DYNAMIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC POLYMORPHISM (DCP) SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20180041478A1
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kasada Pty, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kasada Pty, Ltd.
• Inventors: Crowther, Samuel John
• Granted Patent: US 10,855,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

Described herein is a method of enhancing the security of an internet transaction which includes the transmission of structurally formatted information, the method including the steps of: transmitting a request for the structurally formatted information across a network environment; receiving the request and sending a formulated response requiring calculation and decoding to determine the nature and content of the structurally formatted information; and receiving the structurally formatted information.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing the security of an internet transaction which includes the transmission of structurally formatted information, the method including the steps of:

transmitting a request for the structurally formatted information across a network environment

receiving the request and sending a formulated response, instead of a normal response of form data, but including a seed requiring calculation and decoding to determine an answer based on the seed

wherein the browser determines data that, when combined with the seed produces a correct hash value;

, and

receiving the structurally formatted information.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said structurally formatted information comprises form data.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seed includes a series of missing elements and an answer, with the calculation and decoding including determining the missing elements.

4. A method as claimed in claim l, wherein the complexity of the formulated response is altered in accordance with a calculated level of risk of insecurity of the network.

5. A system providing against malicious attacks over a network, the system including:

at least one client-side computer and at least one server-side computer interconnected over a network;

the at least one client-side computer despatching a first message request for structured information to the at least one server-side computer;

the at least one server-side computer providing a structured response, instead of a normal response of form data, but including seed information to the client-side computer, and the client-side computer determining an answer based on the seed, wherein software determines data that, when combined with the seed produces a correct hash value in the form of a response.

6. In an internet query and answer environment, where a server accepts structured queries from an externally located client over a network, a method of rate limiting the submission of valid data over the network, the method including the steps of:

(a) receiving a first structured query request from the client over the network.;

(b) providing an encrypted answer in response to the request, the encrypted answer requiring the exercise of a computational resource of a first expected level by the client to determine an answer by the client;

(c) receiving a second response to the encrypted answer and determining if the second response includes a correct answer; and

(d) upon receipt of a correct answer, processing said second response as a valid response.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step (d) further comprises, if said second response includes an incorrect answer, flagging the client as a suspect client for receipt of future requests.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said encrypted answer requiring the exercise of a computational resource, involves the calculation of the answer to a one-way hash function.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the calculation includes attempting successive integers in a solution of the one-way hash function.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said server adjusts a level of exercise of the computational resource in response to the load of the first structured query requests received by the server.

11. A client-side system for enhancing the security of an internet transaction, the system including

a processor, a memory, and a network connection, each operatively coupled together;

wherein, the client-side system operates to receive structurally formatted information including a seed used in a calculation to determine an answer based on the seed, wherein a browser determines the answer data that, when combined with the seed produces a correct hash value, and sends the answer data to a server for the purpose of subsequently receiving structurally formatted information.

12. The client-side system of claim 11, wherein, the structurally formatted information comprises form data.

13. The client-side system of claim 11, wherein the seed includes a series of missing elements and an answer, with the calculation and decoding including determining the missing elements.

14. The client-side system of claim 11, wherein the complexity of the answer is altered in accordance with a calculated level of risk of insecurity of the network.

15. A server-side system for enhancing the security of an internet transaction, the system including

a processor, a memory, and a network connection, each operatively coupled together;

wherein, the server-side system operates to send structurally formatted information including a seed used in a calculation to determine an answer based on the seed, and, the server-side system receives a correct hash value, and in response, structurally formatted information.

16. The server-side system of claim 15 wherein, the structurally formatted information comprises form data.

17. The server-side system of claim 15, wherein the seed includes a series of missing elements and an answer, with the calculation and decoding including determining the missing elements.

18. The server-side system of claim 15 wherein the complexity of the answer is altered in accordance with a calculated level of risk of insecurity of the network.

19. A computer readable memory operatively coupled to a client-side system for enhancing the security of an internet transaction, the computer readable memory instructing:

a processor with a network connection;

wherein, the client-side system operates to receive structurally formatted information including a seed used in a calculation to determine an answer based on the seed, wherein a browser determines the answer data that, when combined with the seed produces a correct hash value, and sends the answer data to a server for the purpose of subsequently receiving structurally formatted information.

20. The computer readable memory of claim 19, wherein, the structurally formatted information comprises form data.

21. The computer readable memory of claim 19, wherein, the seed includes a series of missing elements and an answer, with the calculation and decoding including determining the missing elements.

22. The computer readable memory of claim 19, wherein the complexity of the answer is altered in accordance with a calculated level of risk of insecurity of the network.

23. A computer readable memory operatively coupled to a server-side system for enhancing the security of an internet transaction, the computer readable memory instructing:

a processor with a network connection;

wherein, the server-side system operates to send structurally formatted information including a seed used in a calculation to determine an answer based on the seed, and, the server-side system receives a correct hash value, and in response, sends structurally formatted information.

24. The computer readable memory of claim 23, wherein, the structurally formatted information comprises form data.

25. The computer readable memory claim 23, wherein the seed includes a series of missing elements and an answer, with the calculation and decoding including determining the missing elements.

26. The computer readable memory claim 23 wherein the complexity of the answer is altered in accordance with a calculated level of risk of insecurity of the network.