Interpreter with virtualized interface

A method for predicting the action of a program of interest within an application program subsystem having an interpreter, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an application program interface (API) call for predicting the action of a program of interest;
• initializing a virtual environment based on a real environment within which the program of interest is expected to operate;
• initializing application state information;
• interpreting in turn individual instructions of the program of interest;
• and
• altering the application state information and the virtual environment in response to interpreted instructions.

A method for exercising a macro with an application program subsystem having a macro interpreter so as to detect a presence of potential viral activity, comprising steps of:

• making an application program interface (API) call with a program, the API call identifying the macro and specifying an initial virtual environment within which the macro is to be interpreted;
• interpreting in turn individual instructions of the macro;
• altering the virtual environment in response to interpreted instructions;
• and
• notifying the program upon the occurrence of an alteration to the virtual environment that triggers a predetermined notification criterion, wherein the alteration may be indicative of a presence of potential viral activity.

A method for executing a macro with a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

• generating an application program interface (API) call for interpreting a macro of interest in a virtual environment so as to execute all or a part of the macro of interest in the virtual environment;
• the step of generating including a step of defining the virtual environment, wherein the virtual environment is defined at least in part through the use of at least one callback function that is invoked upon an occurrence of a virtual execution of the macro satisfying a predetermined callback function invocation criterion;
• wherein the step of generating further includes a step of initializing state information;
• interpreting in turn individual instructions of the macro;
• and
• altering at least one of the state information and the virtual environment in response to interpreted instructions.