AUTOMATED RECOVERY FROM A SECURITY EVENT

1 . A computer-implemented method for automated recovery from a security event in a computer environment that maintains separation of user data from other system components to facilitate agent-based backup and restoration of the environment, comprising:

detecting a security event;

using metadata to select a target backup for recovery;

bringing the recovered environment online in a quarantine mode;

initiating automated recovery of the environment; and

running at least one of a generic remediation process and a specific remediation process in the quarantine mode prior to releasing the environment from quarantine mode.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising reviewing the target to confirm the absence of a repetition of the security event.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detection of the security event is by at least one of a detection facility, a HIPS facility, an IPS facility, a content analysis facility, a user detection and a deterministic detection.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selection of a target backup is based on at least one of a time attribute of a known-to-be-infected file, presence of a known malicious element, content analysis to determine a suspicious event, linking of a threat to a specific vulnerability and identification of a configuration change.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the known malicious element is at least one of an infected file, a malicious registry key, an infected system primitive, and a malicious behavior.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the quarantine mode uses at least one of perimeter protection of the environment by firewall and device control, use of the operating system of the environment in safe mode, initiation of a preboot state of the environment, and establishment of a virtualization layer to facilitate cleanup from a hypervisor.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic remediation process brings an outdated image to a current image.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic remediation process comprises at least one of a system patch, an application patch, an update to an anti-virus facility, running an operational tool, re-applying a corporate configuration, and an operational PC lifecycle management procedure.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the specific remediation process comprises deploying a specific patch based on detection of a requirement for protection, wherein the specific remediation process is based on the metadata.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the specific remediation process comprises changing a configuration of the target to prevent re-infection, wherein the specific remediation process is based on the metadata.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metadata is at least one of operational and security metadata.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recovery is at least one of a remediation and a restoration.