In many enterprise and consumer environments, users of computing devices (e.g., mobile computing devices) may wish to restrict (i.e., lock) certain applications for preventing unintended access to application content or functionality by other users. For example, an owner or primary user of a mobile device may lock a messaging application prior to sharing their device with a friend so as to prevent the reading of personal messaging content and/or unauthorized use of the messaging application to send/reply to messages on the user's behalf.
Traditional solutions for locking mobile applications utilize mechanisms that prevent direct application access (e.g., preventing the launching of an application from a mobile device main/home user interface screen). However, these same mechanisms often fail to prevent access to locked mobile applications via alternative entry points from which a user may launch or engage with application specific content such as responding to messaging application notifications, accessing application shortcuts, and/or performing other application actions, thereby potentially compromising user privacy and mobile device security.
As will be described in greater detail below, the present disclosure describes various systems and methods for authenticating application points of entry to prevent unauthorized use of locked mobile applications.
In one example, a method for authenticating application points of entry to prevent unauthorized use of locked mobile applications may include (i) identifying, by one or more computing devices, one or more mobile applications having an access restriction and a group of application entry points associated with at least one mobile application function, (ii) intercepting, by the one or more computing devices, a series of device inputs from a user for accessing the application entry points to bypass the access restriction for the mobile applications, (iii) requesting, by the one or more computing devices, authentication credentials to bypass the access restriction from the application entry points, (iv) determining, by the one or more computing devices, that the requested authentication credentials are invalid, and (v) performing, by the one or more computing devices, a security action that protects against potentially malicious activity associated with unauthorized access to the mobile applications upon determining that the requested authentication credentials are invalid.
In some examples, the mobile applications may be identified by (i) accessing a mobile device manager list comprising a set of restricted mobile applications; and (ii) selecting a subset of the restricted mobile applications from the mobile device manager list. In some embodiments, the subset of the restricted mobile applications may include a group of frequently used restricted mobile applications from the mobile device manager list. Additionally or alternatively, the subset of the restricted mobile applications may include mobile applications selected by a user from the mobile device manager list.
In some examples, intercepting the series of device inputs for accessing application entry points that bypass the access restriction to the mobile applications may generating a transparent window over a user interface displayed by the computing devices to capture the device inputs. In some embodiments, the series of device inputs may include one or more user clicks in a user interface notification window generated by the restricted mobile applications. Additionally or alternatively, the series of device inputs may include one or more user clicks to access a shortcut menu listing actions for performing functions associated with the restricted mobile applications.
In some examples, the authentication credentials for bypassing the access restriction to the mobile applications may be requested by (i) identifying an authentication method associated with the mobile applications for receiving the authentication credentials and (ii) requesting the authentication credentials based on the authentication method.
In some examples, the security action that protects against potentially malicious activity associated with unauthorized access to the mobile applications may include preventing execution of unauthorized application actions from the application entry points to the mobile applications. Additionally or alternatively, the security action may include preventing a mobile device application launcher from initiating a startup of the mobile applications from the application entry points
In one embodiment, a system for authenticating application points of entry to prevent unauthorized use of locked mobile applications may include at least one physical processor and physical memory that includes computer-executable instructions and one or more modules that, when executed by the physical processor, cause the physical processor to (i) identify, by an identification module, one or more mobile applications having an access restriction and a group of application entry points associated with at least one mobile application function, (ii) intercept, by a capture module, a series of device inputs from a user for accessing the application entry points to bypass the access restriction for the mobile applications, (iii) request, by an authentication module, authentication credentials to bypass the access restriction from the application entry points, (iv) determine, by a determining module, that the requested authentication credentials are invalid, and (v) perform, by a security module, a security action that protects against potentially malicious activity associated with unauthorized access to the mobile applications upon determining that the requested authentication credentials are invalid.
In some examples, the above-described method may be encoded as computer-readable instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. For example, a computer-readable medium may include one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, may cause the computing device to (i) identify one or more mobile applications having an access restriction and a group of application entry points associated with at least one mobile application function, (ii) intercept a series of device inputs from a user for accessing the application entry points to bypass the access restriction for the mobile applications, (iii) request authentication credentials to bypass the access restriction from the application entry points (iv) determine that the requested authentication credentials are invalid, and (v) perform a security action that protects against potentially malicious activity associated with unauthorized access to the mobile applications upon determining that the requested authentication credentials are invalid.
Features from any of the embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one another in accordance with the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be more fully understood upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of example embodiments and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of the present disclosure.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the example embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the example embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.
