Computer cleaning system, method and computer program product

• US 6,671,812 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Kannan, Ravi, Katchapalayam, Babu, Balasubramaniam, Chandrasekar, Sampath, Srivats, Revashetti, Siddaraya Basappa
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US10/264,923
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 709/223, 709/224, 709/246, 709/247, 714/38
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• 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 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for cleaning a computer. Initially, a cleaning program is downloaded to a computer. Next, a search for undesired data and software is performed on the computer utilizing the cleaning program. Such undesired data and software is then deleted from the computer utilizing the cleaning program.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a computer, comprising:

downloading a cleaning program separate from an anti-virus propram to a computer;

searching for undesired software on the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

searching for undesired data on the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

deleting the undesired software from the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

deleting the undesired data from the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

compressing the undesired software;

compressing the undesired data;

performing hardware diagnostics on the computer;

performing software diagnostics on the computer;

generating a report including a graph that is based on a statistical analysis; and

performing an update function;

wherein the undesired data is deleted from the computer automatically;

wherein the undesired software is deleted from the computer automatically.

2. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising archiving the undesired software.

3. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising archiving the undesired data.

4. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising searching for software that needs an updated version.

5. A method according to claim 4, and further comprising updating the software that needs the updated version.

6. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising searching for data that needs an updated version.

7. A method according to claim 6, and further comprising updating the data that needs the updated version.

8. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising responding to user questions as an expert advisor.

9. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising providing a health report card for the computer.

10. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising automatically downloading the cleaning program to the computer.

11. A method according to claim 10, and further comprising automatically downloading the cleaning program to the computer via a web page.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the downloading includes directing an Internet browser on the computer to form a logical connection with a server computer.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the downloading further includes delivering the cleaning program to the computer across the logical connection.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning program is encapsulated within a markup language communication unit deliverable across the logical connection.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning program includes scripts for performing the searching and the deleting on the computer.

16. A computer program product for cleaning a computer, the computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for downloading a cleaning program separate from an anti-virus program to a computer;

computer code for searching for undesired software on the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

computer code for searching for undesired data on the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

computer code for deleting the undesired software from the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

computer code for deleting the undesired data from the computer utilizing the cleaning program;

computer code for compressing the undesired software;

computer code for compressing the undesired data;

computer code for performing hardware diagnostics on the computer;

computer code for performing software diagnostics on the computer;

computer code for generating a report including a &

mph that is based on a statistical analysis; and

computer code for performing an update function;

wherein the undesired data is deleted from the computer automatically;

wherein the undesired software is deleted from the computer automatically.

17. A cleaning computer program product separate from an anti-virus program for cleaning a computer, the cleaning computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for searching for undesired software on the computer;

computer code for searching for undesired data on the computer;

computer code for deleting the undesired software from the computer; and

computer code for deleting the undesired data from the computers;

computer code for compressing the undesired software;

computer code for compressing the undesired data;

computer code for performing hardware diagnostics on the computer;

computer code for performing software diagnostics on the computer;

computer code for generating a report including a graph that is based on a statistical analysis; and

computer code for performing an update function;

wherein the undesired data is deleted from the computer automatically;

wherein the undesired software is deleted from the computer automatically.

18. A system for cleaning a computer, comprising:

an anti-virus program for detecting viruses;

a cleaning program separate from the anti-virus program;

means for searching for undesired software on the computer;

means for searching for undesired data on the computer;

means for deleting the undesired software from the computer;

means for deleting the undesired data from the computer;

means for compressing the undesired software;

means for compressing the undesired data;

means for performing hardware diagnostics on the computer;

means for performing software diagnostics on the computer;

means for generating a report including a graph that is based on a statistical analysis; and

means for performing an update function;

wherein the undesired data is delected from the computer automatically;

wherein the undesired software is deleted from the computer automatically.