Systems and methods for updating content detection devices and systems

• US 8,276,205 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Inventors: Xie, Michael, Fang, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): LAFORGIA, CHRISTIAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/240,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20120017277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 726 22- 25, 713/188, 717171-173, 717177-178
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/567 using dedicated hardware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms

Abstract

A method of updating a content detection module includes obtaining content detection data, and transmitting the content detection data to a content detection module, wherein the transmitting is performed not in response to a request from the content detection module. A method of sending content detection data includes obtaining content detection data, selecting an update station from a plurality of update stations, and sending the, content detection data to the selected update station. A method of building a content detection system includes establishing a first communication link between a central station and an update station, the central station configured to transmit content detection data to the update station, and establishing a second communication link between the update station and a content detection module.

Claims

1. A content detection system, comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface device;

a data storage device storing;

content detection data usable by a content detection module of a first update station to detect content and for forwarding to at least a second update station;

instruction executable by the processor to transmit, over a network via the communication interface device, the content detection data to a content detection module of the first update station not in response to a request by the content detection module of the first update station; and

wherein the first update station is configured to determine whether the second update station previously received the content detection data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the content detection system is a central station.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the central station is configured to select an update station of a plurality of update stations to be the first update to which the central station transmits the content detection data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the content detection system is configured to transmit the content detection data in real time when the content is detected.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the content detection system is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a server, a device, and a software.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the content detection data comprises malicious content.

7. A method comprising:

obtaining a content detection data update on a central station;

based on an ordered list of update stations to receive content detection data updates, identifying a primary update station to receive the content detection data update;

attempting to transmit the content detection data update to the primary update station;

upon failure of the transmission of the content data update to the primary update station, identify a secondary update station to receive the content detection data update based on the ordered list of update stations to receive content detection data updates;

sending from the central station, the content detection data update to the secondary update station including data identifying at least one content detection module to receive the content detection data update and at least one instruction to distribute the content detection data update to the identified at least one content detection module, wherein the distribution is performed not in response to a request from the at least one content detection module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the failure of the transmission of the content update to the primary update station is identified based on a received notification of excess load demand from the primary station.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the content detection data update comprises a virus signature.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the content detection data update is received by the central station from a processing station.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission failure is identified by sending a query over a network to the primary update station, the query requesting confirmation of receipt of the content detection data by the primary update station.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the central station is a software process executable on a processor of a server to obtain the content detection data from a data storage device and to transmit the content detection data over the network to the primary and secondary update stations.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, with instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

obtain a content detection data update on a central station;

based on an ordered list of update stations to receive content detection data updates, identify a primary update station to receive the content detection data update;

attempt to transmit the content detection data update to the primary update station;

upon failure of the transmission of the content data update to the primary update station, identify a secondary update station to receive the content detection data update based on the ordered list of update stations to receive content detection data updates;

send from the central station, the content detection data update to the secondary update station including data identifying at least one content detection module to receive the content detection data update and at least one instruction to distribute the content detection data update to the identified at least one content detection module, wherein the distribution is performed not in response to a request from the at least one content detection module.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the failure of the transmission of the content update to the primary update station is identified based on a received notification of excess load demand from the primary station.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the content detection data update comprises a virus signature.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the content detection data update is received by the central station from a processing station.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the transmission failure is identified by sending a query over a network to the primary update station, the query requesting confirmation of receipt of the content detection data by the primary update station.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the central station is a software process executable on a processor of a server to obtain the content detection data from a data storage device and to transmit the content detection data over the network to the primary and secondary update stations.