Method and system for protecting against computer viruses
A method for delivering an update to at least one user, including creating an electronic communication including an update and a unique signature identifying, the electronic communication as including the update and sending the electronic communication to the user.
1. A method for delivering an update to at least one user, comprising:
initiating, by a program provider, delivery of an update to at least one user;
creating an electronic communication comprising the update and a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said update; and
sending said electronic communication to said at least one user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said update includes a program update.
7. A method for receiving an update, comprising:
receiving an electronic communication using a receiving unit;
scanning the electronic communication, using the receiving unit, for a unique signature, wherein the unique signature identifies that the electronic communication contains an update;
identifying whether said electronic communication includes the update;
passing the electronic communication to an applying unit capable of applying the update if the electronic communication has been identified as including an update; and
applying said update.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein said update includes a program update.
13. A method for delivering an update to at least one user, comprising:
creating an electronic communication comprising an alert message, wherein the alert message comprises information about a virus outbreak; and
sending said electronic communication comprising said alert message to said at least one user.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said alert message includes a link to an update.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein said update includes a program update.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein said alert message includes instructions for obtaining an update.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein said update includes a program update.
22. The method of claim 13 , wherein said electronic communication additionally comprises a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said alert message.
23. The method of claim 13 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
24. The method of claim 13 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
25. A method for receiving an update, comprising:
receiving an electronic communication;
identifying whether said electronic communication includes an alert message, wherein the alert message comprises information about a virus outbreak; and
displaying said alert message.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said alert message includes a link to an update.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
29. The method of claim 26 , wherein said update includes a program update.
30. The method of claim 25 , wherein said alert message includes instructions for obtaining an update.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
33. The method of claim 30 , wherein said update includes a program update.
34. The method of claim 25 , wherein said electronic communication additionally comprises a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said alert message.
35. The method of claim 25 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
36. The method of claim 25 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
37. A method for delivering a sample, comprising: performing a heuristic virus scan on a sample;
creating an electronic communication comprising said sample when said sample is found to have at least a low risk of being infected by a malicious program; and
sending said electronic communication to a provider.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
39. The method of claim 37 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
40. A system for delivering an update to at least one user, comprising:
a program provider being operable to initiate delivery of an update to at least one user;
a creating unit for creating an electronic communication comprising the update and a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said update; and
a sending unit for sending said electronic communication to said at least one user.
41. The system of claim 40 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
42. The system of claim 40 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
43. The system of claim 40 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
44. The system of claim 40 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
45. The system of claim 40 , wherein said update includes a program update.
46. A system for receiving an update, comprising:
a receiving unit for receiving an electronic communication and scanning the electronic communication for a unique signature, wherein the unique signature identifies that the electronic communication contains an update;
an identifying unit for identifying whether said electronic communication includes an update and passing the electronic communication to an applying unit; and
the applying unit for applying said update when said electronic communication has been identified as including an update.
47. The system of claim 46 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
48. The system of claim 46 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
49. The system of claim 46 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
50. The system of claim 46 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
51. The system of claim 46 , wherein said update includes a program update.
52. A system for delivering an update to at least one user, comprising:
a creating unit for creating an electronic communication comprising an alert message, wherein the alert message comprises information about a virus outbreak; and
a sending unit for sending said electronic communication comprising said alert message to said at least one user.
53. The system of claim 52 , wherein said alert message includes a link to an update.
54. The system of claim 53 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
55. The system of claim 53 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
56. The system of claim 53 , wherein said update includes a program update.
57. The system of claim 52 , wherein said alert message includes instructions for obtaining an update.
58. The system of claim 57 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
59. The system of claim 57 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
60. The system of claim 57 , wherein said update includes a program update.
61. The system of claim 52 , wherein said electronic communication additionally comprises a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said alert message.
62. The system of claim 52 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
63. The system of claim 52 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
64. A system for receiving an update, comprising:
a receiving unit for receiving an electronic communication;
an identifying unit for identifying whether said electronic communication includes an alert message, wherein the alert message comprises information about a virus outbreak; and
a displaying unit for displaying said alert message.