The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for authenticating application points of entry to prevent unauthorized use of locked mobile applications. As will be explained in greater detail below, by generating a transparent window over a mobile device user interface (UI) to intercept user clicks received for entry points that bypass an application lock feature for mobile applications, the systems and methods described herein may prevent unintended access to locked mobile applications by requiring authentication (e.g., a password) prior to allowing the bypass. By providing for the authentication of click requests for accessing application entry points in this way, the systems and methods described herein may protect users from unintended access to locked mobile applications (and associated application data) that may result when sharing their mobile device with others.
In addition, the systems and methods described herein may improve the functioning of a computing device and/or the technical field of computer device security, by preventing potentially malicious activity that may compromise the operation of the computing device. For example, the systems and methods described herein may prevent the use of malicious auto clickers installed on a mobile computing device for accessing application entry points into locked mobile applications and further utilizing these applications for malicious purposes (e.g., downloading and installing malware designed to damage or disable the mobile device).
The following will provide, with reference to
In certain embodiments, one or more of modules 102 in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Example system 100 in
As will be described in greater detail below, one or more of modules 102 from
For example, identification module 104 may identify locked mobile applications 114 having an access restriction associated with at least one mobile application function (e.g., directly launching the application from a user interface generated by a mobile device operating system). Next, capture module 106 may intercept device inputs 116 from a user 208 for accessing application entry points 118 to bypass access restrictions for locked mobile applications 114. Then, authentication module 108 may request authentication credentials 122 to allow user 208 to bypass the access restrictions for locked mobile applications 114 using application entry points 118. Next, determining module 110 may determine invalid authentication credentials 210 based on receiving incorrect information in response to the previously requested authentication credentials 122. Finally, security module 112 may perform a security action that protects against potentially malicious activity associated with unauthorized access to locked mobile applications 114 upon the determination of invalid authentication credentials 210.
Computing device 202 generally represents any type or form of computing device capable of reading computer-executable instructions. For example, computing device 202 may include an endpoint device capable of running a mobile operating system (e.g., the ANDROID mobile operating system or the iOS mobile operating system) for managing various applications (including applications downloaded from application distribution platforms) that may be utilized by one or more users. Additional examples of computing device 202 include, without limitation, laptops, tablets, desktops, servers, cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), multimedia players, embedded systems, wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, smart glasses, etc.), smart vehicles, smart packaging (e.g., active or intelligent packaging), gaming consoles, so-called Internet-of-Things devices (e.g., smart appliances, etc.), variations or combinations of one or more of the same, and/or any other suitable computing device.
Server 206 generally represents any type or form of computing device that is capable of reading computer-executable instructions. In one example, server 206 may be an application server hosting an application distribution platform 214 for distributing applications to computing device 202. Additional examples of server 206 include, without limitation, security servers, application servers, web servers, storage servers, and/or database servers configured to run certain software applications and/or provide various security, web, storage, and/or database services. Although illustrated as a single entity in
Network 204 generally represents any medium or architecture capable of facilitating communication or data transfer. In one example, network 204 may facilitate communication between computing device 202 and server 206. In this example, network 204 may facilitate communication or data transfer using wireless and/or wired connections. Examples of network 204 include, without limitation, an intranet, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), the Internet, Power Line Communications (PLC), a cellular network (e.g., a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network), portions of one or more of the same, variations or combinations of one or more of the same, and/or any other suitable network.
As illustrated in
The term “locked mobile applications,” as used herein, generally refers to any application capable of being utilized on a mobile computing device for which access to various application functions has been restricted by a mobile operating system. For example, a user of a mobile computing device may access a “Settings” option provided by the mobile operating system and select an option that restricts access to an e-mail or messaging application (so as to prevent these applications from being launched from a main UI screen on the mobile computing device) prior to a device handover to a guest user for viewing shareable content (e.g., video or photographs that include the guest user).
The term “application entry points,” as used herein, generally refers to any access method on a mobile computing device capable of bypassing access restrictions associated with locked mobile applications. In some examples, access methods for locked mobile applications may include, without limitation, displayed application notifications that allow user input (e.g., performing read, reply, and/or other actions on incoming text messages, chats, or e-mails associated with messaging applications), shortcuts for launching and performing locked mobile application functions (e.g., launching or performing application functions for a locked mobile application by making a voice query to a mobile computing device virtual assistant, launching an application from an application distribution platform for a mobile device operating system to launch a locked mobile application, utilizing a “smart text selection feature” that presents a target application shortcut (e.g., to a locked mapping service application) following the selection of text in a source application (e.g., a selected address in a web browser application)), etc.
