Bot-network detection based on simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) characteristics of e-mail senders within IP address aggregates
US9055012B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 5, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jun 9, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 5, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L51/02
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system for determining whether an IP address is part of a bot-network are provided. The IP-address-aggregate associated with the IP address of an e-mail sender is determined. The IP-address-aggregate is associated with an IP-address-aggregate-category based on the current SMTP traffic characteristics of the IP-address-aggregate and the known SMTP traffic characteristics of an IP-address-aggregate-category. A bot-likelihood score of the IP-address-aggregate-category is then associated with IP-address-aggregate. IP-address-aggregate-categories can be established based on historical SMTP traffic characteristics of the IP-address-aggregates. The IP-address-aggregates are grouped based on SMTP characteristics, and the IP-address-aggregate-categories are defined based on a selection of IP-address-aggregates with similar SMTP traffic characteristics that are diagnostic of spam bots vs. non-botnet-controllers spammers. Bot likelihood scores are determined for the resulting IP-address-aggregate-categories based on historically known bot IP addresses.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.