Mobile Application Authentication via Encoded Source Sequences
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Solution Overview
Problem
The proliferation of malicious applications masquerading as original ones on mobile data processing terminals poses a significant challenge, as existing detection methods struggle to effectively identify and prevent the installation of such malware, especially due to continuous modifications and server-side polymorphism employed by cybercriminals.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that encode unique data sequences representative of the compiling source and application icon for each original application, allowing for pattern recognition and authentication by comparing these sequences against stored data on the mobile terminal, thereby preventing the installation of unauthorized applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional signature-based malware detection is used, then detection capability exists for known malware, but malware authors can continuously modify applications and employ server-side polymorphism to evade detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds authentication data sequences in original applications during the compilation process, before distribution. This preliminary encoding ensures that when users download applications, the authenticating data is already present and can be immediately verified, eliminating the need for post-installation detection that malware can evade through modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates unique data sequence representations (hashes) of the original application's compiling source and icon that can be copied and stored in a database. These copied representations serve as reference patterns for future authentication, allowing rapid comparison without storing the entire original application binary.
2Ease of operation
If application authentication is performed by analyzing application information in browser or user interface, then user-friendly presentation is maintained, but cybercriminals can misrepresent original applications through fake icons and labels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism that operates behind the scenes during application download. The system extracts and compares data sequences from the application binary and icon files, providing a reliable authenticity verification that is independent of the user-facing presentation layer, thus preventing fraud while maintaining ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If malware detection relies on signature-based methods, then implementation is relatively simple, but the methods fail to detect continuously modified malware with server-side polymorphism
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication data sequences are encoded into the application during the original compilation process, before distribution. This preliminary embedding ensures that the authenticating information is permanently embedded in the application binary itself, making it impossible for malware to modify the application without detection, while keeping the implementation complexity manageable.
4Adaptability or versatility
If fake applications are allowed to be installed, then users have access to more application sources, but users become vulnerable to premium SMS scams and botnet creation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs authentication of the application binary and icon files before allowing installation to proceed. By encoding and verifying data sequences in advance, during the download process, the system can block potentially harmful applications from being installed, thereby protecting users from SMS scams and botnet creation while still allowing access to legitimate applications from various sources.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of authenticating an application for a mobile data processing terminal connected to a network, over which the application is obtained from a remote server, and a distributed system implementing same, are disclosed. A first data sequence uniquely representative of its compiling source and at least a second data sequence uniquely representative of the original application are encoded in each original application. A plurality of first and second data sequences are stored at the mobile data processing terminal. Then, for any application obtained for installation on the mobile data processing terminal, the first and second data sequences of the obtained application are extracted therefrom, and compared to the plurality of stored first and second data sequences for respective matches. The obtained application is authenticated when the extracted first and second data sequences respectively match stored corresponding first and second data sequences.