Trusted Communication Channel Verification Against Social Engineering Scams

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing threat protection software for digital services is unreliable due to contradictory user data sources, leading to unsatisfactory results and high resource costs, and is vulnerable to social engineering scam attacks through untrusted communication channels.

Innovation Solution

Establish trusted communication channels by using a threat protection service as a proxy or observer, validating communication attempts against a list of trusted channels stored in a distributed file system or blockchain, and generating notifications for untrusted channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional threat protection software utilizes multiple user data sources for identifying potential attacks, then comprehensive security analysis is achieved, but contradictory data results in unreliable and unsatisfactory security outcomes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity outcome reliabilityVSAvoidcontradictory data

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a trusted communication channel verification mechanism that acts as an intermediary layer between users and digital service providers. This mechanism validates communication channels against a pre-established list of trusted channels, filtering out untrusted communications before they reach users. By inserting this verification layer, the system resolves contradictory data from multiple sources through a single authoritative verification method, thereby improving security outcome reliability while reducing information loss from contradictory inputs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional threat protection software continuously updates and monitors multiple data sources, then comprehensive threat detection is maintained, but high infrastructure and resource costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethreat detection accuracyVSAvoidresource costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing and storing a list of trusted communication channels before actual communications occur. This list is created and validated in advance through secure processes, allowing the system to quickly verify communications against this pre-computed reference without requiring continuous real-time analysis of multiple data sources. This approach maintains high threat detection accuracy while significantly reducing ongoing infrastructure and resource costs by eliminating the need for continuous monitoring and updating of multiple external data sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If digital service providers provide multiple communication channels for customer interactions, then service accessibility is improved, but opportunities for malicious actors to conduct social engineering attacks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice accessibilityVSAvoidsocial engineering attack risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a trusted channel verification mechanism that mediates between the need for multiple communication channels and the risk of social engineering attacks. The system maintains multiple communication channels for service accessibility but adds a verification layer that checks each channel against a pre-established list of trusted channels. This intermediary verification allows the system to preserve service versatility while blocking untrusted communications, thereby reducing social engineering attack risk without sacrificing accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If users interact with digital services through multiple unknown communication channels, then service functionality is enhanced, but user security awareness and protection are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice functionalityVSAvoiduser security protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism that operates between the user and multiple communication channels. This mechanism automatically verifies each communication channel against a pre-established list of trusted channels and provides real-time feedback to users about the trustworthiness of incoming communications. By inserting this intelligent intermediary layer, the system preserves service functionality through multiple channels while simultaneously enhancing user security protection, as users are alerted to untrusted channels and guided to use only verified communication paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12526312B1Systems and methods for preventing social engineering scam attacks by utilizing trusted communication channels for digital services

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 GEN DIGITAL INC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for preventing social engineering scam attacks by utilizing trusted communication channels for digital services may include (i) detecting a communication attempt associated with accessing a digital service over a communication channel, (ii) determining whether the communication channel is an untrusted channel, and (iii) performing a security action that protects against a potential social engineering scam attack upon determining that the communication channel is the untrusted channel. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.