Binary Software Risk Assessment Using a Software Relationship Model

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in determining security risks in binary software code due to its unparseable nature, making it difficult to identify malicious or vulnerable code that can harm client devices or expose user information.

Innovation Solution

A software relationship model is used to analyze binary software code by identifying software components and communication interfaces, allowing for risk assessments to be generated through databases that store security risks associated with communication protocols, code features, and neighboring components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If binary software code is analyzed directly, then security risk identification is attempted, but the unparseable nature of binary code makes it difficult to identify malicious or vulnerable code

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity risk identification accuracyVSAvoidbinary code parseability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary software relationship model that acts as a mediator between the binary software code and the security analysis process. This model includes software components, communication interfaces, and protocols that translate binary code characteristics into analyzable security risk indicators, enabling accurate security assessment without requiring direct parsing of the binary code.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of directly parsing and analyzing binary code with a software-based relationship model that uses communication protocols and interface definitions to infer security risks. This substitution allows security analysis to proceed through software abstraction layers rather than direct binary manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If comprehensive security analysis is performed on binary code, then security risks are identified, but computational resources are heavily consumed due to the complexity of analyzing unparseable binary format

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity risk detection capabilityVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the security analysis process into distinct components: software relationship model construction, communication interface analysis, protocol validation, and risk assessment. This segmentation allows each component to be processed independently and efficiently, reducing overall computational resource consumption while maintaining comprehensive security detection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining software relationship models, communication interfaces, and protocols before analyzing the binary code. These pre-established structures enable faster security assessment by eliminating the need to parse and interpret binary code structures during the actual security analysis, thereby reducing computational resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If traditional binary code analysis methods are used, then security risks may be missed, but false positives increase when attempting to analyze unparseable binary format

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity risk detection accuracyVSAvoidfalse positive rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the software relationship model is continuously validated against known security patterns and communication protocols. This feedback loop allows the system to refine its security assessments, reducing false positives by comparing analyzed interfaces and protocols against established security criteria and adjusting the relationship model accordingly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12547728B2Determining security risks in binary software code using a software relationship model

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 BLACKBERRY LTD

AI summary

Systems, methods, and software can be used to determine security risks in binary software using a software relationship model. In some aspects, a method comprises: receiving a software relationship model that identifies: (i) a set of software components, and (ii) communication interfaces between software components in the set of software components; receiving a set of binary software code; generating a risk assessment for the set of binary software code based on the software relationship model; and generating a notification, based on the risk assessment for the set of binary software code, that indicates security risks associated with the set of binary software code.