Network browser system, method, and computer program product for scanning data for unwanted content and associated unwanted sites
View Patent ↗A system, method, and computer program product are provided for scanning data for unwanted content and unwanted sites in response to a user request. In use, a user request is received via a network to scan data prior to downloading the data utilizing a network browser. In addition, the data is scanned for unwanted content and associated unwanted sites in response to the user request. Further, a response is sent to the user via the network.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, via a network, a user request to scan data prior to downloading the data utilizing a network browser, wherein the user request is triggered by selection of the data, and wherein the user request includes a source of the data and a history of the data, which is indicative of a number of times the data was previously downloaded;
scanning the data for unwanted content and associated unwanted sites; and
sending a response to the user request via the network.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request includes a link associated with the data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request includes a hash of the data.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request includes additional information associated with the data.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the additional information includes at least one of a path by which the data is communicated, and a behavior of the data.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is scanned by performing a comparison of the data with known data stored in a database.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the known data includes at least one of known clean data and known unwanted data.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the response is sent in response to the comparison resulting in a match.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is scanned by performing an automated analysis of the data and information associated therewith.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the response is sent in response to the automated analysis indicating that the data is clean.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is scanned by performing a manual analysis of the data.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the response is sent in response to the manual analysis indicating that the data is clean.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a database of known data is updated based on the scanning.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response prompts a display of a notification to a user.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request is prompted by a mouse click.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request is prompted utilizing a network browser tool bar.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unwanted data includes malware.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unwanted sites includes at least one of phishing sites and sites including the unwanted content.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is generated utilizing an application program associated with the network browser.
20. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:
computer code for transmitting, via a network, a user request to scan data prior to downloading the data utilizing a network browser, wherein the user request is triggered by selection of the data, and wherein the user request includes a source of the data and a history of the data, which is indicative of a number of times the data was previously downloaded; and
computer code for receiving a response to the user request via the network, the response reflecting a scan of the data for unwanted content and associated unwanted sites that was performed.
21. The computer program product of claim 20 , wherein the transmitting is performed by a plug-in installed in association with the network browser.
22. A system, comprising:
a processor;
an application program installed on a client for transmitting, via a network, a user request to scan data prior to downloading the data utilizing a network browser, wherein the user request is triggered by selection of the data, and wherein the user request includes a source of the data and a history of the data, which is indicative of a number of times the data was previously downloaded; and
a server in communication with the client via the network for receiving and scanning the data for unwanted content and associated unwanted sites, and sending a response to the user request via the network.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the server stores results of scanning data transmitted by a plurality of clients in a database, and the scanning utilizes the database.