Browser Bot Detection via ML Feature Vectors

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Differentiating between legitimate user requests and malicious bot activities in client/server systems is challenging, as attackers use bots to perform unauthorized acts, making it difficult for web server administrators to distinguish between genuine user interactions and automated bot-generated requests.

Innovation Solution

Implementing unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques to classify browsers into groups based on request-feature vectors, allowing for the application of specific rules to requests, and updating machine learning models over time to improve classification accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional rule-based methods are used to detect bots, then implementation is simple, but detection accuracy is insufficient to differentiate between legitimate users and bots

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical rule-based detection systems with machine learning models that automatically learn patterns from request data. The system uses trained models to classify browsers as legitimate or malicious, substituting manual rule creation with automated intelligent analysis that achieves higher detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The machine learning models are trained on historical request data and continuously improve their detection capabilities autonomously. The system self-adjusts by learning from new data patterns, reducing the need for manual intervention and rule updates while maintaining high detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If machine learning models are implemented to improve detection accuracy, then bot differentiation improves, but computational resources and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs model training in advance using historical data, so that when actual detection is needed, the pre-trained models can quickly classify new requests. This preliminary action separates the computationally intensive training phase from the lighter inference phase, reducing real-time resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and uses only the most relevant features from request data for classification, rather than processing all possible data points. This partial action approach focuses computational resources on the most discriminative features, reducing overall resource consumption while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If comprehensive request analysis is performed to improve detection reliability, then detection accuracy improves, but processing speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidrequest processing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the request analysis process into distinct feature extraction and classification stages. By dividing the comprehensive analysis into modular components, the system can efficiently process requests through specialized sub-routines, maintaining both thorough analysis and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The machine learning models transform raw request parameters into optimized feature representations that are more efficient to process. By changing the parameter space from raw data to learned features, the system achieves reliable detection with reduced computational overhead and faster processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11138463B1Unsupervised and supervised machine learning approaches to detecting bots and other types of browsers
Publication Date: 2021.10.05 SHAPE SECURITY INC
  • US11138463B1 patent drawing
  • US11138463B1 patent drawing
  • US11138463B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Unsupervised or supervised machine learning (“ML”) techniques discussed herein can be used to classify browsers as one or more types of browser or within one or more browser groups. For example, a computer system configured to improve security of server computers interacting with client computers through an intermediary computer, and comprising: a memory comprising processor logic; one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the processor logic, which causes the one or more processors to: receive a first plurality of requests from a first plurality of browsers; generate a first plurality of request-feature vectors from the first plurality of requests; generate a plurality of browser groups based on the first plurality of request-feature vectors; receive a first new request from a first client computer; generate a first new request-feature vector based on the first new request; determine that the first new request-feature vector belongs to a first browser group among the plurality of browser groups; determine that the first browser group is associated with a first rule, and in response, respond to the first new request according to the first rule.