Methods and systems for enhancing electronic device security by causing the device to go into a mode for lost or stolen devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019342759-A1
Application number	US-201916513615-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Feb 17, 2009
Publication date	Nov 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhancing the security of an electronic device by causing the electronic device to go into a mode for lost or stolen devices after a security component receives information regarding an event at the electronic device and determines that the event indicates the electronic device is lost or stolen.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, event information regarding an event at a first electronic device; determining, by the processor, the event from the event information; determining, by the processor, that the event indicates the first electronic device is lost or stolen by:
comparing the event against a set of events indicative of the device being lost or stolen, and
determining that the event is one of the set of events;
instructing, by the processor, the first electronic device to go into a mode for lost or stolen devices, the instructing being automatic when the processor determines that the event indicates the first electronic device is lost or stolen.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the received event information includes a request from a user to send a command to the first electronic device; the determining, by the processor, the event from the event information includes determining the requested command from the request; and the determining, by the processor, that the event indicates the first electronic device is lost or stolen by includes:
comparing the requested command against a set of commands indicative of the device being lost or stolen, and
determining that the requested command is one of the set of commands.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in response to receiving the instructions to go into the mode, the first electronic device automatically performs at least one action.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one action includes:
hiding a software component; hiding an interface component related to the software component; preventing removal of the software component; reporting a location of the first electronic device; reporting actions performed on the first electronic device; or entering a lockdown mode.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one action results in the first electronic device acquiring data, the first electronic device subsequently transmitting the acquired data to the server, the at least one action including one or more of:
taking a picture; recording audio; recording video; collecting device state data; collecting device usage data; collecting physical information associated with the first electronic device; or determining a location of the first electronic device.

6 . The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying, by a remote access web page, at least one of:
an indication that the first electronic device is lost or stolen;
a location of the first electronic device;
a list of actions performed on the first electronic device; or
data received from the first electronic device.

7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
sending, by the processor, an email to a client device associated with the user, the email providing a first link corresponding to the user knowing the location of the first electronic device and a second link corresponding to the user not knowing the location of the first electronic device.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the request is received from a second electronic device, the method further comprising:
receiving, by the processor from the second electronic device, authentication information; comparing, by the processor, the authentication information to verification information; when the authentication information is verified by the comparison, combining the authentication information with a token to generate a remote access credential; and transmitting, by the processor, the remote access credential to the first electronic device along with the instruction to go into the mode for lost or stolen devices, wherein the first electronic device processes the instruction when the first electronic device determines that the remote access credential is valid.

9 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:
notifying, by the processor, an administrator that the first electronic device has been instructed to go into the mode for lost or stolen devices, the notification prompting the administrator to verify that the first electronic device went into the mode for lost or stolen devices.

10 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one action includes initiating a telephone call to a client device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the event includes one of: a SIM card replacement; a SIM card removal; a leaving of an area; an entering of the area; a motion of the first electronic device; an entering of an incorrect passcode; an attempt to uninstall an application; or an attempt to wipe the first electronic device.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the event includes the first electronic device not communicating with the server for a pre-determined amount of time; and going into the mode for lost or stolen devices results in the first electronic device being locked.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether communications with the server have been re-established; and
automatically unlocking the first electronic device, by the processor, when the determination is that communications with the server have been re-established.

14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
unlocking the first electronic device, by the processor while the first electronic device is not able to communicate with the server, in response to an entry of a password.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device includes the processor and the event information regards an activity involving the first electronic device.

16 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a server, cause the server to perform actions comprising:
receiving event information regarding an event at a first electronic device; determining the event from the event information; determining that the event indicates the first electronic device is lost or stolen by:
comparing the event against a set of events indicative of the device being lost or stolen, and
determining that the event is one of the set of events;
instructing the first electronic device to go into a mode for lost or stolen devices, the instructing being automatic when the server determines that the event indicates the first electronic device is lost or stolen.

17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:
the received event information includes a request from a user to send a command to the first electronic device; the determining the event from the event information includes determining the requested command from the request; and the determining that the event indicates the first electronic device is lost or stolen by includes:
comparing the requested command against a set of commands indicative of the device being lost or stolen, and
determining that the requested command is one of the set of commands.

18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the event includes one of: a SIM card replacement; a SIM card removal; a leaving of an area; an entering of the area; a motion of the first electronic device; an entering of an incorrect passcode; an attempt to uninstall an application; or an attempt to wipe the first electronic device.

19 . A system, comprising a server with a network interface and at least one processor and memory and instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the server to perform actions comprising:
receiving ev

Assignees

• Lookout Inc

Inventors

• Mahaffey Kevin Patrick
• Hering John G
• Burgess James David
• Grkov Vance
• Richardson David Luke
• Mandal Ayan
• Mangat Cherry
• Buck Brian James
• Robinson William

Classifications

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04W8/245

  from a network towards a terminal · CPC title

• G06F21/316

  by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour · CPC title

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• H04W12/08 Primary

  Access security · CPC title