Patent Description:
Increasingly, organizations and individuals face various cybersecurity threats through electronic communications. Some increasingly common cybersecurity threats include spam or phishing messages, particularly those deployed through text messaging and other related communications. The techniques used by spammers and phishers have become more advanced in order to circumvent existing spam filtering products. In many instances, it may be difficult to track suspicious or questionable messages for efficient and effective combatting of cybersecurity threats deployed through these types of electronic communications.

Patent Application Publication No. <CIT> discloses a feedback loop system and method that facilitates classifying items in connection with spam prevention. The described technologies make uses of a machine-learning approach as applied to spam filters, and in particular, randomly samples incoming email messages so that examples of both legitimate and junk/spam mail are obtained to generate sets of training data. Preselected individuals serve as spam fighters and participate in categorizing respective replications (which optionally can be slightly modified) of the samples.

Further, European Patent Application Publication No. <CIT> relates to systems and methods for filtering spam destined for mobile communication devices communicating with a wireless network.

Aspects of the disclosure provide technical solutions that overcome one or more of the technical problems described above and/or other technical challenges. For instance, one or more aspects of the disclosure relate to receiving a character-limited message as it is being transmitted towards a user device, determining that the character-limited message includes suspicious content (e.g., is likely spam), modifying the character-limited message to include one or more special characters, causing the modified character-limited message to be delivered to an intended recipient, receiving a spam report that includes the modified character-limited message, identifying the one or more special characters included in the message, and adjusting one or more filters based on identifying the one or more special characters.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a computing platform having at least one processor, a communication interface, and memory may receive, via the communication interface, a character-limited message sent to a user device. Subsequently, the computing platform may detect that the character-limited message sent to the user device includes suspicious content. Then, the computing platform may generate a modified character-limited message by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message and causing transmission of the modified character-limited message to the user device. Next, the computing platform may receive, via the communication interface, from the user device, a spam report that includes the modified character-limited message. Then, the computing platform may identify a presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message. Thereafter, the computing platform may adjust one or more filters based on identifying the presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message.

In some embodiments, the one or more special characters may include one or more unprintable characters.

In some embodiments, generating the modified character-limited message may include selecting and inserting different special characters, indicating different confidence levels, into the character-limited message.

In some embodiments, detecting that the character-limited message sent to the user device includes suspicious content may include determining a confidence level indicative of a degree to which the suspicious content is actually malicious, and inserting the one or more special characters into the character-limited message may include selecting at least one specific character for insertion based on the at least one specific character corresponding to the determined confidence level.

In some embodiments, the one or more special characters may indicate a type of messaging associated with the character-limited message sent to the user device.

In some embodiments, the computing platform may, prior to detecting that the character-limited message sent to the user device includes suspicious content, classify the character-limited message based on message type.

In some embodiments, generating the modified character-limited message by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message may include: detecting a length of the character-limited message; and inserting the one or more special characters based on a number of available unused characters in the character-limited message.

In some embodiments, generating the modified character-limited message by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message may include: prioritizing the one or more special characters for insertion based on one or more criteria; and inserting the one or more special characters based on the prioritization.

In some embodiments, the character-limited message may include at least one of a short message service (SMS) message or a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message.

In some embodiments, adjusting the one or more filters may include modifying one or more filter criteria based on an aggregate of character-limited messages identified as including actually suspicious content.

In some embodiments, adjusting the one or more filters may include allowing relatively more of the character-limited messages to pass through to user devices.

In some embodiments, the computing platform may: receive, via the communication interface, an additional character-limited message sent to the user device; based on the adjusted one or more filters, detect that the additional character-limited message sent to the user device includes suspicious content; and based on detecting that the additional character-limited message sent to the user device includes suspicious content, execute one or more security actions.

In some embodiments, executing the one or more security actions may include blocking the additional character-limited message or inserting a warning message into the additional character-limited message.

These features, along with many others, are discussed in greater detail below.

