Systems and methods for identifying malware threat vectors

#Consumers and businesses face a growing tide of malicious software that threatens the stability and performance of their computers and the security of their data. Computer programmers with malicious motivations have created and continue to create viruses, Trojan horses, worms and other programs in an attempt to compromise computer systems. These malicious programs are often referred to as malware.

#Malware authors are constantly innovating to devise new methods for delivering their malware. In one attack, a device may be configured to present to computing systems as a human interface device, but may instead include a microcontroller programmed to submit malicious inputs when installed (e.g., to access unwanted and/or malicious Internet resources, such as advertisements or executable files). For example, a malicious Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) device may be designed to look like a USB flash drive, but may register with a computing system as a human interface device (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, etc.). When a curious user plugs the device into a computing system, an operating system may automatically install a generic device driver for the device and immediately accept any inputs from the device (e.g., keyboard events, mouse events, etc.), allowing the device to control the computing system. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for identifying malware threat vectors.

#As will be described in greater detail below, the instant disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for identifying malware threat vectors by identifying the introduction of devices to computing systems that present to the computing systems as human interface devices of a type already extant in the computing systems.

#The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of exemplary embodiments and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of the instant disclosure.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for identifying malware threat vectors.

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for identifying malware threat vectors.

#Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

#The following will provide, with reference to FIGS. 1-2, detailed descriptions of exemplary systems for identifying malware threat vectors. Detailed descriptions of corresponding computer-implemented methods will also be provided in connection with FIG. 3. Detailed descriptions of exemplary inputs will be provided in connection with FIG. 4. In addition, detailed descriptions of an exemplary computing system and network architecture capable of implementing one or more of the embodiments described herein will be provided in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 100 for identifying malware threat vectors. As illustrated in this figure, exemplary system 100 may include one or more modules 102 for performing one or more tasks. For example, and as will be explained in greater detail below, exemplary system 100 may include an identification module 104 programmed to identify a computing system that includes a first human interface device. Exemplary system 100 may also include a detection module 106 programmed to detect an introduction of a new device to the computing system that presents itself to the computing system as a second human interface device.