Mimecast Services Ltd.

Mimecast North America, Inc.

Steven Malone

Simon Paul Tyler

Jackie Anne Maylor

Wayne Van Ry

Francisco Ribeiro

Paul Sowden

Nathaniel S Borenstein

Peter Bauer

Gilly Benamram

Reinhard Uebel

The present disclosure relates generally to computer security, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for assisting a user in avoiding the accidental disclosure of confidential or sensitive information, as well as avoiding potential security breaches, including phishing and impersonation, malware, and security issues, particularly with respect to websites and electronic communications.

Systems and methods for threat detection and warning

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of data processing and electronic messaging systems, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for mediating a user's access to a resource to thereby prevent potential security breaches, including phishing and impersonation, malware, and security issues, particularly with respect to websites and electronic communications.

Systems and methods for mediating access to resources

Virtually every online account requires login credentials like username and password for access. Using different credentials for each account can reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access to these accounts. Remembering all the different credentials, however, can be a challenge and it is not uncommon for a user to mistakenly provide credentials to a site that are for another, sensitive site. Accordingly, a system for warning a user of such an error is provided. The system includes a browser plugin that responds to a user entering their credentials at a requesting site by looking up an identifier of a trusted site associated with the user's credentials. The identifiers of the requesting and trusted sites are compared, and if they do not match, the browser plugin blocks the user from submitting their credentials to the requesting site. Advantageously, the system reduces the likelihood that credentials to sensitive accounts are provided by accident.

User login credential warning system

A malware detection system based on stored data that analyzes an electronic message for threats by comparing it to previously received messages in a message archive or to a contacts list. Threat protection rules may be generated dynamically based on the message and contacts history. A message that appears suspicious may be blocked, or the system may insert warnings to the receiver not to provide personal information without verifying the message. Threat checks may look for unknown senders, senders with identities that are similar to but not identical to previous senders or to known contacts, or senders that were added only recently as contacts. Links embedded in messages may be checked by comparing them to links previously received or to domain names of known contacts. The system may flag messages as potential threats if they contradict previous messages, or if they appear unusual compared to the patterns of previous messages.

Malware detection system based on stored data

Today's user is facing an ever increasing number of cyber threats from infectious software to scam artist phishing for their passwords and other personal information. Accordingly, a technique is provided to mediate a user's access to electronic resources, which can include malware and sites that trick the user into giving their password. Based on information known about the resource at the time the user accesses it, the technique can warn the user that the resources is suspicious and it is not safe to provide their password. Even if the resource is safe, the technique can warn the user not reuse their password, thereby promoting good password hygiene.

Mediated access to resources

An electronic message threat protection system that incorporates user authorization to ensure that only authorized users receive the benefits of the system's protection. The system protects against threats such as phishing attacks or malware embedded in attached files. References to resources in messages, such as links or attachments, are transformed into protected references that may for example insert a level of indirection between the user and the resource. Use of a protected reference triggers a user authorization check; if the user is an authorized user, the system provides access via a security mechanism that mitigates potential threats. Unauthorized users are denied access. A message recipient may deliberately or inadvertently distribute copies of the message or of the protected references; however, the authorization check ensures that recipients of the copies can only access resources via these copies if they are authorized users.

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Berkshire, United Kingdom

Steven Malone