Malware scanning wireless service agent system and method

• US 20030233566A1
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Palmer, David W., Libenzi, Davide, Fallenstedt, Martin, Kouznetsov, Victor, Pak, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/562 Static detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/564 by virus signature recognition
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/128 Anti-malware arrangements, e.g. protection against SMS fraud or mobile malware
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for scanning a mobile wireless device for malware. Initially, a service agent is initiated utilizing a mobile wireless device. Next, information describing the mobile wireless device is transmitted to a back-end server over a wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device. An update is then received from the back-end server over the wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device. Subsequently, an anti-malware scanner installed on the mobile wireless device is updated so that the mobile wireless device may be scanned utilizing the updated anti-malware scanner.

Claims

1. A method for scanning a mobile wireless device for malware, comprising:

initiating a service agent utilizing a mobile wireless device;

transmitting information describing the mobile wireless device to a back-end server over a wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device;

receiving an update from the back-end server over the wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device;

updating an anti-malware scanner installed on the mobile wireless device with the update; and

scanning the mobile wireless device utilizing the updated anti-malware scanner.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information describing the mobile wireless includes log data.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the log data is specific to the mobile wireless device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the service agent is initiated by a user interface of the mobile wireless device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the service agent is initiated by the anti-malware scanner of the mobile wireless device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the service agent is initiated by a daemon of the mobile wireless device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the service agent is initiated by a scheduler of the mobile wireless device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the service agent is initiated by a trigger.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a manual trigger.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a self trigger.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a scanner trigger.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a scheduled trigger.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on an external trigger.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the up date is wrapped.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the update includes a header and a plurality of parts.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the parts include a part-header section and a part-data section.

17. A computer program product for scanning a mobile wireless device for malware, comprising:

computer code for initiating a service agent utilizing a mobile wireless device;

computer code for transmitting information describing the mobile wireless device to a back-end server over a wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device;

computer code for receiving an update from the back-end server over the wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device;

computer code for updating an anti-malware scanner installed on the mobile wireless device with the update; and

computer code for scanning the mobile wireless device utilizing the updated anti-malware scanner.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the information describing the mobile wireless includes log data.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 18, wherein the log data is specific to the mobile wireless device.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the service agent is initiated by a user interface of the mobile wireless device.

21. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the service agent is initiated by the anti-malware scanner of the mobile wireless device.

22. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the service agent is initiated by a daemon of the mobile wireless device.

23. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the service agent is initiated by a scheduler of the mobile wireless device.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the service agent is initiated by a trigger.

25. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a manual trigger.

26. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a self trigger.

27. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a scanner trigger.

28. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on a scheduled trigger.

29. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device is updated based on an external trigger.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the update is wrapped.

31. The computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the update includes a header and a plurality of parts.

32. The computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein the parts include a part-header section and a part-data section.

33. A system for scanning a mobile wireless device for malware, comprising:

means for initiating a service agent utilizing a mobile wireless device;

means for transmitting information describing the mobile wireless device to a back-end server over a wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device;

means for receiving an update from the back-end server over the wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device;

means for updating an anti-malware scanner installed on the mobile wireless device with the update; and

means for scanning the mobile wireless device utilizing the updated anti-malware scanner.

34. A method for scanning a mobile wireless device for malware, comprising:

transmitting information describing a mobile wireless device to a back-end server over a wireless network utilizing a service agent of the mobile wireless device, wherein the information is specific to the mobile wireless device

receiving an update from the back-end server over the wireless network utilizing the service agent of the mobile wireless device, wherein the update is tailored to the mobile wireless device based on the information describing the mobile wireless device; and

updating an anti-malware scanner installed on the mobile wireless device with the update.