Website Source Code Beacons for Proactive Phishing Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting phishing websites are largely reactive and not infallible, as they rely on identifying target websites to feed into classifiers, and are vulnerable to sophisticated phishing attempts that manipulate website source code.
Innovation Solution
A proactive method involving beacons embedded within website source code that transmit signals to monitoring servers upon execution, allowing for domain identification and initiation of response actions, including remediation, to detect misappropriation and tampering, with features like credential capture and tamper detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If machine learning classifiers are used to detect phishing websites, then detection capability is improved, but the system remains reactive and not infallible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds beacons within website source code that proactively transmit signals to monitoring servers before phishing attacks can fully execute. This preliminary action transforms the reactive classifier-based system into a proactive detection system, allowing security teams to identify and block phishing domains before they are exploited, thereby reducing response time while maintaining high detection reliability
2Reliability
If beacons are embedded within website source code, then proactive detection is enabled, but the system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection system into separate functional modules: beacons embedded in website source code, monitoring servers that receive signals, and response systems that take action. This segmentation allows each component to be independently developed, tested, and maintained, reducing overall system complexity while enabling proactive detection capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring server acts as an intermediary between the embedded beacons and the response system. It receives signals from beacons, processes domain information, and triggers appropriate responses without requiring direct complex interactions between all system components, thereby simplifying the overall architecture
3Measurement precision
If domain comparison with familiar domains is performed, then false positives are reduced, but detection speed is slowed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a two-stage detection process: first, beacons transmit signals and the system performs rapid initial assessment; second, only domains that require further verification undergo comparison with familiar domains. This partial application of the comparison action maintains detection speed for obvious cases while ensuring precision for ambiguous cases
Data Source
AI summary
A method for concealing threat detection and notification code in a website code base comprises maintaining at least one beacon within the website code base. Each beacon is disguised as code for a resource request, and is adapted to transmit at least one signal identifying misappropriation of the website code base. In some embodiments, a first beacon transmits a signal identifying misappropriation of the website code base, and a second beacon transmits a signal identifying tampering with the first beacon.