Malicious mobile code runtime monitoring system and methods

• US 8,677,494 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Finjan Holdings, Inc. (Government of ABU Dhabi)
• Original Assignee: Finjan, Inc. (Government of ABU Dhabi)
• Inventors: Edery, Yigal Mordechai, Kroll, David R., Touboul, Shlomo, Vered, Nirmrod Itzhak
• Primary Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US13/290,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/24
• 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 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/033 Test or assess software
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Protection systems and methods provide for protecting one or more personal computers (“PCs”) and/or other intermittently or persistently network accessible devices or processes from undesirable or otherwise malicious operations of Java TN applets, ActiveX™ controls, JavaScript™ scripts, Visual Basic scripts, add-ins, downloaded/uploaded programs or other “Downloadables” or “mobile code” in whole or part. A protection engine embodiment provides for monitoring information received, determining whether received information does or is likely to include executable code, and if so, causes mobile protection code (MPC) to be transferred to and rendered operable within a destination device of the received information. An MPC embodiment further provides, within a Downloadable-destination, for initiating the Downloadable, enabling malicious Downloadable operation attempts to be received by the MPC, and causing (predetermined) corresponding operations to be executed in response to the attempts.

Claims

1. A computer-based method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming Downloadable;

deriving security profile data for the Downloadable, including a list of suspicious computer operations that may be attempted by the Downloadable; and

storing the Downloadable security profile data in a database.

2. The computer-based method of claim 1 further comprising storing a date &

time when the Downloadable security profile data was derived, in the database.

3. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein the Downloadable includes an applet.

4. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein the Downloadable includes an active control.

5. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein the Downloadable includes program script.

6. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein suspicious computer operations include calls made to an operating system, a file system, a network system, and to memory.

7. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein the Downloadable security profile data includes a URL from where the Downloadable originated.

8. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein the Downloadable security profile data includes a digital certificate.

9. The computer-based method of claim 1 wherein said deriving Downloadable security profile data comprises disassembling the incoming Downloadable.

10. A system for managing Downloadables, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an incoming Downloadable;

a Downloadable scanner coupled with said receiver, for deriving security profile data for the Downloadable, including a list of suspicious computer operations that may be attempted by the Downloadable; and

a database manager coupled with said Downloadable scanner, for storing the Downloadable security profile data in a database.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said database manager also stores a date &

time when the Downloadable security profile data was derived by said Downloadable scanner, in the database.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the Downloadable includes an applet.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the Downloadable includes an active control.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the Downloadable includes program script.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein suspicious computer operations include calls made to an operating system, a file system, a network system, and to memory.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the Downloadable security profile data includes a URL from where the Downloadable originated.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the Downloadable security profile data includes a digital certificate.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein said Downloadable scanner comprises a disassembler for disassembling the incoming Downloadable.