Symantec Corporation

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Zulfikar Ramzan

Sourabh Satish

Oliver Friedrichs

Andrea Del Miglio

A computer-implemented method for identifying fraudulent websites. The method may include identifying a fraudulent-website toolkit. The fraudulent-website toolkit may be programmed for use in creating a fraudulent website. The method may also include determining a characteristic of the fraudulent-website toolkit and using the characteristic of the fraudulent-website toolkit to identify a website created using the fraudulent-website toolkit. The website created using the fraudulent-website toolkit may be identified by searching for websites that comprise the characteristic of the fraudulent-website toolkit. The website created using the fraudulent-website toolkit may also be identified by determining that a web browser is attempting to access the website. Various other methods and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Methods and systems for identifying fraudulent websites

A callback component embedded on a web site determines a current location of the web site. The current location is compared to a known legitimate location of the web site to determine if the web site has been copied to a different host location. Responsive to determining that the web site has been copied to a different location, the callback component alerts a central authority that the web site may be a fraudulent web site set up to launch phishing attacks. If the central authority determines that the web site is fraudulent, the central authority alerts appropriate entities to take down the fraudulent web site. The callback component generates a visual component viewable on the web site to deter phishing attackers from removing the callback component when the web site is copied.

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Uhwiesen, Switzerland

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