System and method for handling an event in a computer system

1. A system for handling an event in a computer system which has a kernel-mode and a user-mode, the system comprising:

at least one computing device configured to

(a) run a user-mode software application operative to issue a request for a suspension of an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode,

(b) run a first kernel-mode software module operable to use the request in order to activate a second kernel-mode software module operable to effect suspension of a class of events that comprises the event,

(c) suspend an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode of an operating system running on said computing device,

(d) cause the event to occur in the user-mode of the operating system,

(e) determine if an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode will compromise the computer system by analyzing the occurrence of the event in the user-mode, and

(f) execute at least one security measure if it is determined that the occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode will compromise the computer system;

wherein the first kernel-mode software module is further operable to issue an indication that the suspension has been effected, and the user-mode software application is further operable to use the indication in effecting the occurrence of the event in the user-mode.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first kernel-mode software module is further operable to use an interprocess communication mechanism to transfer the indication to the user-mode software application, the user-mode software application being operable to use the interprocess communication mechanism to transfer the request to the first kernel-mode software module.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the interprocess communication mechanism uses an Internet protocol.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first kernel-mode software module and the user-mode software application are operable to respectively format the indication and the request according to a predefined format.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the predefined format accords with a common information model defined by a distributed management task force.

6. The system as claimed claim 5 , wherein the first kernel-mode software module operates in the kernel mode, and the user-mode software application operates in the user-mode.

7. The system as claimed claim 6 , wherein the user-mode software application comprises an anti-virus scan engine.

8. A method of handling an event in a computer system which has a kernel-mode and a user-mode, the method comprising the following steps performed by at least one computing device:

issuing a request for a suspension of an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode;

using the request in order to activate a kernel-mode software module that is operable to effect suspension of a class of events that comprises the event;

effecting the suspension of the occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode of the operating system running on the computer system;

issuing an indication that the suspension has been effected;

effecting the occurrence of the event in the user-mode of the operating, system using the indication;

determining if an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode will compromise the computer system by analyzing the occurrence of the event in the user-mode; and

executing at least one security measure if it is determined that the occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode will compromise the computer system;

wherein the step of executing at least one security measure further comprises influencing an operation of the computer system based on the occurrence of the event in the user-mode; and

wherein the operation of the computer system is influenced by preventing the event from occurring in the kernel-mode.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising the step of effecting a transfer of the indication to a user-mode software application for use thereby.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the step of effecting the transfer of the indication comprises using an interprocess communication mechanism.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the interprocess communication mechanism uses an Internet protocol.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising the step of formatting the indication and the request according to a predefined format.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the predefined format accords with a common information model defined by a distributed management task force.