IP Library Granted Patent US 7,415,727
Granted Patent B1
US 7,415,727 · App. 10/876,523 · Granted Aug 19, 2008

System, method, and computer program product for tailoring security responses for local and remote file open requests

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,415,727
App. No.
10/876,523
Granted
Aug 19, 2008
Kind
B1
Abstract

A security system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, a request is received to open a file on a local computer. Thereafter, it is determined whether the request is received from a local process operating on a local computer or from a remote computer, so that such determination may be used for security purposes.

Claims (53)

1. A security method, comprising:

receiving a request to open a file on a local computer;

determining whether the request is a local request received from a local process operating on the local computer or a remote request received from a remote computer coupled to the local computer via a network, by identifying a thread associated with the request and determining whether a start address of code associated with the thread is within a kernel component; and

categorizing the request as a remote request received via the network or a local request received locally based on the determination;

wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny with respect to the local request by at least one of denying the remote request to open the file and utilizing more virus signatures during scanning.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the kernel component is a component of the local computer and handles the request if the request is received from the remote computer via a network, and the determination is carried out utilizing the kernel component.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the kernel component includes a srv.sys file.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the kernel component creates a plurality of threads to process a plurality of the requests received from a plurality of the remote computers via the network.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the thread associated with the request identified utilizing a virus scanner.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the request is handled based on the determination for tailoring the handling in accordance with the type of the request.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein access to the file is conditionally given based on the determination.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the security method is utilized to counter terrorism by preventing infection of cyber-frameworks with malware initiated by terrorists.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny by preventing the remote request from changing any executable while only preventing the local request from changing an executable associated with an operating system.

10. A security method, comprising:

receiving a request to open a file on a local computer;

determining whether the request is a local request received from a local process operating on the local computer or a remote request received from a remote computer coupled to the local computer via a network;

wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny with respect to the local request by at least one of denying the remote request to open the file and utilizing more virus signatures during scanning;

wherein a kernel component of the local computer handles the request if the request is received from the remote computer via a network, and the determination is carried out utilizing the kernel component;

wherein the kernel component creates a plurality of threads to process a plurality of the requests received from a plurality of the remote computers via the network;

wherein at least one of the threads associated with the requests is identified utilizing a virus scanner;

wherein the virus scanner obtains a start address of code associated with the identified thread.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the virus scanner determines whether the start address is within the kernel component.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein, if it is determined that the start address is within the kernel component, the associated request is categorized as a request received via the network.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein, if it is determined that the start address is not within the kernel component, the associated-request is categorized as a request received locally.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the requests received via the network are handled utilizing a first process associated with the virus scanner.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the requests received locally are handled utilizing a second process associated with the virus scanner.

16. A security computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving a request to open a file on a local computer;

computer code for determining whether the request is a local request received from a local process operating on the local computer or a remote request received from a remote computer coupled to the local computer via a network, by identifying a thread associated with the request and determining whether a start address of code associated with the thread is within a kernel component;

computer code for categorizing the request as a remote request received via the network or a local request received locally based on the determination; and

computer code for scanning the file based on the determination for tailoring the scanning in accordance with the type of the request;

wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny with respect to the local request by at least one of denying the remote request to open the file and utilizing more virus signatures during scanning.

17. A security system, comprising:

means for receiving a request to open a file on a local computer;

means for determining whether the request is a local request received from a local process operating on the local computer or a remote request received from a remote computer coupled to the local computer via a network, by identifying a thread associated with the request and determining whether a start address of code associated with the thread is within a kernel component;

means for categorizing the request as a remote request received via the network or a local request received locally based on the determination; and

means for scanning the file based on the determination for tailoring the scanning in accordance with the type of the request;

wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny with respect to the local request by at least one of denying the remote request to open the file and utilizing more virus signatures during scanning.

18. A security system, comprising:

a virus scanner adapted for determining whether a request to open a file on a local computer is a local request received from a local process operating on the local computer or a remote request received from a remote computer coupled to the local computer via a network, by identifying a thread associated with the request and determining whether a start address of code associated with the thread is within a kernel component;

wherein the virus scanner is further adapted to categorize the request as a remote request received via the network or a local request received locally based on the determination;

wherein the file is scanned based on the determination for tailoring the scanning in accordance with the type of the request;

wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny with respect to the local request by at least one of denying the remote request to open the file and utilizing more virus signatures during scanning.

19. A security method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests to open files on a local computer, wherein the requests received via a network are handled by a kernel component which creates a plurality of threads to process the requests received from the network;

intercepting the requests, utilizing a virus scanner;

identifying one of the threads associated with one of the requests, utilizing the virus scanner;

obtaining a start address of code associated with the identified thread, utilizing the virus scanner;

determining whether the start address is within the kernel component;

if it is determined that the start address is within the kernel component, categorizing the associated request as a remote request received via the network;

if it is determined that the start address is not within the kernel component, categorizing the associated request as a local request received locally;

scanning the files based on the determination for tailoring the scanning in accordance with the type of the request;

wherein the remote request is handled with more scrutiny with respect to the local request by at least one of denying the remote request to open the files and utilizing more virus signatures during scanning.

Assignments (9)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE PATENT TITLES AND REMOVE DUPLICATES IN THE SCHEDULE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 059354 FRAME: 0335. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 060792/0307 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2022
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059354/0335 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COLLATERAL - REEL/FRAME 045056/0676 Recorded Mar 2, 2022
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 059354/0213 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COLLATERAL - REEL/FRAME 045055/0786 Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 054238/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT 6336186 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 045056 FRAME 0676. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 054206/0593 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT 6336186 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 045055 FRAME 786. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 055854/0047 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2018
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 045055/0786 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2018
From: MCAFEE, LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 045056/0676 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: MCAFEE, INC.
To: MCAFEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 043665/0918 →