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US 4,975,950 AGranted
System and method of protecting integrity of computer data and software
OwnerStephen A. Lentzinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
System and method for preventing alteration of stored data by computer virus. In a computer system which normally automatically boots an operating system when the central processing unit is initialized, a device is provided which takes control of the central processing unit before boot-up, checks the system files for computer virus and generates an alarm signal if a virus is detected. In the preferred embodiment, the device quarantines an infected operating system to prevent alteration.
Claims2
In a computer system, said system including
- a central processing unit,
- a main memory, having resident therein
- a first program for controlling said central processing unit,
- a storage memory, having resident therein
- a second program for interfacing said storage memory with said system, and
- data, and
- means for sequentially
- normally automatically transferring said second program to said main memory in response to initializing the central processing unit, and
- transferring control of said central processing unit to said second program
- the improvements in said computer system comprising means for sequentially:
- (a) preventing said transfer of control;
- (b) checking said second program to detect said virus;
- and
- (c) generating an alarm signal if said virus is detected.
11 more elements
A method of operating a computer system which includes
- a central processing unit,
- a main memory, having resident therein
- a first program for controlling said central processing unit,
- a storage memory, having resident therein
- a second program for interfacing said storage memory with said system, and
- data, and
- means for sequentially
- normally automatically transferring said second program to said main memory in response to initializing the central processing unit, and
- transferring control of said central processing unit to said second program,
- said method comprising the steps of sequentially:
- (a) preventing said transfer of control;
- (b) checking said second program to detect said virus;
- and
- (c) generating an alarm signal if said virus is detected.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.