Detecting security breaches with watchdog transaction accounts

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting security breaches using watchdog transaction accounts. A security agent can initiate a purchase with a first electronic commerce system and provide a watchdog transaction account as payment for the purchase. The security agent can then store a record of the purchase which includes a merchant identifier for the merchant and the watchdog transaction account. Subsequently, a transaction authorization system can determine that authorization for a transaction with second electronic commerce system failed. If the transaction authorization system determines that the account used in the transaction with the second electronic commerce system, then the transaction authorization system can determine that the first electronic commerce system has suffered a security breach.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and   machine-readable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least:
 initiate a purchase with an electronic commerce system; 
 provide a watchdog transaction account to the electronic commerce system as payment for the purchase; and 
 store a record of the purchase, the record comprising a merchant identifier associated with the electronic commerce system and the watchdog transaction account. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
 request a web page provided by the electronic commerce system;   select an item to purchase from the electronic commerce system;   add the item to a shopping cart provided by the electronic commerce system; and   the purchase is initiated in response to the item being added to the shopping cart.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least generate the watchdog transaction account. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause computing device to generate the watchdog transaction account further cause the computing device to at least:
 select a previously used account identifier for the respective watchdog transaction account; and   generate a unique combination of authentication information for the previously used account identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least search a plurality of previously used watchdog transaction accounts to determine that the generated watchdog transaction account fails to match any of the plurality of previously used watchdog transaction accounts. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the record further comprises a timestamp representing a date and time that the purchase was initiated. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the watchdog transaction account represents an unissued debit or credit card account. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 initiating a purchase with an electronic commerce system;   providing a watchdog transaction account to the electronic commerce system as payment for the purchase; and   storing a record of the purchase, the record comprising a merchant identifier associated with the electronic commerce system and the watchdog transaction account.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 requesting a web page provided by the electronic commerce system;   selecting an item to purchase from the electronic commerce system;   adding the item to a shopping cart provided by the electronic commerce system; and   the purchase is initiated in response to the item being added to the shopping cart.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising generating the watchdog transaction account. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the generating of the watchdog transaction account further comprises:
 selecting a previously used account identifier for the respective watchdog transaction account; and   generating a unique combination of authentication information for the previously used account identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising searching a plurality of previously used watchdog transaction accounts to determine that the generated watchdog transaction account fails to match any of the plurality of previously used watchdog transaction accounts. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the record further comprises a timestamp representing a date and time that the purchase was initiated. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the watchdog transaction account represents an unissued debit or credit card account. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to at least:
 initiate a purchase with an electronic commerce system;   provide a watchdog transaction account to the electronic commerce system as payment for the purchase; and   store a record of the purchase, the record comprising a merchant identifier associated with the electronic commerce system and the watchdog transaction account.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
 request a web page provided by the electronic commerce system;   select an item to purchase from the electronic commerce system;   add the item to a shopping cart provided by the electronic commerce system; and   the purchase is initiated in response to the item being added to the shopping cart.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least generate the watchdog transaction account. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause computing device to generate the watchdog transaction account further cause the computing device to at least:
 select a previously used account identifier for the respective watchdog transaction account; and   generate a unique combination of authentication information for the previously used account identifier.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least search a plurality of previously used watchdog transaction accounts to determine that the generated watchdog transaction account fails to match any of the plurality of previously used watchdog transaction accounts. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the record further comprises a timestamp representing a date and time that the purchase was initiated; and   the watchdog transaction account represents an unissued debit or credit card account.