Methods, media, and systems for detecting anomalous program executions

DC CAFC

US 8,601,322 B2
Filed: 11/21/2011
Issued: 12/03/2013
Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
Status: Active Grant

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First Claim

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1. A method for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:

executing at least a portion of a program in an emulator;

comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created at different times; and

identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.

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Abstract

Methods, media, and systems for detecting anomalous program executions are provided. In some embodiments, methods for detecting anomalous program executions are provided, comprising: executing at least a part of a program in an emulator; comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a part of the program; and identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison. In some embodiments, methods for detecting anomalous program executions are provided, comprising: modifying a program to include indicators of program-level function calls being made during execution of the program; comparing at least one of the indicators of program-level function calls made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a part of the program; and identifying a function call corresponding to the at least one of the indicators as anomalous based on the comparison.

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27 Claims

1. A method for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:
- executing at least a portion of a program in an emulator;
  
  comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created at different times; and
  
  identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- - 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the function call so that the function call becomes non-anomalous.
  - 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a virtualized error in response to the function call being identified as being anomalous.
  - 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing compares the function call name and arguments to the model.
  - 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the model reflects normal activity of the at least a portion of the program.
  - 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the model reflects attacks against the at least a portion of the program.
  - 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising randomly selecting at least a portion of the model to be used in the comparison from a plurality of different models relating to the program.
  - 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying another computer of the anomalous function call upon the function call being identified as anomalous.

2. A method for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:
- executing at least a portion of a program in an emulator;
  
  comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created using different computers; and
  
  identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:
- executing at least a portion of a program in an emulator;
  
  comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created at different times; and
  
  identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.
- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- - 12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises modifying the function call so that the function call becomes non-anomalous.
  - 13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises generating a virtualized error in response to the function call being identified as being anomalous.
  - 14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the comparing compares the function call name and arguments to the model.
  - 15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the model reflects normal activity of the at least a portion of the program.
  - 16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the model reflects attacks against the at least a portion of the program.
  - 17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises randomly selecting at least a portion of the model to be used in the comparison from a plurality of different models relating to the program.
  - 18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises notifying another computer of the anomalous function call upon the function call being identified as anomalous.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:
- executing at least a portion of a program in an emulator;
  
  comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created using different computers; and
  
  identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.

19. A system for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:
- a processor that;
  
  executes at least a portion of a program in an emulator;
  
  compares a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created at different times; and
  
  identifies the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.
- View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- - 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the method further comprising modifying the function call so that the function call becomes non-anomalous.
  - 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the method further comprising generating a virtualized error in response to the function call being identified as being anomalous.
  - 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the comparing compares the function call name and arguments to the model.
  - 23. The system of claim 19, wherein the model reflects normal activity of the at least a portion of the program.
  - 24. The system of claim 19, wherein the model reflects attacks against the at least a portion of the program.
  - 25. The system of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises randomly selecting at least a portion of the model to be used in the comparison from a plurality of different models relating to the program.
  - 26. The system of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises notifying another computer of the anomalous function call upon the function call being identified as anomalous.

27. A system for detecting anomalous program executions, comprising:
- a processor that;
  
  executes at least a portion of a program in an emulator;
  
  compares a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a portion of the program, wherein the model is a combined model created from at least two models created using different computers; and
  
  identifies the function call as anomalous based on the comparison.

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Current Assignee
Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
Original Assignee
Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
Inventors
Keromytis, Angelos D., Sidiroglou, Stylianos, Stolfo, Salvatore J.
Primary Examiner(s)
Iqbal, Nadeem

Application Number

US13/301,741
Publication Number

US 20120151270A1
Time in Patent Office

743 Days
Field of Search

714 28- 34, 714/37, 714/38.1, 714/38.11, 714/38.12, 714/39, 714/42, 714/47.2, 714 49- 51
US Class Current

714/38.1
CPC Class Codes

G06F 11/0718   in an object-oriented system

G06F 11/0751   Error or fault detection no...

G06F 11/0772   Means for error signaling, ...

G06F 11/079   Root cause analysis, i.e. e...

G06F 11/3652   in-circuit-emulation [ICE] ...

Methods, media, and systems for detecting anomalous program executions

First Claim

1 Assignment

Litigations

1 Petition

Accused Products

Abstract

70 Citations

27 Claims

Specification

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Methods, media, and systems for detecting anomalous program executions

First Claim

1 Assignment

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Litigations

1 Petition

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Accused Products

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Abstract

70 Citations

27 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

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