks

• US 9,177,120 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Forcepoint LLC
• Original Assignee: PortAuthority Technologies, Inc. (Forcepoint LLC)
• Inventors: Peled, Ariel, Carny, Ofir, Baratz, Arik, Arbel, Oded, Troyansky, Lidror
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Linglan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECHTEL, KEVIN M
• Application Number:
  US13/557,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 726/32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking

Abstract

A system for external monitoring of networked digital file sharing to track predetermined data content, the system comprising: at least one surveillance element for deployment over said network, said surveillance elements comprising: surveillance functionality for searching said digital file sharing and identification functionality associated with said search functionality for identification of said predetermined data content, therewith to determine whether a given file sharing system is distributing said predetermined data content.

Claims

1. A method for controlling distribution of copyrighted content on a digital file-sharing network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

connecting, by a computing device, to available port connections on the plurality of nodes;

first searching, by the computing device, for copyrighted content whose distribution for consumption it is desired to control on the plurality of nodes, wherein said searching utilizes search features provided by the digital file-sharing network;

second searching, by the computing device, for the copyrighted content based on an analysis of data being transported between the plurality of nodes, wherein the analysis comprises a scanning of a communication protocol used in the data being transported, wherein the second searching comprises a polymorphic search of content names or descriptors to cover a plurality of forms in which said content names or descriptors may appear, and wherein the second searching comprises further searching based on idiosyncratic properties that exist in an original audio or video signal of the copyrighted content;

logging on, by the computing device, to a server as a regular client;

downloading, by the computing device, messages on the server;

reconstructing, by the computing device, an original file from assembling the messages downloaded from the server and searching the original file for the copyrighted content; and

performing, by the computing device, a denial of service (DoS) attack against one or more of the plurality of nodes that are involved in content piracy, wherein the denial of service attack comprises one or more of;

multiple “

syn”

messages, multiple connections, simultaneous downloads of the copyrighted content, intercepting requests for the copyrighted content and replying with a version of the copyrighted content that is of low visual or audio quality, contains large amounts of unwanted material, or is irrelevant, and sending malformed requests or data that does not comply with protocols relevant to the digital file-sharing network.

2. A computer system for controlling distribution of copyrighted content on a digital file-sharing network comprising a plurality of nodes, the computer system comprising one or more computing devices configured to perform acts comprising:

connecting, by a computing device, to available port connections on the plurality of nodes;

first searching, by the computing device, for copyrighted content whose distribution for consumption it is desired to control on the plurality of nodes, wherein said searching utilizes search features provided by the digital file-sharing network;

second searching, by the computing device, for the copyrighted content based on an analysis of data being transported between the plurality of nodes, wherein the analysis comprises a scanning of a communication protocol used in the data being transported, wherein the second searching comprises a polymorphic search of content names or descriptors to cover a plurality of forms in which said content names or descriptors may appear, and wherein the second searching comprises further searching based on idiosyncratic properties that exist in an original audio or video signal of the copyrighted content;

logging on, by the computing device, to a server as a regular client;

downloading, by the computing device, messages on the server;

reconstructing, by the computing device, an original file from assembling the messages downloaded from the server and searching the original file for the copyrighted content; and

performing, by the computing device, a denial of service (DoS) attack against one or more of the plurality of nodes that are involved in content piracy, wherein the denial of service attack comprises one or more of;

multiple “

syn”

messages, multiple connections, simultaneous downloads of the copyrighted content, intercepting requests for the copyrighted content and replying with a version of the copyrighted content that is of low visual or audio quality, contains large amounts of unwanted material, or is irrelevant, and sending malformed requests or data that does not comply with protocols relevant to the digital file-sharing network.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

connecting to available port connections on the plurality of nodes;

first searching for copyrighted content whose distribution for consumption it is desired to control on the plurality of nodes, wherein said searching utilizes search features provided by the digital file-sharing network;

second searching for the copyrighted content based on an analysis of data being transported between the plurality of nodes, wherein the analysis comprises a scanning of a communication protocol used in the data being transported, wherein the second searching comprises a polymorphic search of content names or descriptors to cover a plurality of forms in which said content names or descriptors may appear, and wherein the second searching comprises further searching based on idiosyncratic properties that exist in an original audio or video signal of the copyrighted content;

logging on to a server as a regular client;

downloading messages on the server;

reconstructing an original file from assembling the messages downloaded from the server and searching the original file for the copyrighted content; and

performing a denial of service (DoS) attack against one or more of the plurality of nodes that are involved in content piracy, wherein the denial of service attack comprises one or more of;

multiple “

syn”

messages, multiple connections, simultaneous downloads of the copyrighted content, intercepting requests for the copyrighted content and replying with a version of the copyrighted content that is of low visual or audio quality, contains large amounts of unwanted material, or is irrelevant, and sending malformed requests or data that does not comply with protocols relevant to the digital file-sharing network.