Systems and methods for making electronic files that have been converted to a safe format available for viewing by an intended recipient
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method carried out by a computer when executing computer-readable program code, the method comprising:
- receiving an electronic file intended for delivery from a sender to an intended recipient, the electronic file having a first file format with a first file extension;
determining whether the electronic file represents at least a potential security risk to a computer system;
when it is determined that the electronic file represents at least the potential security risk, then forwarding to the intended recipient a notification indicating that the electronic file represents at least the potential security risk;
receiving from the intended recipient a request to view the contents of the electronic file;
converting the electronic file from the first file format with the first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension that is different from the first file format with the first file extension and that prevents a computer virus in the electronic file from executing when the converted electronic file is opened by the intended recipient, said converting of the electronic file being in response to a determination that the electronic file represents at least the potential security risk to the computer system; and
making the converted electronic file available for viewing by the intended recipient.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System and methods of converting electronic files infected with a computer virus from a first format to a second, safe format and then making the converted electronic file available for viewing by the intended recipient.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method carried out by a computer when executing computer-readable program code, the method comprising:
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receiving an electronic file intended for delivery from a sender to an intended recipient, the electronic file having a first file format with a first file extension; determining whether the electronic file represents at least a potential security risk to a computer system; when it is determined that the electronic file represents at least the potential security risk, then forwarding to the intended recipient a notification indicating that the electronic file represents at least the potential security risk; receiving from the intended recipient a request to view the contents of the electronic file; converting the electronic file from the first file format with the first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension that is different from the first file format with the first file extension and that prevents a computer virus in the electronic file from executing when the converted electronic file is opened by the intended recipient, said converting of the electronic file being in response to a determination that the electronic file represents at least the potential security risk to the computer system; and making the converted electronic file available for viewing by the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method carried out by a computer when executing computer-readable program code, the method comprising:
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receiving an electronic file intended for delivery from a sender to an intended recipient, the electronic file having a first file format with a first file extension; converting the electronic file from the first file format with the first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension that is different from the first file format with the first file extension and that ensures that a computer virus in the electronic file is unable to harm a computer of the intended recipient, said converting of the electronic file being in response to a determination that the electronic file represents at least a potential security risk to the computer; and forwarding a uniform resource locator to the intended recipient of the electronic file, the uniform resource locator identifying at least an address of a web page containing the converted electronic file. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method carried out by a computer when executing computer-readable program code, the method comprising:
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receiving a certain electronic file intended for delivery from a sender to an intended recipient, the electronic file having a first file format with a first file extension; converting the certain electronic file from the first file format with the first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension that is different from the first file format with the first file extension and that prevents a computer virus in the certain electronic file from executing when the converted electronic file is opened by the intended recipient, said converting of the electronic file being in response to a determination that the electronic file represents at least a potential risk to the computer; and making the converted electronic file available for viewing by the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method comprising:
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receiving a request to view the contents of an electronic file infected with a computer virus, the electronic file having a first file format with a first file extension; and in response to the request, converting the electronic file from the first file format with the first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension that is different from the first file format with the first file extension and that prevents the computer virus from executing when the converted electronic file is opened, said converting of the electronic file being in further response to a determination that the electronic file represents at least a potential security risk to a computer. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed by a computer cause the computer to:
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convert an electronic file from a first format with a first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension, the electronic file being intended for delivery from a sender to an intended recipient, the second file format with the second file extension being different from the first file format with the first file extension and preventing a computer virus in the electronic file from executing when the converted electronic file is opened by an intended recipient of the electronic file, said converting of the electronic file being in response to a determination that the electronic file represents at least a potential risk to the computer; and make the converted electronic file available for viewing by the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus comprising:
a computer having means for receiving a certain electronic file intended for delivery from a sender to a intended recipient, the certain electronic file having a first file format with a first file extension and containing a computer virus, the computer further including means for converting the certain electronic file from the first file format with the first file extension to a second file format with a second file extension that is different from the first file format with the first file extension and that prevents the computer virus from executing when the converted electronic file is opened by the intended recipient, said converting of the electronic file being in response to a determination that a electronic file represents at least a potential security risk to the computer, the computer further including means for making the converted electronic file available for viewing by the intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
Specification