SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR MANAGING A PLURALITY OF APPLICATIONS VIA A SINGLE INTERFACE
A system, method and computer program product are provided for managing a plurality of applications via a single interface. It is initially identified as to which of a plurality of applications are installed on a computer. A status of each of the applications is then presented via a single graphical user interface.
1 . At least one machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, comprising code that when executed on a machine, causes the machine to:
identify, utilizing a processor, a status of a security application;
represent the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator;
display the colored indicator within a window associated with the security application;
wherein a color of the colored indicator includes green to indicate that the security application is at least one of installed or running; and
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different window of the security application.
2 . The medium of claim 1 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes red to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, or expired.
3 . The medium of claim 1 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes amber to indicate an intermediate level of vulnerability for the security application.
4 . At least one machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, comprising code that when executed on a machine causes the machine to:
identify, utilizing a processor, a status of a security application;
represent the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator;
display the colored indicator within a window associated with the security application;
wherein a color of the colored indicator includes red to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, or expired; and
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different window of the security application.
5 . The medium of claim 4 , wherein the additional information comprises an item that may be selected by a user to decrease a degree of risk associated with the status.
6 . The medium of claim 5 , wherein the item is a link.
7 . The medium of claim 5 , wherein the item is a selection icon.
8 . The medium of claim 5 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
download, responsive to selection of the item, an update of the security application.
9 . The medium of claim 5 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
download, responsive to selection of the item, a more recent version of the security application.
10 . The medium of claim 4 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes green to indicate that the security application is at least one of installed or running.
11 . The medium of claim 4 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes amber to indicate an intermediate level of vulnerability for the security application.
12 . At least one machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, comprising code that when executed on a machine causes the machine to:
identify, utilizing a processor, a status of a security application;
represent the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and
display the colored indicator, wherein a color of the colored indicator includes green to indicate that the security application is at least one of installed or running.
13 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display the colored indicator within a window associated with the security application.
14 . The medium of claim 13 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different window of the security application.
15 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display the colored indicator within an area of a graphical user interface.
16 . The medium of claim 15 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different area of the graphical user interface.
17 . The medium of claim 15 , wherein the area of the graphical user interface is a window.
18 . The medium of claim 17 , wherein the window is associated with the security application.
19 . The medium of claim 15 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display information relating to the status of a second security application within the same or a different area of the graphical user interface.
20 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is an anti-virus application.
21 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is a firewall application.
22 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is an anti-spam application.
23 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is an anti-virus and firewall application.
24 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
further represent the status by a version number in addition to the colored indicator.
25 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the status is represented by a plurality of visual indicators, the plurality of visual indicators including the colored indicator.
26 . The medium of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of visual indicators further includes a version number.
27 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is operable to scan malicious code.
28 . The medium of claim 27 , wherein the malicious code is a virus.
29 . The medium of claim 28 , wherein the security application is further operable to scan for malicious code by comparing virus signature files with data located in memory.
30 . The medium of claim 28 , wherein the security application is further to scan for malicious code by comparing virus signature files with data transmitted via a network.
31 . The medium of claim 27 , wherein the security application is further operable to take an appropriate action in response to detecting malicious code.
32 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the appropriate action is to quarantine data.
33 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the appropriate action is to delete data.
34 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the appropriate action is to clean data.
35 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the appropriate action is to display an alert.
36 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is a firewall application.
37 . The medium of claim 36 , wherein the firewall application is operable to take an appropriate action based on a set of rules.
38 . The medium of claim 36 , wherein the firewall application is operable to take an appropriate action based on one or more policies.
39 . The medium of claim 36 , wherein the firewall application is operable to block one or more accesses to the processor based on a set of rules or based on one or more policies.
40 . The medium of claim 36 , wherein the firewall application is operable to provide an alert of access to the processor, based on a set of rules or based on one or more policies.
41 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is a privacy application operable to prevent personal information from being shared.
42 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is a privacy application operable to protect personal information.
43 . The medium of claim 12 , wherein the security application is a privacy application operable to prevent access to predetermined content on a network.
44 . The medium of claim 43 , wherein the network is the Internet.
45 . At least one machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, comprising code that when executed on a machine causes the machine to:
identify, utilizing a processor, a status of a security application;
represent the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and
display the colored indicator, wherein a color of the colored indicator includes red to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, or expired.
46 . The medium of claim 45 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display the colored indicator within a window associated with the security application.
47 . The medium of claim 46 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the machine causes the machine to:
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different window of the security application.
