Providing security for a virtual machine by selectively triggering a host security scan
AssigneeMoka5, Inc.
InventorsConstantine P. Sapuntzakis, Burt A. Toma, Phanindra V. R. Ganti, Robert A. Iannucci, Jr., Prakash Linga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that protects an application from malware on a host system. During operation, the system receives a command to commence execution of the application on the host system. In response to the command, the system causes a security scan to be performed on the host system to detect malware, wherein the malware can compromise the security of the application. The system also restricts one or more operations associated with the application until the security scan successfully completes.
Claims31
A method for protecting an application from malware on a host system, comprising:
- receiving a command to launch the application on the host system, wherein the application is a virtual machine or virtual machine monitor for a virtual machine;
- and
- in response to the command,
- commencing a security scan on the host system to detect malware before launching the application, wherein the malware can compromise security of the application and wherein the security scan examines running processes which are resident in memory,
- launching the application on the host system even if the security scan has not completed, and
- restricting one or more operations associated with the launched application until the security scan successfully completes.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for protecting an application from malware on a host system, the method comprising:
- receiving a command to launch the application on the host system, wherein the application is a virtual machine or virtual machine monitor for a virtual machine;
- and
- in response to the command,
- commencing a security scan on the host system to detect malware before launching the application, wherein the malware can compromise security of the application and wherein the security scan examines running processes which are resident in memory,
- launching the application on the host system even if the security scan has not completed, and
- restricting one or more operations associated with the launched application until the security scan successfully completes.
An apparatus that protects an application from malware on a host system, comprising:
- an execution mechanism configured to receive a command to launch the application on the host system, wherein in response to the command, the execution mechanism is configured to launch the application on the host system, wherein the application is a virtual machine or virtual machine monitor for a virtual machine;
- and
- a security mechanism, wherein in response to the command being received by the execution mechanism, the security mechanism is configured to,
- commence a security scan on the host system before launching the application, to detect malware, wherein the malware can compromise security of the application and wherein the security scan examines running processes which are resident in memory,
- launch the application on the host system even if the security scan has not completed, and
- restrict one or more operations associated with the launched application until the security scan successfully completes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.