Detection of a spear-phishing phone call

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10244109-B2
Application number	US-201615209052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2016
Priority date	Jul 13, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for detection of a spear-phishing phone call. Responsive to an individual receiving a phone call, a determination is made as to whether the phone call has one or more identifiable traits from a set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing. Responsive to identifying that the phone call has one or more identifiable traits from the set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, an associated weighted risk value for each of the identified traits associated with the phone call is identified from the set of identifiable traits. A total risk value is calculated using each weighted risk value associated with each identified trait associated with the phone call. Responsive to the total risk value exceeding a predetermined risk value, the individual is notified of the total risk value to enable the individual to take an appropriate action based on the total risk value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, in a data processing system, for detection of a spear-phishing phone call, the method comprising:
responsive to an individual receiving a phone call from a calling party, determining whether the phone call has at least two identifiable traits from a set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, wherein the set of identifiable traits includes an identification via voice analysis of the calling party of a count of mispronounced words exceeding a predetermined number, an identification of a website being accessed by the individual during the phone conversation that requires personal information, an identification of a website being accessed by the individual during the phone conversation is not trusted by anti-virus protection, an identification of remote access or control of the data processing system being requested or given to the caller during the phone conversation, or an identification that the phone call originates from a blocked phone number, a private phone number, or otherwise unidentifiable phone number;
responsive to identifying that the phone call has at least two identifiable traits from the set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, identifying an associated weighted risk value for each of the identified traits associated with the phone call from the set of identifiable traits;
calculating a total risk value using each weighted risk value associated with each identified trait associated with the phone call; and
responsive to the total risk value exceeding a predetermined risk value, notifying the individual of the total risk value to enable the individual to take an appropriate action based on the total risk value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, as the phone call proceeds the total risk value is recalculated as additional identifiable traits are identified.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to the total risk value exceeding the predetermined risk value, adding at least one of a caller identifier associated with the phone call to a list of known caller identifiers associated with spear-phishing or a phone number associated with the phone call to a list of known phone numbers associated with spear-phishing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phone call is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone call, a plain old telephone service (POTS) phone call, or a video phone call.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of identifiable traits includes a caller identifier of the phone call matching a known caller identifier associated with spear-phishing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of identifiable traits includes a phone number of the phone call matching a known phone number associated with spear-phishing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of identifiable traits includes voice analysis of the calling party being identified as a person known to be associated with spear-phishing.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of identifiable traits includes the calling party requesting key words or phrases, and wherein the key words or phrases include a bank account number, a social security number, or a credit card number.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:
responsive to an individual receiving a phone call from a calling party, determine whether the phone call has at least two identifiable traits from a set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, wherein the set of identifiable traits includes an identification via voice analysis of the calling party of a count of mispronounced words exceeding a predetermined number, an identification of a website being accessed by the individual during the phone conversation that requires personal information, an identification of a website being accessed by the individual during the phone conversation is not trusted by anti-virus protection, an identification of remote access or control of the data processing system being requested or given to the caller during the phone conversation, or an identification that the phone call originates from a blocked phone number, a private phone number, or otherwise unidentifiable phone number;
responsive to identifying that the phone call has at least two identifiable traits from the set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, identify an associated weighted risk value for each of the identified traits associated with the phone call from the set of identifiable traits;
calculate a total risk value using each weighted risk value associated with each identified trait associated with the phone call; and
responsive to the total risk value exceeding a predetermined risk value, notify the individual of the total risk value to enable the individual to take an appropriate action based on the total risk value.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein, as the phone call proceeds, the computer readable program further causes the computing device to recalculate the total risk value as additional identifiable traits are identified.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:
responsive to the total risk value exceeding the predetermined risk value, add, at least one of a caller identifier associated, with the phone call to a list of known caller identifiers associated with spear-phishing or a phone number associated with the phone call to a list of known phone numbers associated with spear-phishing.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the phone call is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone call, a plain old telephone service (POTS) phone call, or a video phone call.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
responsive to an individual receiving a phone call from a calling party, determine whether the phone call has at least two identifiable traits from a set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, wherein the set of identifiable traits includes an identification via voice analysis of the calling party of a count of mispronounced words exceeding a predetermined number, an identification of a website being accessed by the individual during the phone conversation that requires personal information, an identification of a website being accessed by the individual during the phone conversation is not trusted by anti-virus protection, an identification of remote access or control of the data processing system being requested or given to the caller during the phone conversation, or an identification that the phone call originates from a blocked phone number, a private phone number, or otherwise unidentifiable phone number;
responsive to identifying that the phone call has at least two identifiable traits from the set of identifiable traits that are identified as being associated with spear-phishing, identify an associated weighted risk value for each of the identified traits associated with the phone call from the set of identifiable traits;
calculate a total risk value using each weighted risk value associated with each identified trait associated with the phone call; and
responsive to the total risk value exceeding a predetermined risk value, notify the indiv

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bender Michael
• Childress Rhonda L
• Kumhyr David B
• Spisak Michael J

Classifications

• H04M2203/6027

  Fraud preventions · CPC title

• H04M3/42059

  Making use of the calling party identifier · CPC title

• H04M3/436 Primary

  Arrangements for screening incoming calls {, i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it (based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54)} · CPC title

• H04L63/1441

  Countermeasures against malicious traffic (countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002) · CPC title

• H04L63/1408

  by monitoring network traffic (monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00) · CPC title