Dealing with a computer virus which self-propagates by email
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorBernard Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a method of dealing with a computer virus which self-propagates by causing an infected computer to send an email containing the virus to another computer using an email address present in an address book of the infected computer. The method comprises the steps of (i) receiving an email suspected of having been caused to be sent by such a virus at a computer; and (ii) upon step (i), carrying out a computer automated service for dealing with such a virus, wherein the automated service is rendered either to the computer from which the email was sent or to a computer in receipt of the email other than the one in step (i). Also disclosed is a corresponding computer system and related methods.
Claims20
A method of dealing with a computer virus which self-propagates by causing an infected computer to send an email containing the virus to another computer using an email address present in an address book of the infected computer, the method comprises the steps of:
- (i) receiving an email suspected of having been caused to be sent by such a virus at a computer;
- and
- (ii) upon step (i), carrying out a computer automated service for dealing with such a virus
- wherein the automated service is rendered either to the computer from which the email was sent or to a computer in receipt of the email other than the one in step (i).
A computer system configured to carry out a computer automated service for dealing with a virus which self-propagates by causing an infected computer to send an email containing the virus to another computer using an email address present in an address book of the infected computer, wherein the automated service is effected upon receipt at the computer system of an email suspected of having been caused to be sent by such a virus and rendered either to the computer from which the email was sent or to any other computer in receipt of the email.
A method of dealing with a computer virus which self-propagates by causing an infected computer to send an email containing the virus to another computer using an email address present in an address book of the infected computer, the method comprises the steps of:
- at a computer of a commercial anti-virus service provider, receiving an email from a computer suspected of propagating such a virus and belonging to a user external to the service provider;
- analyzing the email for a virus;
- and
- in the event that a virus is found, developing a solution to prevent the future propagation of that virus or viruses of the same type.
A method of providing a commercial anti-virus service for dealing with a computer virus which self-propagates by causing an infected computer to send an email containing the virus to another computer using an email address present in an address book of the infected computer, the method comprises the step of:
- maintaining an email account having an prescribed email address;
- and
- inviting a user of a computer system to add the prescribed email address to an address book of the computer system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.