Method and system for caching virus-free file certificates

A system for caching one or more virus-free certificates within a LAN/WAN network, each virus-free certificate certifying that a file to be downloaded to a client is virus-free, said system comprising:

• a mechanism for receiving a request for a virus-free certificate associated with a file to be downloaded to said client;
• cache table device for storing one or more virus-free certificates for files, said cache table device including look-up mechanism for identifying one or more virus-free certificates associated with a requested file in a cache table;
• said look-up mechanism enabling selection of one virus-free certificate for the identified file using one or a plurality of anti-virus criteria;
• and,
• mechanism for retrieving from a cache table said selected virus-free certificate;
• and, in response to said request, returning a retrieved virus-free certificate with said file.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for caching one or more virus-free certificates within a LAN/WAN network, each virus-free certificate certifying that a file to be downloaded to a client is virus-free, said method steps comprising:

• a) receiving a virus-free certificate request for a file;
• b) identifying the file in a cache table, said cache table comprising for each identified file one or plurality of virus-free certificates;
• c) selecting in the cache table one virus-free certificate for the identified file using one or a plurality of anti virus criteria;
• and,
• d) retrieving from the cache table said selected virus-free certificate and returning a retrieved virus-free certificate with said file.