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Assessment and analysis of software security flaws in virtual machines

  • US 8,613,080 B2
  • Filed: 06/07/2011
  • Issued: 12/17/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method of identifying vulnerabilities of a collection of software programs compiled into a virtual machine image, the method comprising the steps of:

  • receiving an image file representing a computer system as a virtual machine, wherein the image file comprises at least one of operating system information, an application, an application server, application data, and configuration information;

    loading the image file into a computer memory;

    executing the loaded image file to implement the virtual machine on a processor; and

    analyzing the executing image file to obtain a listing of potential vulnerabilities, the analysis comprising;

    extracting files of the virtual machine from the image file;

    identifying at least one installed application within the virtual machine;

    identifying and separating one or more files related to the installed application;

    building a control flow model of at least one of the separated files;

    building a data flow model of at least one of the separated files;

    detecting one or more potential vulnerabilities of each separated file by scanning one or more of the models and using a vulnerability database; and

    combining the detected potential vulnerabilities with the listing of potential vulnerabilities.

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