48 . The medium of claim 47 , wherein the additional information includes an item that may be selected by a user to decrease a degree of risk associated with the status.
49 . The medium of claim 48 , wherein the item is a link.
50 . The medium of claim 45 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes green to indicate that the security application is at least one of installed or running.
51 . The medium of claim 45 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes amber to indicate an intermediate level of vulnerability for the security application.
52 . The medium of claim 45 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes red to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, or expired.
53 . The medium of claim 45 , wherein a color of the colored indicator includes amber to indicate an intermediate level of vulnerability for the security application.
54 . At least one machine accessible storage medium having code stored thereon, comprising code that when executed causes the machine to:
identify, utilizing a processor, a status of an anti-virus security application that is operable to scan for malicious code by comparing virus signature files with data located in memory and is operable to take an appropriate response to detecting a virus, where the appropriate response includes at least one of quarantining data, deleting data, cleaning data, or providing an alert;
represent the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator;
display the colored indicator and a version number of the security application within a window associated with the security application;
wherein a color of the colored indicator includes red to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, or expired; and
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different window of the security application,
wherein the additional information includes a link or selection icon that may be selected to perform an action to decrease a degree of risk associated with the status, and
wherein the action includes at least one of:
loading an update to the anti-virus security application; and
loading a newer version of the anti-virus security application.
55 . A computing device, comprising:
a processor;
a touch screen, coupled to the processor;
a communication adaptor, operable for communication with a wireless network;
a display, coupled to the processor; and
a storage unit, coupled to the processor, on which is stored code, comprising code that when executed on the processor causes the computing device to:
identify a status of a security application;
represent the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator;
display the colored indicator within a window on the display associated with the security application;
wherein a first color of the colored indicator indicates that the security application is at least one of installed or running and a second color of the colored indicator indicates that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, or expired; and
display additional information relating to the status of the security application within the same or a different window of the security application.
56 . The computing device of claim 55 , further comprising a keyboard, coupled to the processor.
57 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the first color comprises green and the second color comprises red.
58 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein a third color of the colored indicator indicates an intermediate level of vulnerability for the security application.
59 . The computing device of claim 58 , wherein the third color comprises amber.
60 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the additional information comprises an item that may be selected using the touch screen to decrease a degree of risk associated with the status.
61 . The computing device of claim 60 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the processor causes the computing device to:
download, responsive to selection of the item using the touch screen, an update of the security application.
62 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the processor causes the computing device to:
display information relating to the status of a second security application within the same or a different window on the display.
63 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is an anti-virus application.
64 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is a firewall application.
65 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is an anti-spam application.
66 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is an anti-virus and firewall application.
67 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the code further comprises code that when executed on the processor causes the computing device to:
further represent the status by a version number in addition to the colored indicator.
68 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the status is represented by a plurality of visual indicators, the plurality of visual indicators including the colored indicator.
69 . The computing device of claim 68 , wherein the plurality of visual indicators further includes a version number.
70 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is operable to scan malicious code.
71 . The computing device of claim 70 , wherein the malicious code is a virus.
72 . The computing device of claim 71 , wherein the security application is further operable to scan for malicious code by comparing virus signature files with data located in memory.
73 . The computing device of claim 71 , wherein the security application is further to scan for malicious code by comparing virus signature files with data transmitted via the wireless network.
74 . The computing device of claim 70 , wherein the security application is further operable to take an appropriate action in response to detecting malicious code.
75 . The computing device of claim 74 , wherein the appropriate action is to quarantine data.
76 . The computing device of claim 74 , wherein the appropriate action is to delete data.
77 . The computing device of claim 74 , wherein the appropriate action is to clean data.
78 . The computing device of claim 74 , wherein the appropriate action is to display an alert.
79 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is a firewall application.
80 . The computing device of claim 79 , wherein the firewall application is operable to take an appropriate action based on a set of rules.
81 . The computing device of claim 79 , wherein the firewall application is operable to take an appropriate action based on one or more policies.
82 . The computing device of claim 79 , wherein the firewall application is operable to block one or more accesses to the processor based on a set of rules or based on one or more policies.
83 . The computing device of claim 79 , wherein the firewall application is operable to provide an alert of access to the processor, based on a set of rules or based on one or more policies.
84 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is a privacy application operable to prevent personal information from being shared.
85 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is a privacy application operable to protect personal information.
86 . The computing device of claim 55 , wherein the security application is a privacy application operable to prevent access to predetermined content on a network.
87 . The computing device of claim 86 , wherein the network is the Internet.