Device messaging attack detection and control system and method

• US 9,237,426 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Location Labs (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiss, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US14/224,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/418, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/412.2, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A messaging control system and method are provided. The method includes detecting incoming messages to a mobile device and outgoing messages from the mobile device. One or more processors determine a number of and a time proximity of the incoming messages or the outgoing messages, and message transmission or message receipt by the mobile device is limited based at least on the number of and time proximity of the incoming messages or the outgoing messages.

Claims

1. A messaging control method comprising:

detecting at least one of incoming messages to a mobile device and outgoing messages from the mobile device;

determining by at least one processor a number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages;

limiting at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the mobile device based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

providing a notification to at least one user based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the notification via a network to a particular party based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a response to the notification from the particular party; and

limiting the at least one of the message transmission and the message receipt based on the response from the particular party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting the at least one of the message transmission and the message receipt comprises communication with a telecommunications carrier server system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the notification comprises providing the notification to a user of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the notification comprises transmitting the notification to a party via a network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing the notification comprises providing at least one phone number corresponding to the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein providing the notification comprises transmitting the notification via at least one of electronic message and voice message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting the at least one of the message transmission and the message receipt comprises at least one of preventing receipt of messages from a particular phone number and preventing transmission of messages to a particular phone number, wherein the phone number corresponds to the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting the at least one of the message transmission and the message receipt comprises at least one of preventing receipt of messages from phone numbers not on a particular list and preventing transmission of messages to phone numbers not on a particular list.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising limiting the at least one of the message transmission and the message receipt to a particular rate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages comprise incoming messages, the method further comprising filtering the incoming messages based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein filtering the incoming messages comprises at least one of deleting and moving the incoming messages from a storage repository on the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages comprise incoming messages, the method further comprising filtering the incoming messages based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages and based on at least one phone number corresponding to the incoming messages.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages comprises determining a number of messages exceeds a particular threshold within a particular time period.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting the at least one of message transmission and message receipt comprises blocking messaging for a particular period of time.

17. A messaging control method comprising:

detecting at least one of a plurality of incoming messages to a mobile device and a plurality of outgoing messages from the mobile device;

determining by at least one processor a number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

limiting at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the mobile device based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages;

at least one of comparing content of the plurality of incoming messages and comparing content of the plurality of outgoing messages to determine a particular similarity; and

limiting the at least one of message transmission and message receipt based at least on the number and time proximity and the determination of the particular similarity.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

comparing the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages to determine similar messages;

storing phone numbers corresponding to the similar messages; and

blocking messages corresponding to the phone numbers corresponding to the similar messages.

19. A messaging control method comprising:

detecting at least one of incoming messages to a mobile device and outgoing messages from the mobile device;

determining by at least one processor a number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

limiting at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the mobile device based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages;

determining a sentiment of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

limiting the at least one of message transmission and message receipt based at least on the number and time proximity and the determination of the particular sentiment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the sentiment comprises applying a classifier to the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining the number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages comprises determining a number of messages exceeds a particular threshold within a particular time period, the method further comprising:

determining a sentiment of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

determining the particular threshold based on the determined sentiment.

22. A messaging control method comprising:

detecting at least one of incoming messages to a mobile device and outgoing messages from the mobile device;

determining by at least one processor a number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

limiting at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the mobile device based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages;

determining a telecommunication carrier pricing plan corresponding to an account for the mobile device; and

limiting the at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the mobile device based at least on the number and time proximity and the pricing plan.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising transmitting a notification via a network to a particular party based at least on the pricing plan and the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

24. A computing system comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the system, cause the system to perform a process including:

detecting at least one of incoming messages to a mobile device and outgoing messages from the mobile device;

determining by at least one processor a number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages;

limiting at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the mobile device based at least on the number of and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

providing a notification to at least one user based at least on the number and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages.

25. The computing system of claim 24, wherein the computing system comprises a mobile device, and wherein limiting the at least one of the message transmission and the message receipt comprises transmitting instructions by the mobile device to a network connectable system, the instructions operable to enable limiting electronic message forwarding to the mobile device through a network.

26. A communications network comprising a first device corresponding to a first user, the first device configured for:

detecting at least one of incoming messages to the first device and outgoing messages from the first device;

determining by at least one processor a number of and a time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages and the outgoing messages; and

transmitting a notification based at least on the number of and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages to the first device and the outgoing messages to the first device; and

a second device corresponding to a second user configured for;

receiving a notification based at least on the number of and time proximity of the at least one of the incoming messages to the first device and the outgoing messages to the first device;

receiving instructions from the second user to limit at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the first device; and

transmitting the instructions to a computing system operable to enable limiting at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the first device.

27. The communications network of claim 26, wherein transmitting the instructions comprises transmitting instructions from the second device to the first device, wherein the first device is configured to limit at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the first device.

28. The communications network of claim 27, wherein the first device is configured to limit at least one of message transmission and message receipt by the first device based on signals provided to at least one of a carrier computing system via an application program interface (API) and a system configured for interface with the carrier computing system via the API.

29. The communications network of claim 26, wherein transmitting the instructions comprises transmitting instructions from the second device to at least one of a carrier computing system via an application program interface (API) and a system configured for interface with the carrier computing system via the API.