Risk Ranking Referential Links in Electronic Messages

摘要

A computer system enables a business to reduce risks from phishing electronic messages. One or more original web links embedded in the electronic message may be replaced with a replacement web link. If the determined risk score for the original webpage is large enough webpage and the user clicks on the embedded web link, a user is directed to an intermediate webpage rather than to the original webpage. The intermediate webpage may provide details about the original webpage so that the user can make an informed choice whether to proceed to the original website. For example, the intermediate webpage may provide pertinent information to a user such as the actual domain of the remote site, the country the site is hosted in, how long the site has been online, and a rendered screen capture of the remote website, and/or a confidence score.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
at least one memory device; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to perform, based on instructions stored in the at least one memory: receiving a request, from one of a plurality of users, to access a replaced web link that is contained in an electronic message, wherein the replaced web link replaces an original web link that addresses an original webpage; obtaining a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors includes a social feedback metric indicative of a user action and represents a collective opinion of the original webpage regarding risk by other users of the plurality of users; weighting each of the plurality of factors to obtain weighted factors; determining a risk score of the original webpage from the weighted factors; when the risk score for the original webpage is greater than a first predetermined threshold, providing an intermediate webpage, wherein the intermediate webpage provides at least one webpage characteristic about the original webpage and displays a first selection option whether to access the original webpage and a second selection option not to access the original webpage; when the first selection option is selected from the intermediate webpage, accessing the original webpage; and updating a vote count about the social feedback metric for the original webpage based on the selected option.