Protecting local users from remote applications

At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium for protecting a local user from security threats posed by remote applications, the at least one non-transitory computer readable-storage medium storing computer executable instructions that, when loaded into computer memory and executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the following steps:

• detecting that a user of a local computer system is viewing online content that provides an entryway to a remote application;
• collecting data concerning the remote application associated with the online content that provides the entryway to the remote application;
• collecting data concerning interaction by the user with the online content that provides the entryway to the remote application;
• wherein said data concerning interaction by the user with the online content that provides the entryway to the remote application comprises one or more of:
• one or both of when and under what circumstances a user activates the remote application;
• at what point the user rejects them remote application;
• the user removing the remote application;
• and
• a time interval between initial registration for the remote application and removal of the registered-for remote application;
• wherein the remote application further comprises an application that is not installed on the user's local computer system but can be run remotely from the user's local computer system;
• transmitting the collected data to a central repository;
• detecting that the user of the local computer system is being prompted to activate a new remote application;
• retrieving aggregated data concerning the new remote application from the central repository;
• analyzing the retrieved aggregated data concerning the new remote application;
• and
• responsive to analyzing the retrieved aggregated data concerning the new remote application, determining whether the new remote application is benign.

A computer system for protecting a local user from security threats posed by remote applications, the computer system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• system memory;
• a central repository configured for receiving data concerning at least a plurality of remote applications from a plurality of client computers and for aggregating the received data;
• a detecting module configured for detecting that a user of a local computer system is being prompted to activate a remote application;
• a collecting module configured for collecting data concerning interaction by the user with the online content that provides the entryway to the remote application;
• wherein said data concerning interaction by the user with the online content that provides the entryway to the remote application comprises one or more of:
• one or both of when and under what circumstances a user activates the remote application;
• at what point remote application;
• the user removing the remote application;
• and
• a time interval between initial registration for the remote application and removal of the registered-for remote application;
• wherein the remote application further comprises an application that is not installed on the user's local computer system but can be run remotely from the user's local computer system;
• a retrieving module configured for retrieving aggregated data concerning the remote application from the central repository;
• an analyzing module configured for analyzing the retrieved aggregated data concerning the remote application;
• and
• a determining module for determining whether the remote application is benign, responsive to analyzing the retrieved aggregated data concerning the remote application.