Microsoft Corporation
DETECTION OF HIGH-RISK BLOBS BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF ASSOCIATED GRAPHICAL ELEMENTS

Abstract:

Efficient and effectiveness malware and phishing detection methods select specific objects of a document based on an analysis of associated graphical elements of a document rendering. A received document may include a number of blobs, which can include URLs or code that generates URLs that can present potential risks. The system can score and/or rank each blob and its corresponding URLs based on a size, shape, position, and/or other characteristics of a visual element associated with each blob. The score or rank can be increased for visual elements that are most likely to be selected by a user, such as large visual elements positioned near the center of a document. The system can then test individual URLs selected based a corresponding rank or score. The test can efficiently reveal the presence of malware or phishing tactics by forgoing tests on URLs that are not likely to be selected.