Refining behavioral detections for early blocking of malicious code

1. A computer implemented method for preventing malicious code from propagating in a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting attempted malicious behavior of running code received in a first email and executed by a user;

blocking the attempted malicious behavior in response to the detection, the running code being placed in a repository where the running code can no longer be executed by the user;

generating a signature to identify the running code stored in the repository that attempted the malicious behavior, the signature being one of a number of signatures generated over a period of time for other running code that attempted malicious behavior;

regulating the number of signatures by sorting the signatures according to matches per signature to the other running code and removing signatures as newer signatures are generated in response to reaching a predetermined limit;

detecting code received in a second email by the user that is identified to match the signature generated, the identification occurring before the user executes the identified code; and

blocking the execution of the identified code.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting code received in multiple additional emails received by the user that are identified to match the signature generated; and

blocking the execution of the code from each of the additional emails.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting attempted malicious behavior step occurs on a first computer able to connect to a network, and wherein the repository is located locally on the first computer or remotely on a second computer able to connect to the network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting attempted malicious behavior and blocking the behavior steps are performed by a behavior blocker and wherein the detecting code and blocking the execution steps are performed by an antivirus scanner.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a signature further comprises:

applying a checksum function to generate a checksum of the code that attempted the malicious behavior;

storing the checksum; and

using at least one stored checksum to identify code that attempted malicious behavior.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the blocking-scanning manager generating a signature to identify the code that attempted the malicious behavior further comprises:

applying a hash function to generate a hash of the code that attempted the malicious behavior;

storing the hash; and

using at least one stored hash to identify code that attempted malicious behavior.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting code identified by the signature further comprises:

alerting a user of the detection; and

allowing the user to choose whether or not to block the execution of the identified code.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising overriding the user's choice responsive to the user incorrectly choosing to block non-malicious behavior or incorrectly choosing not to block malicious behavior.

9. A computer system for preventing the propagation of malicious code, the computer system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable modules comprising:

a running code detection module for detecting attempted malicious behavior of running code received in a first email and executed by a user;

a running code blocking module for blocking the attempted malicious behavior in response to positive detection, the running code being placed in a repository where the running code can no longer be executed by the user;

a signature module for generating a signature to identify the running code stored in the repository that attempted the malicious behavior, the signature being one of a number of signatures generated over a period of time for other running code that attempted malicious behavior;

a signature regulation module for regulating the number of signatures by sorting the signatures according to matches per signature to the other running code and removing signatures as newer signatures are generated in response to reaching a predetermined limit;

a scanning module for detecting code received in a second email by the user that is identified to match the signature generated, the identification occurring before the user executes the identified code;

an identified code blocking module for blocking the execution of the identified code; and

a processor configured to execute the modules stored by the computer readable storage medium.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the running code detection module is further configured for detecting code received in multiple additional emails received by the user that are identified to match the signature generated, and wherein the identified code blocking module is further configured for blocking the execution of the code from each of the additional emails.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the signature module is further configured for:

applying a checksum function to generate a checksum of the code that attempted the malicious behavior;

storing the checksum; and

using at least one stored checksum to identify code that attempted malicious behavior.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the signature module is further configured for:

applying a hash function to generate a hash of the code that attempted the malicious behavior;

storing the hash; and

using at least one stored hash to identify code that attempted malicious behavior.

13. A computer program product for preventing the propagation of malicious code in a computer, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer program code for performing the method comprising:

detecting attempted malicious behavior of running code received in a first email and executed by a user;

responsive to the detection, blocking the attempted malicious behavior, the running code being placed in a repository where the running code can no longer be executed by the user;

generating a signature to identify the running code stored in the repository that attempted the malicious behavior, the signature being one of a number of signatures generated over a period of time for other running code that attempted malicious behavior;

regulating the number of signatures by sorting the signatures according to matches per signature to the other running code and removing signatures as newer signatures are generated in response to reaching a predetermined limit;

detecting code received in a second email by the user that is identified to match the signature generated, the identification occurring before the user executes the identified code; and

blocking the execution of the identified code.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting code received in multiple additional emails received by the user that are identified to match the signature generated; and

blocking the execution of the code from each of the additional emails.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein generating a signature further comprises:

applying a checksum function to generate a checksum of the code that attempted the malicious behavior;

storing the checksum; and

using at least one stored checksum to identify code that attempted malicious behavior.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the blocking-scanning manager generating a signature to identify the code that attempted the malicious behavior further comprises:

applying a hash function to generate a hash of the code that attempted the malicious behavior;

storing the hash; and

using at least one stored hash to identify code that attempted malicious behavior.