Selective authorization of the loading of dependent code modules by running processes

A non-transitory program storage device readable by a computer system, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by one or more computer processors of the computer system to perform method steps for authenticating dependent code modules requested to be loaded by active processes running on the computer system comprising:

• monitoring, by a kernel mode driver of a computer system, a set of events occurring within one or more of a file system accessible by the computer system and an operating system that manages resources of the computer system;
• responsive to initiation of an event of the set of events by an active process running on the computer system, wherein the active process corresponds to a first code module stored within the file system and the event relates to a second code module stored within the file system, the kernel mode driver, determining an identity or type of the first code module;
• based on the determined identity or type of the first code module, the kernel mode driver, selectively performing or bypassing a real-time authentication process on the second code module with reference to a multi-level whitelist, wherein the multi-level whitelist includes (i) a global whitelist database remote from the computer system and maintained by a trusted service provider, the global whitelist database containing cryptographic hash values of approved code modules, which are known not to contain viruses or malicious code and (ii) a local whitelist database containing cryptographic hash values of at least a subset of the approved code modules;
• and
• allowing the active process to load the second code module into a memory of the computer system (i) when the real-time authentication process is bypassed or (ii) when the real-time authentication process is performed and determines a cryptographic hash value of the code module matches one of the cryptographic hash values of approved code modules within the multi-level whitelist.

A computer system comprising:

• a non-transitory storage device having tangibly embodied therein one or more routines;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory storage device and operable to execute the one or more routines to perform a method comprising:
• monitoring, by a kernel mode driver of the computer system, a set of events occurring within one or more of a file system accessible by the computer system and an operating system that manages resources of the computer system;
• responsive to initiation of an event of the set of events by an active process running on the computer system, wherein the active process corresponds to a first code module stored within the file system and the event relates to a second code module stored within the file system, the kernel mode driver, determining an identity or type of the first code module;
• based on the determined identity or type of the first code module, the kernel mode driver, selectively performing or bypassing a real-time authentication process on the second code module with reference to a multi-level whitelist, wherein the multi-level whitelist includes (i) a global whitelist database remote from the computer system and maintained by a trusted service provider, the global whitelist database containing cryptographic hash values of approved code modules, which are known not to contain viruses or malicious code and (ii) a local whitelist database containing cryptographic hash values of at least a subset of the approved code modules;
• and
• allowing the active process to load the second code module into a memory of the computer system (i) when the real-time authentication process is bypassed or (ii) when the real-time authentication process is performed and determines a cryptographic hash value of the code module matches one of the cryptographic hash values of approved code modules within the multi-level whitelist.