Browser Port Scanning for Remote Fraud Access Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fraud detection systems in digital banking are vulnerable to remote access trojans (RATs) and automated programs (BOTs) that are difficult to detect and can compromise authenticated data, necessitating improved methods to identify and prevent fraudulent behavior.

Innovation Solution

A method involving port scanning on end-user devices using instructions from a server to detect fraudulent behavior by scanning additional ports, collecting behavioral characteristics, and modifying data delivery based on the presence of RATs or BOTs, while minimizing CPU and network usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If port scanning is performed on end-user devices to detect fraudulent behavior, then detection capability is improved, but device resource consumption (CPU and network usage) increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoiddevice resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs port scanning on only certain ports that are most relevant to detecting RATs and BOTs, rather than scanning all possible ports. This partial action approach maintains effective detection capability while significantly reducing the CPU and network resources consumed by the scanning operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

Port scanning is performed periodically at specific intervals rather than continuously. The scanning operation is triggered at defined moments in the session lifecycle, which reduces overall resource consumption while maintaining the ability to detect fraudulent behavior when it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Measurement precision

If behavioral analysis and port scanning are implemented on end-user devices, then fraud detection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server acts as an intermediary that manages the complexity of fraud detection. It sends instructions to the end-user device about which ports to scan and when to perform behavioral analysis, then processes the collected data centrally. This distributes the system complexity away from the resource-constrained end-user device while maintaining high detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The fraud detection system is segmented into multiple components: behavioral characteristic collection on the end-user device, port scanning functionality, and central analysis on the server. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and reduces the complexity burden on any single device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If secure data transmission is maintained while implementing fraud detection measures, then security is improved, but data delivery time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddata delivery time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Behavioral characteristics are collected and port scanning is performed in advance during the session establishment phase, before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary fraud detection allows the system to establish security measures upfront, so that subsequent data transmission can proceed without repeated detection overhead, reducing overall delivery time while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3888326B1Detection of remote fraudulent activity in a client-server-system
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 LEXISNEXIS RISK SOLUTIONS FL INC
  • EP3888326B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3888326B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3888326B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Detecting unauthorized access to a device is detected in embodiments of the disclosed technology. After downloading a webpage, code is executed in a browser to scan network ports and determine which ports are open. Further webpage content sent from a web server is determined and/or modified in embodiments of the disclosed technology based on which ports are open. In some embodiments, when a particular port or ports are already in use it is determined that a malfeasant actor has access to the end user device and as such, sensitive data or secure data which is intended for a specific user is no longer sent to the end user device.