65. The system of claim 64 , wherein said alert message includes a link to an update.
66. The system of claim 65 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
67. The system of claim 65 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
68. The system of claim 65 , wherein said update includes a program update.
69. The system of claim 64 , wherein said alert message includes instructions for obtaining an update.
70. The system of claim 69 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
71. The system of claim 69 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
72. The system of claim 69 , wherein said update includes a program update.
73. The system of claim 64 , wherein said electronic communication additionally comprises a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said alert message.
74. The system of claim 64 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
75. The system of claim 64 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
76. A system for delivering a sample, comprising:
a performing unit for performing a heuristic virus scan on a sample;
a creating unit for creating an electronic communication comprising said sample when said sample is found to have at least a low risk of being infected by a malicious program; and
a sending unit for sending said electronic communication to a provider.
77. The system of claim 76 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
78. The system of claim 76 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
79. A computer system comprising: a processor; and
a program storage device readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for delivering an update to at least one user, the method comprising the following steps:
initiating, by a program provider, delivery of an update to at least one user;
creating an electronic communication comprising the update and a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said update; and
sending said electronic communication to said at least one user.
80. The computer system of claim 79 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
81. The computer system of claim 79 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
82. The computer system of claim 79 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
83. The computer system of claim 79 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
84. The computer system of claim 79 , wherein said update includes a program update.
85. A computer system comprising: a processor; and
a program storage device readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for receiving an update, the method comprising the following steps:
receiving an electronic communication using a receiving unit;
scanning the electronic communication, using the receiving unit, for a unique signature, wherein the unique signature identifies that the electronic communication contains an update;
identifying whether said electronic communication includes the update; and
passing the electronic communication to an applying unit capable of applying the update if the electronic communication has been identified as including an update; and
applying said update.
86. The computer system of claim 85 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
87. The computer system of claim 85 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
88. The computer system of claim 85 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
89. The computer system of claim 85 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
90. The computer system of claim 85 , wherein said update includes a program update.
91. A computer system comprising: a processor; and
a program storage device readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for delivering an update to at least one user, the method comprising the following steps:
creating an electronic communication comprising an alert message, wherein the alert message comprises information about a virus outbreak; and
sending said electronic communication comprising said alert message to said at least one user.
92. The computer system of claim 91 , wherein said alert message includes a link to an update.
93. The computer system of claim 92 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
94. The computer system of claim 92 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
95. The computer system of claim 92 , wherein said update includes a program update.
96. The computer system of claim 91 , wherein said alert message includes instructions for obtaining an update.
97. The computer system of claim 96 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
98. The computer system of claim 96 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
99. The computer system of claim 96 , wherein said update includes a program update.
100. The computer system of claim 91 , wherein said electronic communication additionally comprises a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said alert message.
101. The computer system of claim 91 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
102. The computer system of claim 91 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
103. A computer system comprising: a processor; and
a program storage device readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for receiving an update, the method comprising the following steps:
receiving an electronic communication;
identifying whether said electronic communication includes an alert message, wherein the alert message comprises information about a virus outbreak; and
displaying said alert message.
104. The computer system of claim 103 , wherein said alert message includes a link to an update.
105. The computer system of claim 104 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
106. The computer system of claim 104 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
107. The computer system of claim 104 , wherein said update includes a program update.
108. The computer system of claim 103 , wherein said alert message includes instructions for obtaining an update.
109. The computer system of claim 108 , wherein said update includes one or more virus signatures.
110. The computer system of claim 108 , wherein said update includes one or more heuristics.
111. The computer system of claim 108 , wherein said update includes a program update.
112. The computer system of claim 103 , wherein said electronic communication additionally comprises a unique signature identifying said electronic communication as including said alert message.
113. The computer system of claim 103 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
114. The computer system of claim 103 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.
115. A computer system comprising: a processor; and
a program storage device readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for delivering a sample, the method comprising the following steps:
performing a heuristic virus scan on a sample;
creating an electronic communication comprising said sample when said sample is found to have at least a low risk of being infected by a malicious program; and
sending said electronic communication to a provider.
116. The computer system of claim 115 , wherein said electronic communication is an email.
117. The computer system of claim 115 , wherein said electronic communication is an instant message.