Identification module 104 may identify locked mobile applications 114 in a variety of ways. In one example, identification module 104 may access a mobile device manager application for a list of all locked mobile applications 114 on computing device 202 (e.g., via a mobile device accessibility service or a mobile device application usage manager). In some embodiments, each locked mobile application 114 may be identified by a unique identifier (ID) (e.g., a package name). In some embodiments, locked mobile applications 114 may represent a subset of a larger list of locked mobile applications on computing device 202 that have either been previously selected by a user or automatically selected by identification module 104 for the authentication of application entry points 118. For example, in one embodiment, identification module 104 may be configured to select the most used mobile applications in a given geographical region as locked mobile applications 114.
At step 304 one or more of the systems described herein may intercept a series of device inputs from a user for accessing the application entry points to bypass the access restriction for the mobile applications. For example, capture module 106 may, as part of computing device 202 in
Capture module 106 may intercept device inputs 116 in a variety of ways. In some embodiments, capture module 106 may initiate a call to an application programming interface (API) in communication with an operating system running on computing device 202 to generate a transparent window over a currently displayed UI for capturing user clicks for accessing application entry points 118 from user 208. For example, capture module 106 may call an API to generate a transparent window over a displayed notification UI dialog window that includes user options to read and/or reply to messages received by a locked messaging application, upon detecting one or more user clicks in the notification UI dialog window.
At step 306 one or more of the systems described herein may request authentication credentials to bypass the access restriction from the application entry points. For example, authentication module 108 may, as part of computing device 202 in
Authentication module 108 may request authentication credentials 122 in a variety of ways. In some embodiments, authentication module 108 may generate an authentication UI window for receiving credentials from user 208 following the interception of device inputs 116 intended to access application entry points 118 for a locked mobile application 114. In some embodiments, authentication module 108 may identify an authentication method associated with locked mobile applications 114 and request the authentication credentials 122 based on the authentication method. Example authentication methods may include, without limitation, passcodes, passwords, biometric inputs, pattern inputs, and/or gesture inputs set by a primary user of computing device 202 (e.g., the user selecting locked mobile applications 114 on computing device 202).
At step 308 one or more of the systems described herein may determine that the requested authentication credentials are invalid. For example, determining module 110 may, as part of computing device 202 in
Determining module 110 may determine invalid authentication credentials 210 in a variety of ways. For example, determining module 110 may compare credentials received by authentication module 108 with previously stored credentials associated with locked mobile applications 114 by a primary user of computing device 202.
At step 312 one or more of the systems described herein may perform a security action that protects against potentially malicious activity associated with unauthorized access to the mobile applications upon determining that the requested authentication credentials are invalid. For example, security module 112 may, as part of computing device 202 in
Security module 112 may perform threat protection actions 212 in a variety of ways. In some examples, based on invalid authentication credentials 210, security module 112 may prevent the execution of application actions (e.g., replying to messages in a messaging application or launching mobile applications) from application entry points 118 that were intended to be prevented by a primary user of computing device 202 for locked mobile applications 114.
Example user interfaces 400 also includes a UI display 420 for a mobile computing device. In some embodiments, UI display 420 may include locked mobile application 430. UI display 402 also shows application entry points for locked mobile applications 430 and 432 (i.e., messaging notification windows 422 and 426) that include options for responding to or reading messages. As described above with respect to
As described in connection with method 300 above, the systems and methods described herein may authenticating application points of entry to prevent unauthorized use of locked mobile applications. In some examples, the systems described herein may include a threat protection application in communication with a mobile device operating system (such as the ANDROID or iOS mobile operating systems). The systems described herein may further be utilized to generate a transparent window over a mobile UI to intercept received user clicks for making entry points for applications configured as locked applications while leaving remaining mobile device functionality intact. The locked applications may be identified via unique ID assigned by an accessibility service or an application usage statistics manager (i.e., “usage stats manager”) for the mobile device operating system. Upon intercepting the user clicks for making the application entry points, the systems described herein may require a requesting user to authenticate the click request, thereby protecting against other users potentially performing operations on locked applications (via application entry points) following mobile device user handovers.
Computing system 610 broadly represents any single or multi-processor computing device or system capable of executing computer-readable instructions. Examples of computing system 610 include, without limitation, workstations, laptops, client-side terminals, servers, distributed computing systems, handheld devices, or any other computing system or device. In its most basic configuration, computing system 610 may include at least one processor 614 and a system memory 616.
