Virus monitor and methods of use thereof

• US 7,523,493 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Yi Fen, Liang, Yung Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): GEE, JASON KAI YIN
• Application Number:
  US10/684,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 726/13, 726/24, 709/224, 713/188
• US Class Current: 726/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/566 Dynamic detection, i.e. detection performed at run-time, e.g. emulation, suspicious activities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• 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 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network level virus monitoring system capable of monitoring a flow of network traffic in any of a number of inspection modes depending upon the particular needs of a system administrator. The monitoring provides an early warning of a virus attack thereby facilitating quarantine procedures directed at containing a virus outbreak. By providing such an early warning, the network virus monitor reduces the number of computers ultimately affected by the virus attack resulting in a concomitant reduction in both the cost of repair to the system and the amount of downtime. In this way, the inventive network virus monitor provides a great improvement in system uptime and reduction in system losses.

Claims

1. In a distributed network of interconnected computing devices, a network virus monitor, comprising:

a virus sensor operable in a number of modes arranged to detect a computer virus in the network such that the bandwidth of the network is minimally affected in a first mode in that original data packets continue to their destination after they are copied creating copied data packets which are analyzed for the computer virus, and wherein when the virus sensor detects the computer virus, the virus sensor switches to a second mode, wherein original data packets are analyzed and a subset of data packets determined to be infected or suspected of being infected are not returned to the network and wherein the virus monitor is able to automatically collect network environment data and assign an IP address to itself, and wherein the virus monitor automatically locates a controller in the network and registers itself with the controller, from where the virus monitor receives a rule set and an outbreak prevention policy (OPP); and

a traffic controller coupled to the virus sensor and the network arranged to select certain data packets wherein the selected data packets are forwarded to the virus sensor.

2. A monitor as recited in claim 1, wherein the traffic controller further comprises:

a data packet copier operable in the first mode and arranged to generate a copied data packet of each of the selected data packets wherein the selected data packets are returned to the network.

3. A monitor as recited in claim 2, wherein the data packet copier is disabled in the second mode such that the selected data packets are passed to the virus sensor.

4. A monitor as recited in claim 3, wherein the virus monitor further comprises:

a data packet protocol identifier coupled to the virus sensor arranged to identify a data packet protocol associated with the data packet infected by a computer virus.

5. A monitor as recited in claim 4, wherein the selected data packets to be forwarded to the virus monitor are each associated with the data packet protocol associated with the computer virus.

6. A monitor as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus sensor unit further comprises:

a filescan module arranged to scan a selected file for the computer virus.

7. A monitor as recited in claim 6, wherein the filescan is remotely located.

8. A monitor as recited in claim 7, wherein the remotely located filescan is used for scanning selected files larger than a set file size.

9. A method of monitoring a distributed network of computing devices for a computer virus at a virus monitor coupled to the distributed network, comprising:

monitoring a flow of data packets in the network for the computer virus while minimally reducing the flow of data packets in a standby mode, wherein data packets continue to their destination after they are copied creating copied data packets which are analyzed for the computer virus, thereby preserving network bandwidth;

determining that at least one of the copied data packets is infected or suspected of being infected with the computer virus;

monitoring the flow of data packets in an inline mode wherein original data packets are analyzed and wherein data packets that are determined to be infected or suspected of infection are not returned to the flow of data packets; and

initializing the virus monitor by automatically;

collecting network environment data;

assigning an IP address to the virus monitor;

locating a controller in the network; and

registering the virus monitor with the controller, from where the virus monitor receives a rule set and an outbreak prevention policy (OPP).

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

isolating a portion of the network infected by the computer virus; and

cleaning the isolated portion of the network.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

sending a virus report to a controller.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

copying selected ones of the flow of data packets from corresponding

original data packets retrieved from the flow of data packets based upon a packet type; and

returning the retrieved data packets to the flow of data packets.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the packet type is determined by the detected computer virus.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein a network bandwidth associated with the standby mode is minimally affected by the monitoring.

15. A computer-readable medium storing computer code for monitoring a distributed network of computing devices for a computer virus at a virus monitor coupled to the distributed network, the computer-readable medium comprising:

computer code for monitoring a flow of data packets in the network for the computer virus while minimally reducing the flow of data packets in a standby mode, wherein data packets continue to their destination after they are copied creating copied data packets which are analyzed for the computer virus, thereby preserving network bandwidth;

computer code for determining that at least one of the copied data packets is infected or suspected of being infected with the computer virus;

computer code for monitoring the flow of data packets in an inline mode wherein original data packets are analyzed and wherein data packets that are determined to be infected or suspected of infection are not returned to the flow of data packets;

computer code for automatically collecting network environment data at the virus monitor;

computer code for automatically assigning an IP address to the virus monitor; and

computer code for automatically locating a controller in the network and registering the virus monitor with the controller, from where the virus monitor receives a rule set and an outbreak prevention policy (OPP).

16. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

computer code for isolating a portion of the network infected by the computer virus; and

computer code for cleaning the isolated portion of the network.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

computer code for sending a virus report to a controller.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

computer code for copying selected ones of the flow of data packets from corresponding original data packets retrieved from the flow of data packets based upon a packet type; and

computer code for returning the retrieved data packets to the flow of data packets.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

computer code for determining the packet type using the detected computer virus.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein a network bandwidth associated with the standby mode is minimally affected by the monitoring.