Portable antivirus device with solid state memory

• US 7,591,018 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Cervetti; David Garcia
• Application Number:
  US10/940,319
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 726/24, 713/192
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/567 using dedicated hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms

Abstract

In one embodiment, a rescue device is employed to disinfect a computer infected with a virus. The rescue device may comprise solid state memory. The rescue device may be removable from the computer and reusable for update and/or upgrade over a computer network. The rescue device may comprise a bootable partition, a virus scanning engine and a virus pattern file.

Claims

1. A method for scanning a computer for viruses, the method comprising:

plugging a removable rescue device into a port of a virus infected computer, the rescue device comprising a solid state memory with a scanning engine;

prior to scanning the infected computer, updating the rescue device over a network connection of the infected computer; and

scanning the infected computer for viruses using the scanning engine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the rescue device to a server that provides updated information to the rescue device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the server is a server of a vendor of the rescue device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein registering the rescue device comprises:

reading off an identification information stored in the rescue device; and

storing the identification information in the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identification information comprises a serial number of the rescue device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to updating the rescue device:

reading off a key stored in the rescue device; and

checking if the key is valid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein checking if the key is valid comprises:

comparing the key with security codes stored in a server that provides updated information to the rescue device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information includes at least one virus scanning engine, at least one virus pattern file, or both.

10. A removable rescue device including a solid-state memory for storing computer-readable program code, the rescue device comprising:

a bootable partition for booting a computer;

a virus scanning engine;

an identification (ID) field for storing ID information of the rescue device, wherein a user registers the rescue device to a server with the ID information; and

a virus pattern file;

wherein the rescue device is configured to communicate with the server through a network, the server containing information for updating a content of the rescue device.

11. The removable rescue device of claim 10, wherein the ID information is a serial number of the rescue device.

12. A method for scanning a computer for viruses, the method comprising:

prior to plugging a removable rescue device into a port of a virus infected computer, plugging the rescue device into a port of a healthy computer, the healthy computer not infected with a virus, and updating the rescue device over a network connection of the healthy computer;

plugging the rescue device into the port of the infected computer, the rescue device comprising a solid state memory with a scanning engine; and

scanning the infected computer for viruses using the scanning engine.

13. A removable rescue device including a solid-state memory for storing computer-readable program code, the rescue device comprising:

a bootable partition for booting a computer;

a virus scanning engine;

a key for controlling a write protection mode, wherein a server reads off the key and checks a validity of the key prior to allowing the rescue device to be updated and a virus pattern file;

wherein the rescue device is configured to communicate with the server through a network, the server containing information for updating a content of the rescue device.