Processor 614 generally represents any type or form of physical processing unit (e.g., a hardware-implemented central processing unit) capable of processing data or interpreting and executing instructions. In certain embodiments, processor 614 may receive instructions from a software application or module. These instructions may cause processor 614 to perform the functions of one or more of the example embodiments described and/or illustrated herein.
System memory 616 generally represents any type or form of volatile or non-volatile storage device or medium capable of storing data and/or other computer-readable instructions. Examples of system memory 616 include, without limitation, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), flash memory, or any other suitable memory device. Although not required, in certain embodiments computing system 610 may include both a volatile memory unit (such as, for example, system memory 616) and a non-volatile storage device (such as, for example, primary storage device 632, as described in detail below). In one example, one or more of modules 102 from
In some examples, system memory 616 may store and/or load an operating system 640 for execution by processor 614. In one example, operating system 640 may include and/or represent software that manages computer hardware and software resources and/or provides common services to computer programs and/or applications on computing system 610. Examples of operating system 640 include, without limitation, LINUX, JUNOS, MICROSOFT WINDOWS, WINDOWS MOBILE, MAC OS, APPLE'S 10S, UNIX, GOOGLE CHROME OS, GOOGLE'S ANDROID, SOLARIS, variations of one or more of the same, and/or any other suitable operating system.
In certain embodiments, example computing system 610 may also include one or more components or elements in addition to processor 614 and system memory 616. For example, as illustrated in
Memory controller 618 generally represents any type or form of device capable of handling memory or data or controlling communication between one or more components of computing system 610. For example, in certain embodiments memory controller 618 may control communication between processor 614, system memory 616, and I/O controller 620 via communication infrastructure 612.
I/O controller 620 generally represents any type or form of module capable of coordinating and/or controlling the input and output functions of a computing device. For example, in certain embodiments I/O controller 620 may control or facilitate transfer of data between one or more elements of computing system 610, such as processor 614, system memory 616, communication interface 622, display adapter 626, input interface 630, and storage interface 634.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Additionally or alternatively, example computing system 610 may include additional I/O devices. For example, example computing system 610 may include I/O device 636. In this example, I/O device 636 may include and/or represent a user interface that facilitates human interaction with computing system 610. Examples of I/O device 636 include, without limitation, a computer mouse, a keyboard, a monitor, a printer, a modem, a camera, a scanner, a microphone, a touchscreen device, variations or combinations of one or more of the same, and/or any other I/O device.
Communication interface 622 broadly represents any type or form of communication device or adapter capable of facilitating communication between example computing system 610 and one or more additional devices. For example, in certain embodiments communication interface 622 may facilitate communication between computing system 610 and a private or public network including additional computing systems. Examples of communication interface 622 include, without limitation, a wired network interface (such as a network interface card), a wireless network interface (such as a wireless network interface card), a modem, and any other suitable interface. In at least one embodiment, communication interface 622 may provide a direct connection to a remote server via a direct link to a network, such as the Internet. Communication interface 622 may also indirectly provide such a connection through, for example, a local area network (such as an Ethernet network), a personal area network, a telephone or cable network, a cellular telephone connection, a satellite data connection, or any other suitable connection.
In certain embodiments, communication interface 622 may also represent a host adapter configured to facilitate communication between computing system 610 and one or more additional network or storage devices via an external bus or communications channel. Examples of host adapters include, without limitation, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) host adapters, Universal Serial Bus (USB) host adapters, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 host adapters, Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Parallel ATA (PATA), Serial ATA (SATA), and External SATA (eSATA) host adapters, Fibre Channel interface adapters, Ethernet adapters, or the like. Communication interface 622 may also allow computing system 610 to engage in distributed or remote computing. For example, communication interface 622 may receive instructions from a remote device or send instructions to a remote device for execution.
In some examples, system memory 616 may store and/or load a network communication program 638 for execution by processor 614. In one example, network communication program 638 may include and/or represent software that enables computing system 610 to establish a network connection 642 with another computing system (not illustrated in
Although not illustrated in this way in
As illustrated in
In certain embodiments, storage devices 632 and 633 may be configured to read from and/or write to a removable storage unit configured to store computer software, data, or other computer-readable information. Examples of suitable removable storage units include, without limitation, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, a flash memory device, or the like. Storage devices 632 and 633 may also include other similar structures or devices for allowing computer software, data, or other computer-readable instructions to be loaded into computing system 610. For example, storage devices 632 and 633 may be configured to read and write software, data, or other computer-readable information. Storage devices 632 and 633 may also be a part of computing system 610 or may be a separate device accessed through other interface systems.
