RealDefense LLC, a leader in embedded consumer cybersecurity and privacy solutions, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted U.S. Patent No. 12,609,908, titled “Selectively Blocking Connection Requests to Ensure Privacy.” The patent, issued April 21, 2026, protects a kernel-level method for identifying and blocking the tracking scripts that quietly collect personal data from consumers as they browse the web.
The technology addresses a problem that has grown more acute as browser makers have steadily reduced the permissions available to privacy-focused browser extensions. Rather than relying on the browser to police itself, RealDefense’s patented method inspects network traffic at the operating system kernel level, the deepest and most trusted layer of the device, and blocks connection requests originating from known trackers before they ever reach the browser.
“Consumer privacy has been quietly eroding for years, and the tools people relied on to protect themselves are being phased out one by one,” said Gary Guseinov, CEO of RealDefense. “This patent recognizes a fundamentally different approach. It works beneath the browser, can’t be disabled by a browser update, and lets us deliver real privacy protection to the billion-plus consumers reached through our partner ecosystem.”
Why This Matters
Tracking scripts are pieces of code embedded in web pages that quietly transmit information about a user (their location, browsing history, device characteristics, and more) to third parties, often without the user’s knowledge or meaningful consent. The data is used for targeted advertising, profile-building, and resale to other parties.
For more than a decade, the primary defense against tracking scripts has been browser extensions. But as browser manufacturers tighten the permissions available to extensions, particularly those that interfere with advertising-related scripts, that line of defense is weakening. RealDefense’s patented approach moves protection out of the browser entirely:
- Operates at the OS kernel level, with full visibility into incoming network packets before they reach any application.
- Blocks tracker connection requests, cross-referencing packet origins against a curated database of entities known to engage in identity tracking.
- Preserves the user experience, rendering web pages in full without removing or altering visible content. Only the silent connection back to the tracker is denied.
- Works across applications, not just browsers, protecting users when document editors, image viewers, and other applications fetch data from the network.
The method extends beyond connection blocking. The patent also covers the ability to deny tracking processes access to sensitive device resources such as the microphone, camera, and physical location, and to surface clear consent prompts when a tracker is detected, putting control back in the hands of the user.
A Building Block for Embedded Privacy at Scale
The patent strengthens RealDefense’s portfolio of embedded security and privacy technologies that partners (including ISPs, telcos, fintechs, and consumer software platforms) license to deliver protection directly inside their own products. With partners collectively reaching more than one billion end users globally, the technology gives RealDefense a defensible foundation for delivering privacy protection at the moment of truth: when a consumer is actually online and a tracker is actually attempting to fire.
RealDefense has been awarded multiple patents covering core elements of its consumer security and privacy stack, and continues to invest in research aimed at protecting consumers from emerging privacy and identity threats.
About the Inventor
U.S. Patent No. 12,609,908 was invented by Grzegorz Jan Wolny and assigned to RealDefense LLC. The application was filed October 19, 2023, and granted April 21, 2026.
About RealDefense
RealDefense, based in Pasadena, Calif., protects privacy, secures devices and boosts system performance for global consumers. Its portfolio includes iolo System Mechanic®, iolo Updater™, SUPERAntiSpyware®, RemoveMe® and Support.com, trusted by over 100 million users worldwide. Through embedded partnerships with PC makers, cybersecurity platforms and telecom providers, RealDefense delivers real-time, on-device intelligence that enhances user experience and drives new revenue streams. A Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ company, RealDefense continues to scale its platform with privacy-first design, flexible integration and measurable partner success.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260520903463/en/
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