System, method and computer program product for precluding writes to critical files

1. A method for preventing writes to critical files, comprising:

identifying factors associated with a computer;

monitoring requests to write to files on the computer; and

conditionally preventing the writes to the files on the computer based on the factors to prevent virus proliferation;

wherein the factors are altered based on the monitoring of the requests to write to the files on the computer;

wherein the factors are updated based on the requests;

wherein if one of the requests is initiated by an application that is not one of a plurality of trusted applications, a user is alerted and allowed to at least one of prevent and permit the request initiated by the application.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the factors are selected from the group consisting of critical files, critical file locations, and the plurality of trusted applications.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the factors include critical files associated with an operating system of the computer.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the factors include critical file locations associated with an operating system of the computer.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the critical file locations include folders.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the factors include the plurality of trusted applications that initiate the requests.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the factors are user configurable.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the factors are identified in a registry.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the factors are updated based on a user request.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the factors are updated from a remote location via a network.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising conditionally preventing the writes to the files on the computer based on a user confirmation.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the factors are updated based on the user confirmation.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the factors include a list of critical files such that the list of critical files is updated based on the requests.

14. A method for preventing writes to critical files, comprising:

identifying an operating system associated with a computer;

looking up at least one of critical files and critical file locations associated with the operating system; and

preventing access to the at least one of critical files and critical file locations associated with the operating system to prevent virus proliferation;

wherein the at least one of critical files and critical file locations are looked up based on requests to write to the at least one of critical files and critical file locations on the computer;

wherein if one of the requests is initiated by an application that is not one of a plurality of trusted applications, a user is alerted and allowed to at least one of prevent and permit the request initiated by the application.

15. A method, comprising:

identifying factors associated with a computer;

monitoring requests to write to files on the computer; and

conditionally preventing the writes to the files on the computer based on the factors to prevent virus proliferation;

wherein the factors are altered based on the monitoring of the requests to write to the files on the computer,

wherein the factors are updated based on the requests;

wherein the factors include trusted applications that initiate the requests;

wherein if one of the requests is initiated by an application that is not one of the trusted applications, a user is alerted and allowed to at least one of prevent and permit the request initiated by the application.