Systems and methods for displaying trustworthiness classifications for files as visually overlaid icons

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling users of computing devices to visually identify the relative trustworthiness of files without having to request separate trustworthiness evaluations of the files by displaying trustworthiness classifications for files as visually overlaid icons, at least a portion of the method being performed by at least one computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying, at a shell extension within a file manager installed on the computing device:

a first file;

a second file that performs a substantially similar function to the first file;

in response to identifying the first and second files, allowing a user of the computing device to visually compare the trustworthiness of the first and second files without requiring the user to request a separate evaluation of the files' trustworthiness by:

identifying, at the shell extension:

a first file icon that graphically represents the first file within a file manager interface;

a second file icon that graphically represents the second file within the same file manager interface;

obtaining, at the shell extension:

a first trustworthiness classification assigned to the first file that identifies the trustworthiness of the first file;

a second trustworthiness classification assigned to the second file that identifies the trustworthiness of the second file;

visually overlaying, at the shell extension:

the first file icon with a first trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the trustworthiness classification assigned to the first file;

the second file icon with a second trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the second trustworthiness classification assigned to the second file.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files indicate that at least one of:

the first or second file's trustworthiness is unknown;

the first or second file is untrustworthy;

the first or second file is trustworthy.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first trustworthiness icon visually overlaid on the first file icon is juxtaposed with the second trustworthiness icon visually overlaid on the second file icon.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

visually overlaying the first file icon with the first trustworthiness icon comprises generating a single overlaid file icon that comprises both the first file icon and the first trustworthiness icon;

visually overlaying the second file icon with the second trustworthiness icon comprises generating a single overlaid file icon that comprises both the second file icon and the second trustworthiness icon.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files comprise information that identifies a reputation of the first or second file within a community.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files comprises receiving the first and second trustworthiness classifications from a reputation service.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first and second files comprises identifying files that are created as part of an installation process.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first and second files comprises identifying a directory comprising the first and second files and analyzing contents of the directory prior to causing the contents of the directory to be displayed within the file manager interface.

9. A system for enabling users of computing devices to visually identify the relative trustworthiness of files without having to request separate trustworthiness evaluations of the files by displaying trustworthiness classifications for files as visually overlaid icons, the system comprising:

an identification module, a classification module, and an overlay module collectively programmed to:

identify, at a shell extension within a file manager installed on a computing device;

a first file;

a second file that performs a substantially similar function to the first file;

in response to identifying the first and second files, allowing a user of the computing device to visually compare the trustworthiness of the first and second files without requiring the user to request a separate evaluation of the files' trustworthiness by:

identifying, at the shell extension:

a first file icon that graphically represents the first file within a file manager interface on the computing device;

a second file icon that graphically represents the second file within the same file manager interface;

obtaining, at the shell extension:

a first trustworthiness classification assigned to the first file that identifies the trustworthiness of the first file;

a second trustworthiness classification assigned to the second file that identifies the trustworthiness of the second file;

visually overlaying, at the shell extension;

the first file icon with a first trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the first trustworthiness classification assigned to the first file;

the second file icon with a second trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the second trustworthiness classification assigned to the second file;

at least one processor configured to execute the identification module, the classification module, and the overlay module.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files indicate that at least one of:

the first or second file's trustworthiness is unknown;

the first or second file is untrustworthy;

the first or second file is trustworthy.

11. The system of claim 9 ,

wherein the first trustworthiness icon visually overlaid on the first file icon is juxtaposed with the second trustworthiness icon visually overlaid on the second file icon.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the overlay module:

visually overlays the first file icon with the first trustworthiness icon by generating a single overlaid file icon that comprises both the first file icon and the first trustworthiness icon;

visually overlays the second file icon with the second trustworthiness icon by generating a single overlaid file icon that comprises both the second file icon and the second trustworthiness icon.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files comprise information that identifies a reputation of the first or second file within a community.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the classification module is further programmed to receive the first and second trustworthiness classifications from a reputation service.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the shell extension is provided as part of a third-party software package.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files are represented by a numeric score that identifies the first and second files' trustworthiness.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

identify, at a shell extension within a file manager installed on the computing device:

a first file;

a second file that performs a substantially similar function to the first file;

in response to identifying the first and second files, allowing a user of the computing device to visually compare the trustworthiness of the first and second files without requiring the user to request a separate evaluation of the files' trustworthiness by:

identifying, at the shell extension;

a first file icon that graphically represents the first file within a file manager interface on the computing device;

a second file icon that graphically represents the second file within the same file manager interface;

obtaining, at the shell extension;

a first trustworthiness classification assigned to the first file that identifies the trustworthiness of the first file;

a second trustworthiness classification assigned to the second file that identifies the trustworthiness of the second file;

visually overlaying, at the shell extension;

the first file icon with a first trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the first trustworthiness classification assigned to the first file;

the second file icon with a second trustworthiness icon that graphically represents the second trustworthiness classification assigned to the second file.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the first and second trustworthiness classifications assigned to the first and second files indicate that at least one of:

the first or second file's trustworthiness is unknown;

the first or second file is untrustworthy;

the first or second file is trustworthy.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium of claim 17 ,

wherein the first trustworthiness icon visually overlaid on the first file icon is juxtaposed with the second trustworthiness icon visually overlaid on the second file icon.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium of claim 17 , wherein:

the first file icon is visually overlaid with the first trustworthiness icon by generating a single overlaid file icon that comprises both the first file icon and the first trustworthiness icon;

the second file icon is visually overlaid with the second trustworthiness icon by generating a single overlaid file icon that comprises both the second file icon and the second trustworthiness icon.