URL Extraction for Spam Detection in Electronic Communications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for screening electronic communications, such as analyzing message content, are ineffective against spammers who randomize their messages to evade detection, leading to network congestion and user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
The method involves extracting and analyzing Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) from electronic communications to determine if they belong to a predetermined category, such as spam, by generating signatures from domain names, IP addresses, and other URL components, and comparing them against a database of known spam URLs to identify and block or tag unwanted messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If content-based screening methods are used to detect spam, then spam detection capability is improved, but spammers can easily evade detection by randomizing message content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts URLs from the spam message body and analyzes them separately, rather than relying solely on the randomized text content. By taking out the URL component, the system can detect spam based on the sender's domain or IP address, which remains consistent even when the message content is randomized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces URL analysis as an intermediary screening mechanism between the incoming message and the final detection decision. This intermediary layer analyzes the URL component to generate fingerprints that can identify spam sources, providing a more reliable detection method that is not easily evaded by content randomization.
2Measurement precision
If manual review of incoming communications is performed to separate spam from legitimate messages, then message classification accuracy is improved, but user time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated URL-based spam detection that performs the classification task independently without requiring user intervention. The system automatically extracts URLs, generates fingerprints, compares them against known spam databases, and makes detection decisions, thereby eliminating the need for users to manually review messages while maintaining high classification accuracy.
3Reliability
If existing content analysis software is used to generate fingerprints for spam detection, then spam identification is improved, but spammers can modify message content to defeat detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spam detection process into separate components: extracting the URL portion from the message, analyzing the URL to generate fingerprints, and comparing these fingerprints against known spam patterns. This segmentation allows the system to focus on the URL component which is harder to modify than the entire message content, thereby maintaining detection reliability even when spammers modify message content.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an apparatus to screen electronic communications have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes extracting URLs from electronic communication and analyzing the URLs extracted to determine whether the electronic communication is of a first predetermined category. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.