US 7,353,428 B2 · Polled automatic virus fix

Abstract

A client computer is connected via a network to an anti-virus server and polls the server for indication that an anti-virus needs to be immediately downloaded from the anti-virus server. The client computer disengages from the network, and re-establishes a link with only the trusted anti-virus server. The anti-virus fix is installed, the client computer re-booted, and the client computer is then allowed to reconnect to the full network. If the client's primary operating system (OS) is infected, a secondary OS in the client computer performs the anti-virus download and execution. The disengagement from the network is performed by applying a filter in a network interface card (NIC) driver by the primary OS, the secondary OS, a service processor (SP), or by a virtual machine manager (VMM), depending on which is available at the client computer.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

polling a fix server for an available software fix, wherein the polling originates at a client;
determining whether the client has previously received the software fix;
isolating the client from a network in response to a determination that the client has not previously received the software fix;
establishing an exclusive network connection between the client and the fix server;
receiving the software fix from the fix server;
and
determining whether the client computer has any of a virtual machine manager, a primary operating system, a secondary operating system, and a service processor, and upon said determination,
utilizing to perform said isolation, the first useful one, in descending priority order, of the virtual machine manager, the primary operating system, the secondary operating system, and the service processor.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Polled automatic virus fix

Life of this patent

Polled automatic virus fix

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16