Many other devices or subsystems may be connected to computing system 610. Conversely, all of the components and devices illustrated in
The computer-readable medium containing the computer program may be loaded into computing system 610. All or a portion of the computer program stored on the computer-readable medium may then be stored in system memory 616 and/or various portions of storage devices 632 and 633. When executed by processor 614, a computer program loaded into computing system 610 may cause processor 614 to perform and/or be a means for performing the functions of one or more of the example embodiments described and/or illustrated herein. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the example embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may be implemented in firmware and/or hardware. For example, computing system 610 may be configured as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) adapted to implement one or more of the example embodiments disclosed herein.
Client systems 710, 720, and 730 generally represent any type or form of computing device or system, such as example computing system 610 in
As illustrated in
Servers 740 and 745 may also be connected to a Storage Area Network (SAN) fabric 780. SAN fabric 780 generally represents any type or form of computer network or architecture capable of facilitating communication between a plurality of storage devices. SAN fabric 780 may facilitate communication between servers 740 and 745 and a plurality of storage devices 790(1)-(N) and/or an intelligent storage array 795. SAN fabric 780 may also facilitate, via network 750 and servers 740 and 745, communication between client systems 710, 720, and 730 and storage devices 790(1)-(N) and/or intelligent storage array 795 in such a manner that devices 790(1)-(N) and array 795 appear as locally attached devices to client systems 710, 720, and 730. As with storage devices 760(1)-(N) and storage devices 770(1)-(N), storage devices 790(1)-(N) and intelligent storage array 795 generally represent any type or form of storage device or medium capable of storing data and/or other computer-readable instructions.
In certain embodiments, and with reference to example computing system 610 of
In at least one embodiment, all or a portion of one or more of the example embodiments disclosed herein may be encoded as a computer program and loaded onto and executed by server 740, server 745, storage devices 760(1)-(N), storage devices 770(1)-(N), storage devices 790(1)-(N), intelligent storage array 795, or any combination thereof. All or a portion of one or more of the example embodiments disclosed herein may also be encoded as a computer program, stored in server 740, run by server 745, and distributed to client systems 710, 720, and 730 over network 750.
As detailed above, computing system 610 and/or one or more components of network architecture 700 may perform and/or be a means for performing, either alone or in combination with other elements, one or more steps of an example method for authenticating application points of entry to prevent unauthorized use of locked mobile applications.
While the foregoing disclosure sets forth various embodiments using specific block diagrams, flowcharts, and examples, each block diagram component, flowchart step, operation, and/or component described and/or illustrated herein may be implemented, individually and/or collectively, using a wide range of hardware, software, or firmware (or any combination thereof) configurations. In addition, any disclosure of components contained within other components should be considered example in nature since many other architectures can be implemented to achieve the same functionality.
In some examples, all or a portion of example system 100 in
In various embodiments, all or a portion of example system 100 in
According to various embodiments, all or a portion of example system 100 in
In some examples, all or a portion of example system 100 in
In addition, all or a portion of example system 100 in
In some embodiments, all or a portion of example system 100 in
According to some examples, all or a portion of example system 100 in
The process parameters and sequence of steps described and/or illustrated herein are given by way of example only and can be varied as desired. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or described herein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various example methods described and/or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.
While various embodiments have been described and/or illustrated herein in the context of fully functional computing systems, one or more of these example embodiments may be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, regardless of the particular type of computer-readable media used to actually carry out the distribution. The embodiments disclosed herein may also be implemented using software modules that perform certain tasks. These software modules may include script, batch, or other executable files that may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or in a computing system. In some embodiments, these software modules may configure a computing system to perform one or more of the example embodiments disclosed herein.
In addition, one or more of the modules described herein may transform data, physical devices, and/or representations of physical devices from one form to another. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the modules recited herein may transform a processor, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and/or any other portion of a physical computing device from one form to another by executing on the computing device, storing data on the computing device, and/or otherwise interacting with the computing device.
The preceding description has been provided to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize various aspects of the example embodiments disclosed herein. This example description is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. Reference should be made to the appended claims and their equivalents in determining the scope of the present disclosure.
Unless otherwise noted, the terms “connected to” and “coupled to” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as permitting both direct and indirect (i.e., via other elements or components) connection. In addition, the terms “a” or “an,” as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as meaning “at least one of.” Finally, for ease of use, the terms “including” and “having” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the word “comprising.”
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20130078949 | Pecen | Mar 2013 | A1 |
20180332033 | Lakhani | Nov 2018 | A1 |