System, method, and computer program product for conveying a status of a plurality of security applications

• US 7,624,450 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Ritter, Chris, Kingsbury, Brad, Lymer, Brent J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITHERS, MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US11/735,877
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 726/25
• US Class Current: 726/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• 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: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/033 Test or assess software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/034 Test or assess a computer or a system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for displaying a status of a security application. A status of at least one security application is initially identified. An index is calculated that is representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application. The index is then displayed.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the index reflects a signature file of an anti-virus security application.

2. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the index includes a number between one (1) and ten (10).

3. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that a plurality of indices are each calculated for one of a plurality of security applications.

4. The computer program product as recited in claim 3, wherein the security applications include at least one of the anti-virus security application, a firewall security application, a privacy service security application, and an anti-spam security application.

5. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of the anti-virus security application.

6. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of a firewall security application.

7. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of a privacy service security application.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed numerically.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed graphically.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed utilizing a bar-graph.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed utilizing a color coding.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the color coding correlates with the degree of risk associated with the status.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, and further comprising computer code for displaying additional information relating to the status upon a selection of the displayed index.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 13, wherein the additional information includes a link capable of being selected by a user.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, and further comprising computer code for taking an action to decrease the degree of risk associated with the status, in response to a selection of the link by the user.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the index includes an overall index reflecting a plurality of security applications.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the overall index is calculated using a weighted average of a plurality of separate indices associated with each of the security applications.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the security applications include an anti-virus security application.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the security applications include a firewall security application.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the security applications include a privacy service security application.

21. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed graphically.

22. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed utilizing a color coding.

23. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein the color coding includes at least one of a red color, a yellow color, and a green color.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the color coding includes the red color for indicating that a security vulnerability is present.

25. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the color coding includes the green color for indicating that protection is present.

26. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is displayed as a colored indicator.

27. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the overall index reflects a signature file of at least one of the plurality of security applications.

28. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that at least one of the applications performs an automatic scan.

29. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that at least one of the applications automatically cleans a file.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the overall index reflects an update status of at least one of the security applications.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of an anti-virus security application;

wherein the index reflects a signature file of the anti-virus security application.

32. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of an anti-virus security application;

wherein the index reflects a version of the anti-virus security application.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of an anti-virus security application;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is calculated using a weighted average of a plurality of aspects of the anti-virus security application includes at least one of a signature file of the anti-virus security application and a version of the anti-virus security application.

34. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of a firewall security application;

wherein the index reflects a version of the firewall security application.

35. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of at least one security application;

computer code for calculating an index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of the at least one security application; and

computer code for displaying the index;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the index is associated with the status of a privacy service security application;

wherein the index reflects a version of the privacy service security application.

36. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for determining a degree of risk associated with a plurality of security aspects associated with a computing environment of a computer; and

computer code for visually displaying the degree of risk associated with the security aspects utilizing a plurality of visual indicators;

wherein the degree of risk reflects a signature file of an anti-virus security application.

37. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storage instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a plurality of security applications;

computer code for calculating an individual index representative of a degree of risk associated with the status of each of the security applications, wherein each individual index is calculated using a plurality of aspects of the status of the security applications;

computer code for calculating an overall index representative of a degree of risk associated with a collective status of the security applications, the calculating of the overall index including a weighted average of the individual indices associated with each of the security applications; and

computer code for displaying each individual index and the overall index;

wherein the overall index reflects a signature file of an anti-virus security application;

wherein the overall index reflects versions of the security applications.

38. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the colored indicator includes a red color to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, and expired.

39. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the colored indicator includes a color including at least one of red, amber, and green;

wherein the color includes red to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, and expired.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the colored indictor includes a color including at least one of red, amber, and green;

wherein the color includes green to indicate that the security application is at least one of installed and running.

41. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for determining a degree of risk associated with at least one security aspect associated with a computing environment of a computer; and

computer code for visually displaying the degree of risk associated with the at least one security aspect utilizing at least one visual indicator;

wherein the degree of risk reflects a signature file of an anti-virus security application.

42. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for determining a degree of risk associated with at least one security aspect associated with a computing environment of a computer; and

computer code for visually displaying the degree of risk associated with the at least one security aspect utilizing at least one visual indicator;

wherein the degree of risk reflects a version of an anti-virus security application.

43. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the status reflects a signature file of an anti-virus security application.

44. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the status reflects a version of an anti-virus security application.

45. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the status reflects a signature file of an anti-virus security application;

wherein the status reflects whether the anti-virus security application is enabled;

wherein the anti-virus security application is at least one of enabled or disabled upon a manual selection;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that a scan icon is included for scanning data upon selection of the scan icon.

46. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the status reflects a version of an anti-virus security application;

wherein the status reflects whether the anti-virus security application is enabled;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the anti-virus security application is at least one of enabled or disabled upon a manual selection;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that a scan icon is included for scanning data upon selection of the scan icon.

47. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, comprising:

computer code for identifying a status of a security application;

computer code for representing the status of the security application in the form of a colored indicator; and

computer code for displaying the colored indicator;

wherein the colored indicator includes a red color to indicate that the security application is at least one of not installed, disabled, and expired;

wherein the colored indicator includes a green color to indicate that the security application is at least one of installed and running.