IP Library Granted Patent US 8,276,202
Granted Patent B1
US 8,276,202 · App. 12/509,955 · Granted Sep 25, 2012

Cloud-based gateway security scanning

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,276,202
App. No.
12/509,955
Granted
Sep 25, 2012
Kind
B1
Abstract

Some embodiments of cloud-based gateway security scanning have been presented. In one embodiment, some data packets are received sequentially at a gateway device. The data packets constitute at least a part of a file being addressed to a client machine coupled to the gateway device. The gateway device forwards an identification of the file to a remote datacenter in parallel with forwarding the data packets to the client machine. The datacenter performs signature matching on the identification and returns a result of the signature matching to the gateway device. The gateway device determining whether to block the file from the client machine based on the result of the signature matching from the datacenter.

Claims (64)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a plurality of data packets sequentially at a gateway device, the plurality of data packets are at least part of a file being addressed to a client machine, the gateway device communicatively coupled to a remote datacenter via a network;

generating, by the gateway device, an identification of the file based on a partial hash of the plurality of data packets received;

forwarding the identification of the file to a remote datacenter via the network from the gateway device substantially in parallel with forwarding the plurality of data packets to the client machine, wherein the datacenter performs signature matching on the identification;

receiving a result of the signature matching from the remote datacenter via the network; and

the gateway device determining whether to block the file from the client machine based on the result of the signature matching from the datacenter.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprises:

the gateway device performing signature matching on the identification; and

the gateway device determining whether to block the file from the client machine based on the result of the signature matching from the datacenter and a result of the signature matching produced by the gateway device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

the gateway device blocking the file from the client machine when the result of the signature matching from the datacenter indicates that the identification matches a signature of malware.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

the gateway device identifying a type of the file; and

the gateway device determining whether to forward the identification of the plurality of data packets based on the type of the file.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending at least one of a destination server Internet Protocol (IP) address, a hostname, and a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the file with the identification to the datacenter.

6. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a datacenter via a third network, an identification of a file from a gateway device interfacing a first network and a second network, wherein the gateway device generated the identification from a partial hash of a plurality of data packets that are at least part of the file, the file is transmitted from the second network to a client machine in the first network via the gateway device, and the gateway device is communicatively coupled to the datacenter via the third network;

the datacenter making a determination of whether the file should be blocked from the client machine;

and the datacenter sending the determination to the gateway device via the third network.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the datacenter making a determination of whether the file should be blocked from the client machine comprises:

the datacenter retrieving one or more predetermined signatures from a database; and

the datacenter performing signature matching on the identification using the one or more predetermined signatures retrieved.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the datacenter performing signature matching comprises:

the datacenter performing deep packet inspection on the identification.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the datacenter is remote to the gateway device.

10. A gateway device, comprising:

a first network interface to couple to a client machine in a first network; a second network interface to couple to a second network to receive a plurality of data packets destined to the client machine, wherein the plurality of data packets constitute at least part of a file; and

a third network interface, communicatively coupled to a datacenter via a third network, to send an identification of the file generated based on a partial hash of the plurality of data packets to the datacenter and to receive a determination from the datacenter on whether the file should be blocked from the client machine.

11. The gateway device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a processing module to determine a type of the file, wherein the third network interface sends the identification of the file to the datacenter if the type of the file is one of a set of one or more predetermined file types.

12. The gateway device of claim 10 , wherein the third network interface sends at least one of a destination server Internet Protocol (IP) address, a hostname, and a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the file with the identification to the datacenter.

13. A datacenter comprising:

a network interface to communicative couple to a gateway device, said gateway device interfacing a first network and a second network, to receive an identification of a file from the gateway device; and

a signature matching module coupled to the network interface, to compare the identification against one or more of a plurality of predetermined signatures to determine if the gateway device should block the file from the first network, the signature matching module to receive the identification via the network interface, the identification generated from a partial hash of a plurality of data packets that are at least part of the file received by the gateway device.

