Browser Resource Obfuscation via Reputation-Based Visual Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solutions for indicating deceptive or malicious resources in web browsers are inadequate as they expose users to potential threats and require additional user interactions to discern trustworthy from untrustworthy content, often leading to accidental access of harmful resources.
Innovation Solution
A system that overlays a graphical user interface with visual indicators to obfuscate deceptive resources and illuminate trustworthy ones, using a reputation system to determine the trustworthiness of resources and adjust the level of obfuscation or illumination based on their deceptiveness or trustworthiness scores, allowing users to easily identify risks without additional clicks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filters or firewalls are used to block access to resources with bad reputations, then access to malicious resources is reduced, but false positives occur where trustworthy resources are inadvertently blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different visual treatments to different resources based on their individual reputation scores. Trustworthy resources are illuminated with highlights or glow effects, while deceptive resources are obfuscated with blur or pixelation. This localized differentiation allows users to quickly identify safe resources without blocking access to them, while still protecting against malicious ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a visual indication system as an intermediary between the reputation system and the user. Instead of directly blocking resources based on reputation scores, the system uses visual cues (illumination for trustworthy, obfuscation for deceptive) to guide user behavior. This intermediary approach maintains user freedom to access resources while providing safety guidance.
2Loss of information
If conventional icon-based indicators are placed next to teasers or in browser bars, then users are notified of potential threats, but users remain exposed to deceptive content and may still accidentally access harmful resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual appearance changes directly on the resource content itself rather than separate icons. Trustworthy resources are illuminated with bright highlights or glow effects, while deceptive resources are obfuscated with blur, pixelation, or darkening. This direct visual modification makes the safety status immediately apparent and reduces the likelihood of accidental access to harmful content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies visual indicators before the user interacts with the resource. By pre-illuminating trustworthy resources and pre-obfuscating deceptive ones, the system provides safety information in advance, allowing users to make informed decisions before clicking or accessing content. This preliminary indication prevents accidental access rather than reacting after the fact.
3Loss of information
If users must interact with additional elements to discern trustworthy from untrustworthy content, then detailed information is provided, but user interaction becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual indicators selectively based on reputation scores. Resources with high trustworthiness scores receive illumination effects, while resources with low scores receive obfuscation. This partial application of visual treatments provides sufficient information for users to quickly identify safe resources without requiring them to examine every resource in detail, thus reducing time expenditure while maintaining information quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes trustworthiness information equally accessible across all resources through consistent visual treatment. Whether a resource is trustworthy or deceptive, it receives a clear visual indicator (illumination or obfuscation respectively) that is immediately perceivable. This equalizes the information availability, allowing users to quickly assess any resource without requiring additional interaction or time investment.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and storage media are described for indicating deceptive or trustworthy resources are provided. A client system generates and renders a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising one or more graphical objects in a client application. The client system identifies resources corresponding to individual graphical objects. The client system communicates the identified resources to a reputation system, and obtains indicators indicating deceptive resources to be obfuscated and/or trustworthy resources to be illuminated. The client system obfuscates the deceptive resources and illuminates the trustworthy resources according to the received indicators. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.