Patent ID: 8560624

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of detecting a compromised machine on a network, comprising: receiving an email message from a machine on the network; classifying the email message either as spam or nor-spam based on a spam filter or user feedback: calculating a probability ratio based on predetermined first and second distribution parameters, the first distribution parameter representing the probability of the email message sent from a normal machine being spam, and the second distribution parameter representing the probability of the email message sent from a compromised machine being spam; updating the probability ratio by applying a sequential probability ratio test, wherein the sequential probability test uses the approximate probability that an email message, transmitted by a machine on the network is spam if the computer is compromised and the approximate probability that an email message, transmitted the machine is spam if the computer is not compromised, whereby the probability ratio is updated according to whether the email message was classified as spam or non-spam; repeating, for a plurality of email messages, the operations of receiving an email message, classifying the email message, and updating the probability ratio until the probability ratio either rises to or above a first predetermined threshold or falls to or below a second predetermined threshold, wherein the repeated operations are performed on each of the plurality of email messages one at a time as each email message is received; classifying the machine as compromised if the probability ratio is greater than or equal to a first predetermined threshold (B}; classifying the machine as normal if the probability ratio is less than or equal to a second predetermined threshold (A); and identifying the machine classified as compromised to a system administrator whereby the compromised machine may be cleaned and wherein detecting a compromised machine on the network further comprising resetting the probability ratio for the machine classified as normal and continuing monitoring the machine.