14. The datacenter of claim 13 , wherein the signature matching module performs deep packet inspection on the identification.

15. The datacenter of claim 13 , further comprising:

a database coupled to the network interface, to store a plurality of predetermined signatures of malware.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a processor, will cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a plurality of data packets sequentially at a gateway device, the plurality of data packets are at least part of a file being addressed to a client machine, the gateway device communicatively coupled to a remote datacenter via a network;

generating an identification of the file based on a partial hash of the plurality of data packets received;

forwarding the identification of the file to a remote datacenter from the gateway device substantially in parallel with forwarding the plurality of data packets to the client machine, wherein the datacenter performs signature matching on the identification and returns;

receiving a result of the signature matching from the remote datacenter via the network; and

the gateway device determining whether to block the file from the client machine based on the result of the signature matching from the datacenter.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

the gateway device performing signature matching on the identification; and

the gateway device determining whether to block the file from the client machine based on the result of the signature matching from the datacenter and a result of the signature matching produced by the gateway device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

the gateway device blocking the file from the client machine when the result of the signature matching from the datacenter indicates that the identification matches a signature of malware.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

the gateway device identifying a type of the file; and

the gateway device determining whether to forward the identification of the plurality of data packets based on the type of the file.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

sending at least one of a destination server Internet Protocol (IP) address, a hostname, and a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the file with the identification to the datacenter.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a processor, will cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a datacenter via a third network, an identification of a file from a gateway device interfacing a first network and a second network, wherein the gateway device generated the identification from a partial hash of a plurality of data packets that are at least part of the file, and the file is transmitted from the second network to a client machine in the first network via the gateway device and the gateway device is communicatively coupled to the datacenter via the third network;

the datacenter making a determination of whether the file should be blocked from the client machine; and

the datacenter sending the determination to the gateway device via the third network.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the datacenter making a determination of whether the file should be blocked from the client machine comprises:

the datacenter retrieving one or more predetermined signatures from a database; and

the datacenter performing signature matching on the identification using the one or more predetermined signatures retrieved.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the datacenter performing signature matching comprises:

the datacenter performing deep packet inspection on the identification.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the datacenter is remote to the gateway device.

Assignments (24)
FIRST LIEN IP SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jun 30, 2025
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071777/0641 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT RF 046321/0393 Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 071625/0887 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 7, 2018
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046321/0393 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 7, 2018
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046321/0414 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT R/F 040581/0850 Recorded May 22, 2018
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A DELL SOFTWARE INC.); AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 046211/0735 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 2, 2018
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 045818/0566 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040587 FRAME: 0624. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 28, 2017
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A DELL SOFTWARE INC.); AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 044811/0598 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 041073 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSIGNMENT.. Recorded Apr 5, 2017
From: QUEST SOFTWARE INC.
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 042168/0114 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 23, 2017
From: QUEST SOFTWARE INC.
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041073/0001 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 10, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040587/0624 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 9, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040581/0850 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 040521/0467 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040039/0642) Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 040521/0016 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040039/0642 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040030/0187 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 14, 2015
From: SONICWALL L.L.C.
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 037283/0966 →
CONVERSION AND NAME CHANGE Recorded Dec 14, 2015
From: SONICWALL, INC.
To: SONICWALL L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 037288/0921 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2012
From: DUBROVSKY, ALEKSANDR; CHEETANCHERI, SENTHILKUMAR G.; YANOVSKY, BORIS
To: SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 029385/0665 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED ON REEL/FRAME 024823/0280 Recorded May 8, 2012
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 028177/0126 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED ON REEL/FRAME 024776/0337 Recorded May 8, 2012
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 028177/0115 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 3, 2010
From: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 024776/0337 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Aug 3, 2010
From: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 024823/0280 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 28, 2010
From: PSM MERGER SUB (DELAWARE), INC.
To: SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 024755/0091 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 28, 2010
From: SONICWALL, INC.
To: PSM MERGER SUB (DELAWARE), INC.
Reel/Frame 024755/0083 →