In the following description of various illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Various connections between elements are discussed in the following description. It is noted that these connections are general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, wired or wireless, and that the specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect.

Some aspects of the disclosure relate to improving security in electronic communications between users and/or communications sent from organization to users. One or more aspects of the disclosure thus provide technical solutions to various technical problems associated with detecting and protecting against cybersecurity threats in text messages (e.g., SMS messages). For example, inserting unprintable tracking characters into text messages may enable a cybersecurity server to track questionable messages and tune or otherwise refine message filters based on messages with these tracking characters subsequently being reported as spam. Additionally, solutions described herein may be used for messages that are edge cases under current classification models or that fall into gray areas in which it is preferable to err on the side of not blocking the message (e.g., political messages).

<FIG> depicts an illustrative operating environment for detecting and protecting against cybersecurity attacks in accordance with one or more example embodiments. Referring to <FIG>, computing environment <NUM> may include various computer systems, computing devices, networks, and/or other operating infrastructure. For example, computing environment <NUM> may include a message transmitting device <NUM>, messaging service centers <NUM> and <NUM>, a message security computing platform <NUM>, a client device <NUM>, and one or more network(s) <NUM>.

Network(s) <NUM> may include one or more wired networks and/or one or more wireless networks that interconnect the message transmitting device <NUM>, messaging service centers <NUM> and <NUM>, message security computing platform <NUM>, client device <NUM>, and/or other computer systems and/or devices. In addition, each of the message transmitting device <NUM>, messaging service centers <NUM> and <NUM>, message security computing platform <NUM>, and client device <NUM>, may be special purpose computing devices configured to perform specific functions, as illustrated in greater detail below, and may include specific computing components such as processors, memories, communication interfaces, and/or the like.

Message security computing platform <NUM> may include one or more processor(s) <NUM>, one or more memory(s) <NUM>, and one or more communication interface(s) <NUM>. In some instances, message security computing platform <NUM> may be made up of a plurality of different computing devices (e.g., arranged as a computing platform), which may be distributed within a single data center or a plurality of different data centers. In these instances, the one or more processor(s) <NUM>, one or more memory(s) <NUM>, and one or more communication interface(s) <NUM> included in message security computing platform <NUM> may be part of and/or otherwise associated with the different computing devices that form message security computing platform <NUM>.

In one or more arrangements, processor(s) <NUM> may control operations of message security computing platform <NUM>. Memory(s) <NUM> may store instructions that, when executed by processor(s) <NUM>, cause message security computing platform <NUM> to perform one or more functions, as discussed below. Communication interface(s) <NUM> may include one or more wired and/or wireless network interfaces, and communication interface(s) <NUM> may connect message security computing platform <NUM> to one or more networks (e.g., network <NUM>) and/or enable message security computing platform <NUM> to exchange information and/or otherwise communicate with one or more devices connected to such networks.

In one or more arrangements, memory(s) <NUM> may store and/or otherwise provide a plurality of modules (which may, e.g., include instructions that may be executed by processor(s) <NUM> to cause message security computing platform <NUM> to perform various functions) and/or databases (which may, e.g., store data used by message security computing platform <NUM> in performing various functions). For example, memory(s) <NUM> may store and/or otherwise provide message security module 132a and message security database 132b. In some instances, message security module 132a may store instructions that cause message security computing platform <NUM> to execute one or more other functions described herein. Additionally, message security database 132b may store data that is used by message security computing platform <NUM> in executing one or more other functions described herein.

Message transmitting device <NUM> may be configured to send character-limited messages using a communications service (e.g., SMS). The message transmitting device <NUM> may be a client device used by a user (e.g., in the case of one user sending an SMS to another user) or alternately could be a non-user device. For example, server devices are often used to send character-limited messages to large numbers of users, e.g., for notification purposes, for spam purposes, or sometimes to send malicious content as part of a cybersecurity attack. The message transmitting device <NUM> thus may include any device that sends a character-limited message for any purpose.

