System and method for modifying configuration files in a secured operating system

• US 6,550,061 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1999
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bearden, Brian, Groves, Quentin
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/453,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 717/121, 717/168, 717/169, 717/174, 717/176, 717/171, 717/100, 717/120, 717/170, 717/172, 717/173, 717/177, 717/178, 707/203, 707/511
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A computer system and method modifies operating system files via a self-deleting background process that downloads to a user'"'"'s desktop and bypasses operating system securities. The background process modifies operating system files including configuration files in a registry via a downloadable desktop component. A method for a computer system having a registry includes installing a background process, bypassing computer operating system securities for the registry via the background process, modifying the registry via the background process, and removing the background process. The method further includes providing a desktop component related to an executable file that executes when the user selects the desktop component. Following the execution of the executable file, the method includes modifying configuration files including registry keys and automatically removing the executable file, the desktop component and files associated with the executable file. A computer system includes a processor coupled to a bus, at least one memory coupled to the bus, a plurality of input/output devices coupled to the bus, and an operating system stored in memory, the operating system including a registry of configuration files, operating system securities for the registry, the operating system securities preventing modification of the registry according to a permissions system, a self-deleting background process, wherein the background process bypasses the operating system securities for the registry via the background process, and the background process modifies configuration files in the registry. The computer system also includes a self-deleting executable file including a utility file that installs the self-deleting background process.

Claims

1. A method for a computer system having an operating system and a registry for computer system configuration, the method comprising:

installing a background process;

bypassing operating system securities via the background process;

modifying the operating system via the background process;

removing the background process; and

,

downloading a self-deleting executable file, the self-deleting executable file including a utility file that installs the background process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the bypassing operating system securities via the background process allows a user with administrator privileges to execute systems level modifications.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the operating system securities include securities for the registry; and

the modifying the operating system includes modifying registry keys within the operating system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

installing a user-activated desktop component that is related to an executable file that installs the background process.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the executable file removes the user-activated desktop component after the configuration files are modified.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the user-activated desktop component is downloaded from a computer network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the modifying the operating system includes modifying configuration files in the registry.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the background process is a service.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the operating system is a Windows NT™

type operating system.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the background process is a service, the service further including:

a module that modifies the registry;

a module that installs a utility file and removes the utility file; and

a module that interacts with a service control manager.

11. A computer system comprising:

a processor coupled to a bus;

at least one memory coupled to the bus;

a plurality of input/output devices coupled to the bus;

an operating system stored in memory, the operating system including;

a registry of configuration files;

operating system securities for the registry, the operating system securities preventing modification of the registry according to a permissions system; and

a self deleting background process, wherein the background process bypasses the operating system securities via the background process, and the background process modifies the operating system, the self deleting background process including a self-deleting executable file, the self-deleting executable file including a utility file that installs the self-deleting background process.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the background process bypasses the securities for the registry and the background process modifies registry keys within the configuration files of the registry.

13. The computer system of claim 11 further comprising:

a user-activated desktop component that is related to an executable file that installs the self-deleting background process.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the executable file removes the user-activated desktop component after the configuration files are modified.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the user-activated desktop component is downloaded from a computer network.

16. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the configuration files in the registry include registry keys.

17. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the self-deleting background process is a service.

18. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the operating system is a Windows NT™

type operating system.

19. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the self-deleting background process is a service, the service further including:

a module that modifies the registry;

a module that installs a utility file and removes the utility file; and

a module that interacts with a service control manager.

20. A system comprising:

means for bypassing computer operating system securities via a self-deleting background process; and

means for modifying operating system files via the self-deleting background process, the self deleting background process including a self-deleting executable file, the self-deleting executable file including a utility file that installs the self-deleting background process.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the operating system files include registry keys; and

the operating system securities include securities for configuration files including the registry.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the system is a program product and the program product further comprises:

signal bearing media bearing said means for bypassing computer operating system securities for a registry via a self-deleting background process and said means for modifying configuration files in the registry via the self-deleting background process.