System and method for controlling applications to mitigate the effects of malicious software
AssigneeBlackBerry Limited
InventorsOliver Whitehouse, Michael Grant Kirkup, Christopher Lyle Bender, MIchael Kenneth Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for mitigating the effects of a malicious software application are disclosed. A dedicated module on the computing device receives from a malicious software detector a message indicating whether the application is malicious or has a malicious component. The dedicated module obtains a set of permissions to be granted to the application, and instructs software on the computing device that controls the permissions of the application to grant the set of permissions.
Claims20
A method for mitigating the effects of a malicious software application on a computing device, the method being performed by a dedicated module located on the computing device, the method comprising:
- the dedicated module executing the application using a program for executing unverified applications;
- the dedicated module recording behavior information pertaining to a monitored behavior of the application;
- the dedicated module forwarding the behavior information to a malicious software detector remote from the computing device;
- the dedicated module receiving from the malicious software detector a message indicating that the application is malicious or has a malicious component;
- and
- in response to receiving the message from the malicious software detector, the dedicated module instructing software on the computing device that controls permissions of the application to inhibit at least one but not all permissions granted to the application.
A system for mitigating the effects of a malicious software application on a computing device, the system comprising:
- a dedicated module on the computing device comprising computer executable instructions for executing the application using a program for executing unverified applications, recording behavior information pertaining to a monitored behavior of the application, forwarding the behavior information to a malicious software detector remote from the computing device, and receiving from the malicious software detector a message indicating that the application is malicious or has a malicious component;
- and
- an applications control module on the computing device comprising computer executable instructions for controlling the permissions of the application, the dedicated module configured to instruct the applications control module to inhibit at least one but not all permissions granted to the application in response to receiving the message from the malicious software detector.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for mitigating the effects of a malicious software application on a computing device, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:
- executing the application using a program for executing unverified applications;
- recording behavior information pertaining to a monitored behavior of the application;
- forwarding the behavior information to a malicious software detector remote from the computing device;
- receiving from the malicious software detector a message indicating that the application is malicious or has a malicious component;
- and
- in response to receiving the message from the malicious software detector, instructing software on the computing device that controls permissions of the application to inhibit at least one but not all permissions granted to the application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.