Client device <NUM> may be configured to be used by respective users (who may, e.g., be employees of an enterprise organization and/or customers of a communications service provider) to receive character-limited messages from the message transmitting device <NUM>, as well as to send character-limited messages. The client devices could be user-owned devices, employer-provided devices, or other types of devices used by respective users. The client device <NUM> may be configured to present one or more user interfaces associated with messaging functions as described below.

As will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill, a communication system will have many client devices, and any given client device may be able to receive and send various types of messages, including character-limited messages, from and to any number of other devices, but the message transmitting device <NUM> and client device <NUM> described herein represent a respective sender and recipient in an example character-limited message transmission used to illustrate aspects of the disclosure. Thus, although the examples below describe the message transmitting device <NUM> sending exemplary character-limited message(s) to the client device <NUM>, some aspects of the disclosure may include many client and/or message transmitting devices, all capable of sending various messages, including character-limited messages, to each other.

Messaging service centers <NUM> and/or <NUM> may be devices used by one or more communications service providers to forward electronic communications between devices, including to and from the message transmitting device <NUM> and the client device <NUM>. As an example, the messaging service center may be and/or include an SMS-C (short message service center). The messaging service centers <NUM> and <NUM> may be located within communication networks that provide communication services to the message transmitting device <NUM> and/or client device <NUM>. In one example, the messaging service center <NUM> may be part of a cellular or other network providing communications service to the messaging transmitting device <NUM>, and the messaging service center <NUM> may be part of a cellular or other network providing communications service to the client device <NUM>. In another example, both messaging service center <NUM>, <NUM> may be part of a cellular network providing communications service to the client device <NUM>, and the message transmitting device <NUM> might not have a wireless cellular communication.

Character-limited messages may include any message that can only fit a maximum number of characters in a single message. One example of a character-limited message is a short message service (SMS) message because SMS messages can only fit <NUM> characters in a single message. Similarly, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message is a character-limited message. Alternatively, a character-limited message may be any type of message with a character limit, including character-limited messages sent using social media networks and/or websites, other types of character-limited text messages besides SMS/MMS, and/or instant messages with a character limit.

<FIG> depict two illustrative logical flows for detecting and protecting against cybersecurity attacks in accordance with one or more example embodiments. Referring to <FIG>, in some cases message security computing platform <NUM> may be outside the message flow of one or more example character-limited message(s). In this example, the character-limited message(s) sent by the message transmitting device <NUM> to the client device <NUM> may be initially received by the messaging service center <NUM>. As described in more detail below, the messaging service center <NUM> may be configured to, prior to forwarding the message(s) on to messaging service center <NUM>, first send the received message(s) to the message security computing platform <NUM> for a security check and/or modification, and the message security computing platform <NUM>, in turn, may be configured to respond by indicating the original message(s) should be dropped and new and/or modified character-limited message(s) should be injected instead, as further described in detail below. The messaging service center <NUM> would then forward the injected character-limited message(s) on to the messaging service center <NUM> for eventual delivery to the client device <NUM>. Thus, in this example architecture, the message security computing platform <NUM> need not be tightly integrated into a communication provider network. Although <FIG> illustrates two messaging service center devices within the message flow, fewer or more messaging service center devices could be included in a flow (e.g., depending on the distance between the message transmitting device <NUM> and client device <NUM>, a particular network architecture, whether the message is sent across networks or within a network, etc.). Additionally, other devices could be included in a flow. Additionally or alternatively, the messaging service center <NUM> (instead of the messaging service center <NUM>) could send the message(s) to the message security computing platform <NUM> for checking and/or modification.

