US 2014/0351937 A1 · VIRUS CO-PROCESSOR INSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS FOR USING SUCH

Abstract

Circuits and methods for detecting, identifying and/or removing undesired content are provided. According to one embodiment, a method for virus processing is provided. A virus signature file that includes multiple virus signatures capable of detecting and identifying a variety of known viruses is downloaded by a general purpose processor. It is determined by the general purpose processor whether a virus co-processor is coupled to the general purpose processor. When the virus co-processor is determined to be coupled to the general purpose processor, then it is further determined by the general purpose processor which virus signatures are supported by the virus co-processor (“CP-supported virus signatures”). The CP-supported virus signatures are transferred to a memory associated with the virus co-processor. The virus co-processor is directed by the general purpose processor to perform a virus scan based on the supported virus signatures.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

downloading, by a general purpose processor of a network security appliance, a virus signature file that includes a plurality of virus signatures capable of detecting and identifying a variety of known viruses;
determining, by the general purpose processor, whether a virus co-processor is coupled to the general purpose processor;
when the virus co-processor is determined to be coupled to the general purpose processor, then determining, by the general purpose processor, which virus signatures of the plurality virus signatures are supported by the virus co-processor (“CP-supported virus signatures”);
causing to be transferred, by the general purpose processor, the CP-supported virus signatures to a memory associated with the virus co-processor;
directing, by the general purpose processor, the virus co-processor to perform a virus scan based on the supported virus signatures.

2 more elements

A network security appliance comprising:

a virus co-processor;
a non-transitory storage device having tangibly embodied therein instructions representing one or more virus scanning routines;
and
a general purpose processor, coupled to the non-transitory storage device and to the virus co-processor, operable to execute the one or more virus scanning routines to perform a method comprising:
downloading, by the general purpose processor, a virus signature file that includes a plurality of virus signatures capable of detecting and identifying a variety of known viruses;
determining, by the general purpose processor, that the virus co-processor is coupled to the general purpose processor;
determining, by the general purpose processor, which virus signatures of the plurality virus signatures are supported by the virus co-processor (“CP-supported virus signatures”);
causing to be transferred, by the general purpose processor, the CP-supported virus signatures to a memory associated with the virus co-processor;
directing, by the general purpose processor, the virus co-processor to perform a virus scan based on the supported virus signatures.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Virus co-processor instructions and methods for using such

Life of this patent

Virus co-processor instructions and methods for using such

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18