Systems and methods for securing computers

• US 20030097409A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ServStor Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: ServStor Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Inventors: Tsai, Hungchou
• Application Number:
  US09/972,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097409A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for avoiding electronic mail (email) attacks on a compute. This is achieved by downloading one or more emails in virtual-copy format prevent the one or more emails from executing; determining whether an infected email is in the downloaded one or more emails; and disposing of the infected email.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding electronic mail (email) attacks on a computer, comprising:

downloading one or more emails in virtual-copy format to prevent the one or more emails from executing;

determining whether an infected email is in the downloaded one or more emails; and

disposing of the infected email.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing non-infected emails to be accessed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading non-infected emails to an email software.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the email software is Microsoft Outlook.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising parsing the downloaded virtual-copy format emails to determine whether the emails are secure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein potentially infected emails are determined based on one or more of the following:

an email from field, an email to field, and an email subject field.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a security policy exists.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the security policy specifies characteristics of potentially infected emails.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising removing one or more potentially infected emails based on the security policy.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a summary for each email.

11. A system for avoiding electronic mail (email) attacks on a computer, comprising:

means for downloading one or more emails in virtual-copy format prevent the one or more emails from executing;

means for determining whether an infected email is in the downloaded one or more emails; and

means for disposing of the infected email.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for allowing non-infected emails to be accessed.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for downloading non-infected emails to an email software.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the email software is Microsoft Outlook.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for parsing the downloaded virtual-copy format emails to determine whether the emails are secure.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein potentially infected emails are determined based on one or more of the following:

an email from field, an email to field, and an email subject field.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for determining whether a security policy exists.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the security policy specifies characteristics of potentially infected emails.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for removing one or more potentially infected emails based on the security policy.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for displaying a summary for each email.