Referring to <FIG>, in some cases the message security computing platform <NUM> may be within a message flow. In this example, the message security computing platform <NUM> may be integrated into one or more particular provider network(s), such that example character-limited message(s) may be received by the message security computing platform <NUM> from a message transmitting device <NUM> and/or messaging service center <NUM>, and may then perform security checking and/or modification before forwarding the new and/or modified message(s) on towards the client device <NUM> for delivery. Thus, in this example, the message security computing platform <NUM> may be tightly integrated into the messaging flow, which may be faster and more efficient.

<FIG> depict an illustrative event sequence for detecting and protecting against cybersecurity attacks in accordance with one or more example embodiments. Referring to <FIG>, at step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may receive, via a communication interface (e.g., communication interface <NUM>), one or more character-limited messages for delivery to a user device (e.g., client device <NUM>). In some cases, only a single message may be received at a time, and the message security computing platform <NUM> may follow the steps described below for each individual message separately. In some cases, multiple messages may be received together or shortly apart, and the message security computing platform <NUM> may act on the multiple messages together as part of the process described below. For example, if multiple messages are received within a time period (e.g., one second), the messages may be treated together. At step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may classify the character-limited message(s) based on message type (e.g., a political message, an informative message, an advertisement, a public safety message, a notification or alert message, a personal message, a botnet message, etc.). At step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may detect that the character-limited message(s) sent to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>) includes suspicious content. For example, the message security computing platform <NUM> may scan or evaluate the message for suspicious content and determine that the message is likely a spam message.

At step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may detect a length of the character-limited message(s). This information may be used later on to allow the message security computing platform <NUM> to modify the character-limited message(s) without going over the character limit for the message.

Referring to <FIG>, at step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may generate modified character-limited message(s) by inserting one or more special characters (e.g., identifiers) into the character-limited message(s). In addition, the one or more special characters may include one or more unprintable characters (e.g., hidden characters that are not visible, but are present, on a display device). Additionally or alternatively, the one or more special characters may include a glottal stop, a control character, a special letter or symbol (e.g., mathematical symbol, currency symbol), a punctuation mark, an accented letter, a letter from the European alphabet, a letter from the Greek alphabet, and/or the like. In addition, the message security computing platform <NUM> may insert the special characters at any location within the character-limited message(s) (e.g., at the beginning or the end of the message, or elsewhere in the message).

In some examples, in generating the modified character-limited message(s), the message security computing platform <NUM> may select and insert different characters, or different sets or sequences of characters (e.g., special characters), into the character-limited message(s) to indicate different confidence levels (e.g., high, medium, or low confidence that the suspicious content is actually suspicious) and/or classification results produced by the message security computing platform <NUM> when evaluating the message. Additionally or alternatively, in generating the modified character-limited message(s) by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message(s), the message security computing platform <NUM> may insert the one or more special characters based on a number of available unused characters in the character-limited message(s) (e.g., such that the one or more special characters can fit within a single message without going over the character limit for the message), thereby avoiding message subparts.

Additionally or alternatively, in generating the modified character-limited message(s) by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message(s), the message security computing platform <NUM> may select or prioritize the one or more special characters for insertion based on one or more criteria and insert the one or more special characters based on the prioritization. For instance, within a set of six special characters (e.g., identifiers), each special character indicating a different trust level of the message was when it was originally scanned, some identifiers may be prioritized. In addition, if there is only space to insert four special characters into the character-limited message (e.g., there are only four available unused characters in the character-limited message), then only four special characters may be selected and used.

In some examples, the one or more special characters (which may, e.g., be selected and inserted by the message security computing platform <NUM>) may indicate a type of messaging (e.g., application-to-person (A2P) messaging vs. person-to-person (P2P) messaging) associated with the character-limited message(s) sent to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>).

In some examples, in detecting that the character-limited message(s) sent to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>) includes suspicious content, the message security computing platform <NUM> may determine a confidence level indicative of a degree to which the suspicious content is actually suspicious. In addition, in generating modified character-limited message(s) by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message(s), the message security computing platform <NUM> may select at least one specific character for insertion based on the at least one specific character corresponding to the determined confidence level.

