API system, method and computer program product for accessing content/security analysis functionality in a mobile communication framework

• US 20040209608A1
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC), NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC), NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujita, Masanori, Ishii, Kenji, Urakawa, Yasutaka, Libenzi, Davide, Kouznetsov, Victor, Pak, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/566 Dynamic detection, i.e. detection performed at run-time, e.g. emulation, suspicious activities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for accessing security or content analysis functionality utilizing a mobile communication device. Included is an operating system installed on a mobile communication device capable of communicating via a wireless network. Further provided is an application program installed on the mobile communication device and executed utilizing the operating system for performing tasks. A scanning subsystem remains in communication with the application program via an application program interface. Such scanning subsystem is adapted for accessing security or content analysis functionality in conjunction with the tasks performed by the application program.

Claims

1. A system for accessing security or content analysis functionality utilizing a mobile communication device, comprising:

an operating system installed on a mobile communication device capable of communicating via a wireless network;

an application program installed on the mobile communication device and executed utilizing the operating system for performing tasks; and

a scanning subsystem in communication with the application program via an application program interface, the scanning subsystem adapted for accessing security or content analysis functionality in conjunction with the tasks performed by the application program.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the security or content analysis includes security analysis.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the security or content analysis includes content analysis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the security or content analysis includes on-demand virus scanning.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the security or content analysis includes on-access virus scanning.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program includes a mail application program, and the tasks include managing electronic mail.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program includes a browser application program, and the tasks include browsing a network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program includes a phone book application program, and the tasks include managing a plurality telephone numbers.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program includes a message application program, and the tasks include communicating messages.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program includes a Java application program.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device includes a cellular telephone.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the security or content analysis functionality is applied to application data associated with the tasks performed by the application program.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the security or content analysis functionality includes scanning.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning subsystem includes a re-entrant library.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the scanning subsystem is linked to the application program at run-time.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning subsystem includes as scanning program that communicates with the application program via the application program interface.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is capable of system environment initialization.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is capable of version status information retrieval.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is capable of updating the scanning subsystem.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is capable of scanning.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is capable of configuring the scanning subsystem.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface includes an open call.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface includes a data call.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface includes a close call.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is populated into each of a plurality of application programs.

26. A system for accessing security or content analysis functionality utilizing a mobile communication device, comprising:

an operating system means installed on a mobile communication device capable of communicating via a wireless network;

an application program means installed on the mobile communication device and executed utilizing the operating system means for performing tasks; and

a scanning subsystem means in communication with the application program means via an application program interface means, the scanning subsystem means adapted for accessing security or content analysis functionality in conjunction with the tasks performed by the application program means.

27. A method for accessing security or content analysis functionality utilizing a mobile communication device, comprising:

communicating via a wireless network utilizing a mobile communication device equipped with an operating system;

executing an application program installed on the mobile communication device utilizing the operating system for performing tasks; and

accessing security or content analysis functionality in conjunction with the tasks performed by the application program utilizing a scanning subsystem;

wherein the scanning subsystem is in communication with the application program via an application program interface.

28. A computer program product for accessing security or content analysis functionality utilizing a mobile communication device, comprising:

computer code for communicating via a wireless network utilizing a mobile communication device equipped with an operating system;

computer code for executing an application program installed on the mobile communication device utilizing the operating system for performing tasks; and

computer code for accessing security or content analysis functionality in conjunction with the tasks performed by the application program utilizing a scanning subsystem;

wherein the scanning subsystem is in communication with the application program via an application program interface.

29. An application program interface data structure for accessing security or content analysis functionality utilizing a mobile communication device, comprising:

an interface object for permitting a scanning subsystem to communicate with an application program installed on a mobile communication device;

wherein the scanning subsystem is adapted for accessing security or content analysis functionality in conjunction with a task performed by the application program.