Granted Patent B2

US 9,288,222 · App. 14/314,398 · Granted Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A method for protecting a computer system, the method comprising:

reading status information in response to a power-on self-test of the computer system, the status information indicating whether a network connectivity was available a time an operating system of the computer system was last operational;

when the status information indicates that the network connectivity was not available, obtaining a software patch;

booting the operating system of the computer system, after the obtaining; and

executing and applying the software patch, after the booting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the software patch comprises:

loading a stand-alone network driver to make a connection to a device; and

downloading the software patch from the device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, in response to the obtaining, an integrity of a file by scanning a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), a bootloader, or anti-malware software, wherein the booting is performed in response to a determination that the integrity of the file is intact.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

taking a corrective action, if the integrity is not intact.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the corrective action comprises restoring a file from a network device.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining whether a network connectivity is available, upon completion of the booting.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a checksum or hash of software of the computer system.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

restoring the first sector of a drive of the computer system upon a detection that the first sector of the drive has been overwritten.

9. A computer system, comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer program instructions; and

a non-transitory memory configured to store computer program instructions executable by the processor to perform a method comprising

reading status information in response to a power-on self-test of the computer system, the status information indicating whether a network connectivity was available a time an operating system of the computer system was last operational;

when the status information indicates that the network connectivity was not available, obtaining a software patch;

booting the operating system of the computer system, after the obtaining; and

executing and applying the software patch, after the booting.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the obtaining the software patch comprises:

loading a stand-alone network driver to make a connection to a device; and

downloading the software patch from the device.

11. The system of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

determining, in response to the obtaining, an integrity of a file by scanning a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), a bootloader, or anti-malware software, wherein the booting is performed in response to a determination that the integrity of the file is intact.

12. The system of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

taking a corrective action, if the integrity is not intact.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the corrective action comprises restoring a file from a network device.

14. The system of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

determining whether a network connectivity is available, upon completion of the booting.

15. The system of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

determining a checksum or hash of software of the computer system.

16. The system of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

restoring the first sector of a drive of the computer system upon a detection that the first sector of the drive has been overwritten.

17. Computer program instructions, recorded on a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium and executable by a processor, for performing a method for protecting a computer system, the instructions comprising:

instructions to read status information in response to a power-on self-test of the computer system, the status information indicating whether a network connectivity was available a time an operating system of the computer system was last operational;

instructions to obtain a software patch, when the status information indicates that the network connectivity was not available;

instructions to boot the operating system of the computer system, after the software patch is obtained; and

instructions to execute and apply the software patch, after the operating system is booted.

18. The instructions of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to obtain the software patch comprise:

instructions to load a stand-alone network driver to make a connection to a device; and

instructions to download the software patch from the device.

19. The instructions of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to determine, in response to obtaining the software patch, an integrity of a file by scanning a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), a bootloader, or anti-malware software, wherein the operating system is booted in response to a determination that the integrity of the file is intact.

20. The instructions of claim 19 , further comprising:

instructions to take a corrective action, if the integrity is not intact.

21. The instructions of claim 20 , wherein the corrective action comprises restoring a file from a network device.

22. The instructions of claim 19 , further comprising:

instructions to determine whether a network connectivity is available, upon completion of booting the operating system.

23. The instructions of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to determine a checksum or hash of software of the computer system.

24. The instructions of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to restore the first sector of a drive of the computer system upon a detection that the first sector of the drive has been overwritten.

Assignments (9)