At steps 306A/306B, the message security computing platform <NUM> may cause transmission of the modified character-limited message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>). Step 306A may be performed in a system set up according to the example first architecture of <FIG>. In this example, the message security computing platform <NUM> is not part of the message flow, so the message security computing platform <NUM> may instruct the messaging service center <NUM> from which it received the one or more character-limited messages in step <NUM> to drop the original one or more character-limited messages and inject the modified one or more character-limited messages (e.g., as modified at step <NUM>) into the message flow in place of the dropped message(s). Thus, the message security computing platform <NUM> may transmit one or more instructions to the messaging service center <NUM> to cause the replacement of the original message(s) with the modified message(s), and the messaging service center <NUM> in turn may then prevent transmission of the original message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>), and instead transmit the modified message(s) on to the next device in the message flow pathway (e.g., messaging service center <NUM>), which in turn transmits the modified message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>). The one or more instructions may include the full content of the modified message(s) and/or instructions for how the messaging service center <NUM> can modify the original message(s) to obtain the modified message(s). For example, the message security computing platform <NUM> may indicate to the messaging service center <NUM> where one or more special characters should be placed and provide the one or more special characters, along with any other instructions for modifying the messages, or may simply send the modified message(s) in their entirety along with an indication of which message(s) the modified message(s) should replace.

As an alternative to step 306A, step 306B may be performed in a system set up according to the example second architecture of <FIG>. In this example, the message security computing platform <NUM> is part of the message flow, so the message security computing platform <NUM> may simply forward the modified character-limited message(s) to the next device (e.g., messaging service center <NUM>) in the message flow pathway, which in turn sends the modified message(s) on to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>), which is the destination client device for the message(s).

At step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may receive, via the communication interface (e.g., communication interface <NUM>), from the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>), a spam report that includes the modified character-limited message(s). For example, after the modified character-limited message(s) is delivered (e.g., to client device <NUM>), the recipient (e.g., user of the client device <NUM>) may report the message as spam, confirming the receipt of a suspect message. The spam report may include the modified character-limited message(s) and/or a telephone number of the original sender. Information associated with the modified character-limited message(s) may be used later on to adjust one or more filters and/or block suspect messages, as described further herein.

Turning to <FIG>, at step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may identify a presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message(s). In some examples, the message security computing platform <NUM> may identify that the message includes one or more specific unprintable characters and may determine what the trust level of the message was when it was originally scanned, as well as what kind of traffic the message was identified as being (e.g., A2P vs. P2P). Advantageously, this approach may be computationally less expensive that going back and looking up details of the original message.

Based on identifying the presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message(s), the message security computing platform <NUM> may, at step <NUM>, adjust (e.g., refine or tune) one or more filters. For example, the one or more special characters included in the message may indicate that the relative confidence level (e.g., that the message was likely a spam message) as determined at scan time, and the message security computing platform <NUM> may turn up or down one or more blocking filters based on confirming that the message is spam (e.g., based on its inclusion in the spam report). Accuracy in identifying suspect messages may be improved.

In some examples, adjusting the one or more filters may include modifying one or more filter criteria based on an aggregate of character-limited messages identified as including actually suspicious content. For instance, filters may be modified if and/or when groups of related and/or similar messages, with similar classifications and similar unprintable characters, are identified as spam. For instance, message security computing platform <NUM> may aggregate messages that are reported (e.g., at step <NUM>) and identify recurring patterns within the reported messages.

In some examples, adjusting the one or more filters may include allowing relatively more of the character-limited messages to pass through to user devices. For instance, if the message security computing platform <NUM> is inserting these characters into many messages and not getting many spam reports back, the message security computing platform <NUM> may adjust the filter down to allow more questionable messages to be delivered. In some examples, the message security computing platform <NUM> may adjust the one or more filters based on local operator preferences.

