Undesirable email determination

• US 20070118759A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheppard, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/245,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118759A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/188
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms

Abstract

Included is a method for preventing spam dissemination. The method can include monitoring an Internet communication by a user, determining whether the monitored Internet communication includes a spam-related communication, and determining whether the user is a probable victim by determining whether the user is communicating via an infected device.

Claims

1. A method for preventing spam dissemination, comprising:

monitoring an Internet communication by a user;

determining whether the monitored Internet communication includes spam-related data; and

in response to determining that the monitored Internet communication includes spam-related data, determining whether the user is a probable victim by determining whether the user is communicating via an infected device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is a probable victim includes determining whether the user is communicating via a device that is infected with at least one of the following:

a worm, spyware, and a virus.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising in response to determining that the user is a probable victim, facilitating removal of at least one infection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is a probable victim includes determining whether the user is communicating via a device that includes antivirus logic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet communication is configured for dissemination via a third party mail server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is a probable victim includes analyzing at least one packet communicated by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the Internet communication includes a spam-related communication includes determining whether the user has communicated a message to more than a predetermined number of recipients over a predetermined time period.

8. A traffic analyzer configured to monitor communications for spam-related data, the traffic analyzer comprising:

logic configured to monitor an Internet communication by a user;

logic configured to determine whether the monitored Internet communication includes spam-related data; and

logic configured to, in response to determining that the monitored Internet communication includes spam-related data, determine whether the user is a probable victim by determining whether the user is communicating via an infected device.

9. The traffic analyzer of claim 8, further comprising logic configured to determine whether the user is communicating via a device that is infected with at least one of the following:

a worm, spyware, and a virus.

10. The traffic analyzer of claim 9, further comprising logic configured to facilitate removal of the at least one infection, in response to determining that the user is a probable victim.

11. The traffic analyzer of claim 8, further comprising logic configured to determine whether the user is communicating via a device that includes antivirus logic.

12. The traffic analyzer of claim 8, further comprising logic configured to determine whether the user is communicating to more than a predetermined number of recipients over a predetermined period of time.

13. The traffic analyzer of claim 8, further comprising logic configured to determine whether a communication that is configured for dissemination from the user to the third party via the local mail server includes a spam-related communication.

14. The traffic analyzer of claim 8, further comprising logic configured to analyze at least one packet communicated between the user and the Internet.

15. A computer readable medium for preventing the dissemination of spam, comprising:

logic configured to monitor an Internet communication associated with a user;

logic configured to determine whether the monitored Internet communication includes spam-related data; and

logic configured to, in response to determining that the monitored Internet communication includes spam-related data, determine whether the user is a probable victim by determining whether the user is communicating via an infected device.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising logic configured to determine whether the user is communicating via a device that includes at least one of the following:

a worm, spyware, and a virus.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising logic configured to determine whether the user is communicating via a device that includes antivirus logic.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the Internet communication is configured for dissemination via a third party mail server.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising logic configured to analyze at least one packet communicated by the user.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising logic configured to determine whether the user has communicated a message to more than a predetermined number of recipients over a predetermined time period.