US 7,613,930 B2 · Method for protecting computer programs and data from hostile code

Abstract

A method that protects computer data from untrusted programs. Each computer's object and process is assigned with trust attributes, which define the way it can interact with other objects within the system. When an object is classified as untrusted, it can interact with other object within the system on a limited basis. A virtualized system is provided on the computer so that when the untrusted object attempts to perform an operation that is outside its scope of authorization, the virtualized system intercepts the operation but present the untrusted program with an indication that the requested operation has been performed. The method further includes processes to securely move a program from an untrusted group to a trusted group.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A computerized method of managing a computer's operation, comprising:

whenever a new program is introduced to said computer performing a check to classify said program as one of trusted or untrusted;
when a program is classified as an untrusted program, allowing installation of the untrusted program on said computer but limiting the untrusted program to run in a virtualized environment only;
wherein said virtualized environment causes the computer to:
intercept an operation request sent from the untrusted program to the computer's operating system;
modify the operation request to obtain a modified operation request;
provide the modified operation request to the operating system;
send to the untrusted program an indication that the operation request has been performed by the operating system, to thereby virtualize the operation request.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/141,909Filed 2 Jun 2005 · continuation in part

Priority

4 Jan 2002

Published

US 2005/0223239 A16 Oct 2005

Granted

3 Nov 2009

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06F 21/554
Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures: involving event detection and direct action
G06F 21/52
Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems: during program…
G06F 21/53
During program execution, e.g. stack integrity ; Preventing unwanted data erasure; Buffer overflow: by executing in a restricted environment, e.g.…
G06F 21/54
During program execution, e.g. stack integrity ; Preventing unwanted data erasure; Buffer overflow: by adding security routines or objects to programs

Family

Application10/037,560Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Jan 2002

Application60/683,211Us provisional application · filed 23 May 2005

US 2005/0223239 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 Oct 2005

US 7,363,493 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2002/0147923 A1Published application

US 7,613,930 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Method for protecting computer programs and data from hostile code

Life of this patent

Method for protecting computer programs and data from hostile code

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18