Update acquisition
View Patent ↗Determining a next time to communicate via a network with a source of updates is disclosed. In some embodiments, determining a next time to communicate via a network with a source of updates comprises receiving from a request source an update request, and scheduling a next time for the request source to check for updates. In some embodiments, determining a next time to communicate via a network with a source of updates comprises monitoring network communication activity, and in the event anomalous network communication activity is observed, reducing a time remaining until a next check for updates is performed.
1. A method for determining a next time to communicate via a network with a source of updates, comprising:
monitoring network communication activity; and
in the event anomalous network communication activity is observed, wherein the anomalous network activity includes activity that is beyond a multiple of network activity within a historic period, reducing a time remaining until a next check for an update is performed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes latency for email delivery above a threshold.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an anomalous rate of unacceptable TCP/IP traffic.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an attempt to connect to a blocked network port.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update relates to a patch.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update relates to a threat definition for security software.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes malicious content being detected.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an extraordinarily long string being detected.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time remaining until the next check for updates is performed is reduced by a constant proportional factor.
10. A system for determining a next time to communicate via a network with a source of updates, comprising:
a processor configured to:
monitor network communication activity; and
in the event anomalous network communication activity is observed, wherein the anomalous network activity includes activity that is beyond a multiple of network activity within a historic period, reduce a time remaining until a next check for updates is performed; and
a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory provides instructions to the processor.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the update relates to a patch.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the update relates to a threat definition for security software.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the time remaining until the next check for updates is performed is reduced by a constant proportional factor.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes latency for email delivery above a threshold.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an anomalous rate of unacceptable TCP/IP traffic.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an attempt to connect to a blocked network port.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes malicious content being detected.
18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an extraordinarily long string being detected.
19. A computer program product for determining a next time to communicate via a network with a source of updates, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
monitoring network communication activity; and
in the event anomalous network communication activity is observed, wherein the anomalous network activity includes activity that is beyond a multiple of network activity within a historic period, reducing a time remaining until a next check for an update is performed.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the update relates to a patch.
21. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the update relates to a threat definition for security software.
22. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the time remaining until the next check for updates is performed is reduced by a constant proportional factor.
23. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes latency for email delivery above a threshold.
24. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an anomalous rate of unacceptable TCP/IP traffic.
25. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the anomalous network
activity includes an attempt to connect to a blocked network port.
26. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the anomalous network
activity includes malicious content being detected.
27. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the anomalous network activity includes an extraordinarily long string being detected.