US 2013/0086690 A1 · Hygiene-Based Computer Security

Abstract

A reputation server is coupled to multiple clients via a network. Each client has a security module that detect malware at the client. The security module computes a hygiene score based on detected malware and provides it to the reputation server. The security module monitors client encounters with entities such as files, programs, and websites. When a client encounters an entity, the security module obtains a reputation score for the entity from the reputation server. The security module evaluates the reputation score and optionally cancels an activity involving the entity. The reputation server computes reputation scores for the entities based on the clients' hygiene scores and operations performed in response to the evaluations. The reputation server prioritizes malware submissions from the client security modules based on the reputation scores.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of providing computer security, comprising:

determining client hygiene scores associated with a plurality of clients that represent assessments of abilities of the clients in avoiding malware threats, the hygiene scores based on amounts of malware detected at the clients;
receiving data describing an entity encountered by one or more clients of the plurality of clients;
and
calculating a reputation score for the entity responsive to the client hygiene scores of the one or more clients of the plurality of clients that encountered the entity, the reputation score representing an assessment of whether the entity is malicious.

1 more element

A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable medium with computer program instructions embodied therein for providing security on a client, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

monitoring a state of the client to detect an encounter with an entity;
receiving a reputation score for the entity encountered by the client from a reputation server, the reputation score representing an assessment of whether the entity is malicious and calculated responsive to client hygiene scores of other clients that encountered the entity, the client hygiene scores representing assessments of abilities of the other clients in avoiding malware threats, the client hygiene scores based on amounts of malware detected at the other clients;
and
evaluating the reputation score for the entity to determine whether the entity is malicious.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hygiene-Based Computer Security

Life of this patent

Hygiene-Based Computer Security

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20