At step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may receive, via a communication interface (e.g., communication interface <NUM>), one or more additional character-limited messages for delivery to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>). At step <NUM>, based on the adjusted one or more filters (e.g., as adjusted at step <NUM>), the message security computing platform <NUM> may detect that the additional character-limited message(s) sent to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>) includes suspicious content. Thereafter, based on detecting that the additional character-limited message(s) sent to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>) includes suspicious content, the message security computing platform <NUM> may execute one or more security actions.

Referring to <FIG>, at step <NUM>, for example, in executing the one or more security actions, the message security computing platform <NUM> may generate one or more warning messages, which may be injected into the actual character-limited additional message(s).

At steps 313A/313B, the message security computing platform <NUM> may cause transmission of the warning message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>). For instance, message security computing platform <NUM> may insert the warning message(s) before, after, or between text characters in the actual additional message(s). Alternatively, message security computing platform <NUM> may insert the warning message(s) in place of the actual additional message(s).

Step 313A may be performed in a system set up according to the example first architecture of <FIG>. In this example, the message security computing platform <NUM> is not part of the message flow, so the message security computing platform <NUM> may instruct the messaging service center <NUM> from which it received the one or more additional character-limited messages in step <NUM> to drop the actual one or more additional character-limited messages and inject a modified one or more additional character-limited messages (e.g., as modified by the warning message(s) generated at step <NUM>) into the message flow in place of the dropped message(s). Thus, the message security computing platform <NUM> may transmit one or more instructions to the messaging service center <NUM> to cause the replacement of the actual additional message(s) with the modified additional message(s), and the messaging service center <NUM> in turn may then prevent transmission of the actual additional message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>), and instead transmit the modified additional message(s) on to the next device in the message flow pathway (e.g., messaging service center <NUM>), which in turn transmits the modified additional message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>). The one or more instructions may include the full content of the modified additional message(s) and/or instructions for how the messaging service center <NUM> can modify the actual additional message(s) to obtain the modified additional message(s). For example, the message security computing platform <NUM> may indicate to the messaging service center <NUM> where one or more warning messages should be placed and provide the one or more warning messages, along with any other instructions for modifying the additional message(s), or may simply send the modified additional message(s) in their entirety along with an indication of which additional message(s) the modified additional message(s) should replace.

As an alternative to step 313A, step 313B may be performed in a system set up according to the example second architecture of <FIG>. In this example, the message security computing platform <NUM> is part of the message flow, so the message security computing platform <NUM> may simply forward the modified additional character-limited message(s) (e.g., which may include the warning message(s)) to the next device (e.g., messaging service center <NUM>) in the message flow pathway, which in turn sends the modified additional message(s) on to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>), which is the destination client device for the additional message(s).

Additionally or alternatively, at step <NUM>, the message security computing platform <NUM> may block the additional character-limited message(s) (e.g., received in step <NUM>) altogether. For example, the message security computing platform <NUM> may prevent (e.g., entirely prevent or limit) transmission of the additional character-limited message(s) to the user device (e.g., client device <NUM>).

<FIG> depict example graphical user interfaces for detecting and protecting against cybersecurity attacks in accordance with one or more example embodiments. In particular, <FIG> illustrate several aspects of the disclosure described above. <FIG> shows a potential graphical user interface <NUM> that may be used by a receiving device (e.g., client device <NUM>) that receives an example message after the message is modified by the message security computing platform <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, in the example message, the message security computing platform <NUM> inserted special characters (e.g., glottal stops "<IMG>") into the message (e.g., to the end of the message), as described in the process of <FIG>. It will be appreciated that other and/or different unprintable tracking characters and arrangements thereof may also be provided.

<FIG> shows a potential graphical user interface <NUM> that may be used by an administrative device (e.g., of message security computing platform <NUM>) that receives a spam report (e.g., from client device <NUM>). As illustrated in <FIG>, the spam report may include information such as the modified one or more character-limited messages (e.g., as forwarded to the client device <NUM> at step 306A/306B), a trust level of the message when it was originally scanned, a kind of traffic the message was identified as being (e.g., A2P vs. P2P), and/or the like. It will be appreciated that other and/or different notifications or reports may also be provided.

