Network security system with automatic vulnerability tracking and clean-up mechanisms
AssigneeTrend Micro Incorporated
InventorSimon C. Ko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, an antivirus system logs in-transit e-mails in a computer network. Upon receipt of an updated pattern file for an antivirus scan engine, the log may be checked to determine if the computer network has been exposed to a computer virus identified in the updated pattern file. If so, antivirus actions, such as antivirus scanning of a client computer that has been infected by the virus, may be remotely initiated.
Claims19
A method of automatically securing a computer network against computer viruses, the method to be performed by a computer and comprising:
- receiving a plurality of e-mails in the computer network, the computer network including a first server computer and a plurality of client computers;
- logging receiving of the plurality of e-mails in a log;
- receiving in the first server computer an updated pattern file for an antivirus scan engine, the updated pattern file being received by the first server computer from a remote second server computer, the updated pattern file being an update for an old pattern file present in the plurality of client computers;
- updating copies of the old pattern file in the plurality of client computers;
- finding a new computer virus identified in the updated pattern file but not in the old pattern file;
- and
- in response to receiving the updated pattern file in the first server computer, checking the log to determine vulnerability of the computer network to the new computer virus by identifying from the log an e-mail that has been forwarded to its destination client computer and carrying the new computer virus.
A system for securing a computer network against computer viruses, the system comprising:
- a mail log containing information about in-transit e-mails in a computer network;
- an antivirus manager running in a server computer in the computer network, the antivirus manager being configured to check the mail log to determine if an e-mail has been forwarded to its destination client computer in the computer network and carrying a new computer virus identified in an updated pattern file;
- and
- an antivirus agent running in the client computer in the computer network, the antivirus agent being configured to receive a command from the antivirus manager to initiate virus scanning in the client computer if the antivirus manager determines that the new computer virus has been received in the client computer.
A method of automatically securing a computer network against computer viruses, the method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of files in a server computer in a computer network, the computer network including a plurality of client computers;
- logging receipt of the files in a log;
- receiving an updated pattern file for pattern files of antivirus scan engines in the plurality of client computers;
- updating the pattern files for the antivirus scan engines in the plurality of client computers;
- in response to receiving the updated pattern file in the server computer, checking the log to determine if a file in the plurality of files contains a computer virus;
- identifying a client computer in the plurality of client computers that has received a file that includes the computer virus;
- and
- remotely initiating antivirus scanning of the client computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.