Verification Service Time Delay Oracle Attack Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional verification services are vulnerable to being used by hackers as an 'oracle' to predict detection of malware, allowing them to evade detection by repeatedly altering and resubmitting malicious software, thereby undermining their effectiveness in protecting users from undesirable content.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a time delay mechanism in verification services that evaluates the risk of each request and communicates a verification response only after a predetermined period, thereby thwarting hackers' attempts to use the service for predictive purposes while still providing protection to innocent users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If verification services provide immediate responses to software verification requests, then user convenience and service accessibility are improved, but hackers can use the service as an oracle to predict malware detection outcomes and evade detection through iterative alterations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice accessibilityVSAvoiddetection effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a delay mechanism before providing verification responses. The system预先 (in advance) delays the verification response by a predetermined period, which prevents hackers from using immediate responses to iteratively refine malware while still allowing legitimate users to receive verification services.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If verification services implement immediate response communication, then service speed and user satisfaction are improved, but the service becomes vulnerable to oracle attacks where hackers predict detection outcomes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speedVSAvoidoracle attack vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by implementing a delay mechanism that counteracts the harmful effect of oracle attacks. The predetermined delay period prevents hackers from using verification responses to predict detection outcomes and iteratively improve malware, while still providing verification services to legitimate users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If verification services delay responses to prevent oracle attacks, then detection effectiveness is improved, but user convenience and service responsiveness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection effectivenessVSAvoidverification time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the response time parameter of the verification service. A predetermined delay period is introduced to change the response time parameter, which prevents oracle attacks while still providing verification services to legitimate users after the delay period expires.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2755157B1Detecting undesirable content
Publication Date: 2016.03.09 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP2755157B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2755157B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2755157B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Systems, methods, routines and/or techniques for time delay on services (e.g., verification services) that detect undesirable content are described. In some embodiments, a flexible verification service prevents users (e.g., hackers) from using the verification service "as an oracle" to predict whether the user's application or software program will be detected by the verification service. The verification service, after receiving a verification request from a client device, may delay or prevent the communication of a verification response to the client device. The verification service may evaluate a verification request to determine a level of risk associated with the request. The verification service may communicate an initial response to the client device that submitted the verification request. The verification service may eventually communicate the verification response to the client device, for example, after a period of delay.