<FIG> depicts an illustrative method for detecting and protecting against cybersecurity attacks in accordance with one or more example embodiments. Referring to <FIG>, at step <NUM>, a computing platform having at least one processor, a communication interface, and memory may receive a character-limited message sent to a user device (e.g., from a messaging service center, which may receive the messages from a message transmitting device). At step <NUM>, the computing platform may detect that the character-limited message sent to the user device comprises suspicious content. At step <NUM>, the computing platform may generate a modified character-limited message by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message. At step <NUM>, the computing platform may cause transmission of the modified character-limited message to the user device (e.g., to a messaging service center, which will forward the modified message(s) on for eventual delivery to a client device). At step <NUM>, the computing platform may receive, from the user device, a spam report that includes the modified character-limited message. At step <NUM>, the computing platform may identify a presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message. At step <NUM>, the computing platform may adjust one or more filters based on identifying the presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message.

It should be understood that the analysis processes, method steps, and/or methods described herein may be performed in different orders and/or in alternative arrangements from those illustrated herein, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the analysis processes, method steps, and/or methods described herein may be optional and/or omitted in some arrangements, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

One or more aspects of the disclosure may be embodied in computer-usable data or computer-executable instructions, such as in one or more program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices to perform the operations described herein. Program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types when executed by one or more processors in a computer or other data processing device. The computer-executable instructions may be stored as computer-readable instructions on a computer-readable medium such as a hard disk, optical disk, removable storage media, solid-state memory, RAM, and the like. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. In addition, the functionality may be embodied in whole or in part in firmware or hardware equivalents, such as integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and the like. Particular data structures may be used to more effectively implement one or more aspects of the disclosure, and such data structures are contemplated to be within the scope of computer executable instructions and computer-usable data described herein.

One or more aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, an apparatus, or as one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, those aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, an entirely firmware embodiment, or an embodiment combining software, hardware, and firmware aspects in any combination. In addition, various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of light or electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, or wireless transmission media (e.g., air or space). The one or more computer-readable media may be and/or include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media.

As described herein, the various methods and acts may be operative across one or more computing servers and one or more networks. The functionality may be distributed in any manner, or may be located in a single computing device (e.g., a server, a client computer, and the like). For example, in alternative embodiments, one or more of the computing platforms discussed above may be combined into a single computing platform, and the various functions of each computing platform may be performed by the single computing platform. In such arrangements, any and/or all of the above-discussed communications between computing platforms may correspond to data being accessed, moved, modified, updated, and/or otherwise used by the single computing platform. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the computing platforms discussed above may be implemented in one or more virtual machines that are provided by one or more physical computing devices. In such arrangements, the various functions of each computing platform may be performed by the one or more virtual machines, and any and/or all of the above-discussed communications between computing platforms may correspond to data being accessed, moved, modified, updated, and/or otherwise used by the one or more virtual machines.

Claim 1:
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving (<NUM>, <NUM>) a character-limited message sent to a user device (<NUM>);
detecting (<NUM>, <NUM>) that the character-limited message sent to the user device (<NUM>) comprises suspicious content;
generating (<NUM>, <NUM>) a modified character-limited message by inserting one or more special characters into the character-limited message, wherein inserting the one or more special characters into the character-limited message comprises inserting one or more unprintable characters;
causing (306A-B, <NUM>) transmission of the modified character-limited message to the user device (<NUM>);
receiving (<NUM>, <NUM>) from the user device (<NUM>), a spam report that includes the modified character-limited message;
identifying (<NUM>, <NUM>) a presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message; and
adjusting (<NUM>, <NUM>) one or more filters based on identifying the presence of the one or more special characters included in the modified character-limited message.