Methods and systems for blocking the installation of an application to improve the functioning of a mobile communications device

• US 9,996,697 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lookout Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lookout Incorporated
• Inventors: Mahaffey, Kevin Patrick, Hering, John Gunther, Burgess, James David, Grubb, Jonathan Pantera, Golombek, David, Richardson, David Luke, Lineberry, Anthony McKay, Wyatt, Timothy Micheal
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/687,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20170357814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• 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 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for sharing information and improving the functioning of devices by blocking the installation of an application based on an assessment. In the methods and systems disclosed, a server may receive data pertaining to an application from the mobile communications device. The server may process the data from the mobile communications device to determine an assessment of the application, where the assessment is based on an analysis using information shared by sources other than the mobile communications device. The server may then provide the assessment to the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method of for blocking an application from being installed on a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving at a server computer from the mobile communications device, the mobile communications device not having installed the application;

(i) data pertaining to the application, and

(ii) information pertaining to the mobile communications device including one or more of device data, device operating system, firmware version, memory capacity, available communication ports, battery limitations, hardware characteristics, default specifications, service provider and IP address;

processing, by the server computer, the data and the information to determine an assessment for the application, the assessment being based upon an analysis of an instance of the application or a similar application in a virtual or physical device using data and information received by the server computer from sources other than the mobile communications device, the assessment including an assessment value from a graduated series of assessment values; and

providing the assessment to the mobile communications device, the assessment value causing the installation of the application to be blocked when;

(i) the mobile communications device compares the assessment value to a permitted range of assessment values, the permitted range being set by a user or an administrator of the mobile communications device before the assessment is provided to the mobile communications device; and

(ii) the mobile communications device determines that the assessment value is not in the permitted range.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the assessment includes an indication that the application is harmful, displaying the assessment and an alert on the mobile communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data pertaining to the application is from a group consisting of application name, application size, application SHA1 value, application version, application metadata, application traffic IP address, application communication port and URL associated with the application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is side-loaded onto the mobile communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is provided to the mobile communications device by an application marketplace.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the assessment is further based upon data and information received by the server computer from other devices, the other devices being the same type of device as the mobile communications device.

7. A non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium for use with a server computer, the non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium containing computer readable instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for blocking an application from being installed on a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving at a server computer from the mobile communications device, the mobile communications device not having installed the application;

(i) data pertaining to the application, and

(ii) information pertaining to the mobile communications device including one or more of device data, device operating system, firmware version, memory capacity, available communication ports, battery limitations, hardware characteristics, default specifications, service provider and IP address;

processing, by the server computer, the data and the information to determine an assessment for the application, the assessment being based upon an analysis of an instance of the application or a similar application in a virtual or physical device using data and information received by the server computer from sources other than the mobile communications device, the assessment including an assessment value from a graduated series of assessment values; and

providing the assessment to the mobile communications device, the assessment value causing the installation of the application to be blocked when;

(i) the mobile communications device compares the assessment value to a permitted range of assessment values, the permitted range being set by a user or an administrator of the mobile communications device before the assessment is provided to the mobile communications device; and

(ii) the mobile communications device determines that the assessment value is not in the permitted range.

8. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising:

when the assessment includes an indication that the application is harmful, displaying the assessment and an alert on the mobile communications device.

9. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the data pertaining to the application is from a group consisting of application name, application size, application SHA1 value, application version, application metadata, application traffic IP address, application communication port and URL associated with the application.

10. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein when application is side-loaded onto the mobile communications device.

11. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the application is provided to the mobile communications device by an application marketplace.

12. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the assessment is further based upon data and information received by the server computer from other devices, the other devices being the same type of device as the mobile communications device.

13. A method for allowing an application to be installed on a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving at a server computer from the mobile communications device, the mobile communications device not having installed the application;

(i) data pertaining to the application, and

(ii) information pertaining to the mobile communications device including one or more of device data, device operating system, firmware version, memory capacity, available communication ports, battery limitations, hardware characteristics, default specifications, service provider and IP address;

processing, by the server computer, the data and the information to determine an assessment for the application, the assessment being based upon an analysis of an instance of the application or a similar application in a virtual or physical device using data and information received by the server computer from sources other than the mobile communications device, the assessment including an assessment value from a graduated series of assessment values; and

providing the assessment to the mobile communications device, the assessment value causing the initiation of the installation of the application on the mobile communications device when;

(i) the mobile communications device compares the assessment value to a permitted range of assessment values, the permitted range being set by a user or an administrator of the mobile communications device before the assessment is provided to the mobile communications device; and

(ii) the mobile communications device determines that the assessment value is in the permitted range.

14. The method of claim 13, the assessment, when processed by the mobile communications device, causing a message to be displayed on the mobile communications device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the data pertaining to the application is from a group consisting of application name, application size, application SHA1 value, application version, application metadata, application traffic IP address, application communication port and URL associated with the application.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the assessment is further based upon data and information received by the server computer from other devices, the other devices being the same type of device as the mobile communications device.

17. A non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium for use with a server computer, the non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium containing computer readable instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for allowing an application to be installed on a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving at a server computer from the mobile communications device, the mobile communications device not having installed the application;

(i) data pertaining to the application, and

(ii) information pertaining to the mobile communications device including one or more of device data, device operating system, firmware version, memory capacity, available communication ports, battery limitations, hardware characteristics, default specifications, service provider and IP address;

processing, by the server computer, the data and the information to determine an assessment for the application, the assessment being based upon an analysis of an instance of the application or a similar application in a virtual or physical device using data and information received by the server computer from sources other than the mobile communications device, the assessment including an assessment value from a graduated series of assessment values; and

providing the assessment to the mobile communications device, the assessment value causing the initiation of the installation of the application on the mobile communications device when;

(i) the mobile communications device compares the assessment value to a permitted range of assessment values, the permitted range being set by a user or an administrator of the mobile communications device before the assessment is provided to the mobile communications device; and

(ii) the mobile communications device determines that the assessment value is in the permitted range.

18. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 17, the assessment, when processed by the mobile communications device, causing a message to be displayed on the mobile communications device.

19. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the data pertaining to the application is from a group consisting of application name, application size, application SHA1 value, application version, application metadata, application traffic IP address, application communication port and URL associated with the application.

20. The non-transitory, non-printed, computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the assessment is further based upon data and information received by the server computer from other devices, the other devices being the same type of device as the mobile communications device.