Social network data removal

• US 9,674,212 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZeroFOX, Inc. (ZeroFox Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ZeroFOX, Inc. (ZeroFox Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cullison, Christopher B., Francis, Robert, Foster, James C., Blair, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Paliwal, Yogesh
• Application Number:
  US14/690,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20150229665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 726 22
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a risk threshold from a protected social entity, and scanning data that is maintained across multiple social networks, where scanning includes identifying data that is associated with the protected social entity. One or more characteristics of the identified data is determined, and based on the one or more characteristics of the data identified across the multiple social networks, a risk to the protected social entity is determined. A request to a social network for the removal of the data associated with the risk is submitted.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving risk thresholds from a protected social entity, including a first risk threshold associated with a first type of risk and a second risk threshold associated with a second type of risk, wherein the first risk threshold and the second risk threshold have different values;

scanning data that is maintained across multiple social networks, wherein scanning comprises identifying, by one or more processors, data that is associated with the protected social entity;

determining one or more characteristics of the identified data;

generating, for each of the one or more characteristics, a reference to the identified data that indicates the characteristic;

algorithmically comparing the one or more generated references to one or more known references, wherein the one or more known references include references to characteristics of identified data that have been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk, and include references to characteristics of identified data that have been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk;

determining, a first risk score for the social entity, based on the algorithmic comparison;

comparing the first risk score for the social entity to the first risk threshold;

determining, responsive to comparing the first risk score for the social entity to the first risk threshold, that the first risk score exceeds the first risk threshold;

initiating a security action;

determining, a second risk score for the social entity, based on the algorithmic comparison;

comparing the second risk score for the social entity to the second risk threshold; and

determining, responsive to comparing the second risk score for the social entity to the second risk threshold, that the second risk score does not exceed the second risk threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a social entity that originates the identified data that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk; and

submitting a request to the identified social entity for the removal of the identified data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a security action comprises submitting a request to a social network for the removal of the identified data, that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk, through an Application Programming Interface (API).

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the request to the social network for the removal of the identified data that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk includes one or more reasons for the removal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a first risk threshold comprises receiving an objectionable content risk threshold that identifies one or more user selected content items that are assigned a level of risk by the user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving risk thresholds from a protected social entity, including a first risk threshold associated with a first type of risk and a second risk threshold associated with a second type of risk comprises receiving a first threshold associated with a phishing risk and a second risk threshold associated with a malware risk.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media coupled to the one or more processing devices having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising;

receiving risk thresholds from a protected social entity, including a first risk threshold associated with a first type of risk and a second risk threshold associated with a second type of risk, wherein the first risk threshold and the second risk threshold have different values;

scanning data that is maintained across multiple social networks, wherein scanning comprises identifying, by one or more processors, data that is associated with the protected social entity;

determining one or more characteristics of the identified data;

generating, for each of the one or more characteristics, a reference to the identified data that indicates the characteristic;

algorithmically comparing the one or more generated references to one or more known references, wherein the one or more known references include references to characteristics of identified data that have been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk, and include references to characteristics of identified data that have been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk;

determining, a first risk score for the social entity, based on the algorithmic comparison;

comparing the first risk score for the social entity to the first risk threshold;

determining, responsive to comparing the first risk score for the social entity to the first risk threshold, that the first risk score exceeds the first risk threshold;

initiating a security action;

determining, a second risk score for the social entity, based on the algorithmic comparison;

comparing the second risk score for the social entity to the second risk threshold; and

determining, responsive to comparing the second risk score for the social entity to the second risk threshold, that the second risk score does not exceed the second risk threshold.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

identifying a social entity that originates the identified data that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk; and

submitting a request to the identified social entity for the removal of the identified data.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein initiating a security action comprises submitting a request to a social network for the removal of the identified data, that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk, through an Application Programming Interface (API).

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the request to the social network for the removal of the identified data that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk includes one or more reasons for the removal.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein receiving a first risk threshold comprises receiving an objectionable content risk threshold that identifies one or more user selected content items that are assigned a level of risk by the user.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by a data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving risk thresholds from a protected social entity, including a first risk threshold associated with a first type of risk and a second risk threshold associated with a second type of risk, wherein the first risk threshold and the second risk threshold have different values;

scanning data that is maintained across multiple social networks, wherein scanning comprises identifying, by one or more processors, data that is associated with the protected social entity;

determining one or more characteristics of the identified data;

generating, for each of the one or more characteristics, a reference to the identified data that indicates the characteristic;

algorithmically comparing the one or more generated references to one or more known references, wherein the one or more known references include references to characteristics of identified data that have been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk, and include references to characteristics of identified data that have been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk;

determining, a first risk score for the social entity, based on the algorithmic comparison;

comparing the first risk score for the social entity to the first risk threshold;

determining, responsive to comparing the first risk score for the social entity to the first risk threshold, that the first risk score exceeds the first risk threshold;

initiating a security action;

determining, a second risk score for the social entity, based on the algorithmic comparison;

comparing the second risk score for the social entity to the second risk threshold; and

determining, responsive to comparing the second risk score for the social entity to the second risk threshold, that the second risk score does not exceed the second risk threshold.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein initiating a security action comprises submitting a request to a social network for the removal of the identified data, that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk, through an Application Programming Interface (API).

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the request to the social network for the removal of the identified data that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the first type of risk or that has been assigned a level of risk associated with the second type of risk includes one or more reasons for the removal.