Operating system shutdown reversal and remote web monitoring

• US 8,719,820 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safe Outlook Corporation
• Original Assignee: Safe Outlook Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng
• Assistant Examiner(s): WAI, ERIC CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US12/337,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3089 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in sensing the monitored data, e.g. interfaces, connectors, sensors, probes, agents software debugging using additional hardware using a specific debug interface G06F11/3656; performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/442 Shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is disclosed for reversing operating system shutdown, including: detecting, by a monitoring program, an attempt by a user to log off, shut down, or restart a computer containing an operating system capable of running a plurality of program windows; determining if any program window is still open in the operating system; automatically cancelling, by the monitoring program, the logoff, shutdown, or restart request if it is determined that a program window is still open; and attempting to close any open program window by the monitoring program.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of reversing operating system logoff, shutdown, or restart request by a monitoring program as executed on a computer having an operating system capable of running a plurality of program windows, the method performed by the monitoring program comprising:

detecting an attempt by a user to log off, shut down, or request restart of the computer with the purpose of disabling the monitoring program;

determining whether one or more program windows, accessible to the user, are still open in the operating system that could prevent the operating system from completing the logoff, shutdown or restart request;

automatically cancelling the logoff, shutdown, or restart request when it is determined that the one or more program windows remains open after a predetermined length of time, to prevent the monitoring program from being disabled;

closing the one or more program windows that remain open after the predetermined length of time;

reinitiating the logoff, shutdown, or restart of the computer system after all program windows are closed, such that the operating system shutdown is not reversed by an open program window; and

wherein the computer launches two programs during start UP, wherein the two programs comprise the monitoring program for monitoring actions by the user remotely through a web browser of a communication device, and a watchdog program;

wherein each of the two programs continues to launch the other of the two programs every predetermined number of seconds to prevent either of the two programs from being disabled; and

wherein the computer launches a third program for disabling all system programs run by the operating system during normal operation that could be used to prevent the two programs from running or restarting each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system programs comprise at least one of a registry editor, a task manager, an operating system configuration program, and a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting by at least one of the two programs a command to restart the computer; and

rewriting instructions of the programs to an operating system of the computer to ensure the programs are properly restarted when the computer is restarted.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking and disabling a plurality dialogs created when the user attempts to delete browsing history or Internet cookies.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the open program window comprises an editing program window, the method further comprising:

sending instructions by the monitoring program to the open program windows to close; and

prompting the user to save work in the editing program window.

6. A computer for reversing operating system logoff shutdown, or restart request by a monitoring program as executed on a computer having an operating system capable of running a plurality of program windows, the computer including a processor and having installed thereon the monitoring program, the client computer containing an operating system capable of running a plurality of program windows, wherein the monitoring program in conjunction with the processor:

detects an attempt by a user to log off, shut down, or restart the computer with the purpose of disabling the monitoring program;

determines whether one or more program windows, accessible to the user, are still open in the operating system that could prevent the operating system from completing the logoff, shutdown or restart request;

automatically cancels the logoff, shutdown, or restart request when it is determined that the one or more program windows remains open after a predetermined length of time, to prevent the monitoring program from being disabled;

closes the one or more program windows that remain open after the predetermined length of time;

reinitiates the logoff, shutdown, or restart of the computer system after all program windows are closed, such that the operating system shutdown is not reversed by an open program window; and

wherein the computer launches two programs during start UP, wherein the two programs comprise the monitoring program for monitoring actions by the user remotely through a web browser of a communication device, and a watchdog program;

wherein each of the two programs continues to launch the other of the two programs every predetermined number of seconds to prevent either of the two programs from being disabled; and

wherein the computer launches a third program for disabling all system programs run by the operating system during normal operation that could be used to prevent the two programs from running or restarting each other.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein the system programs comprise at least one of a registry editor, a task manager, an operating system configuration program, and a combination thereof.

8. The computer of claim 6, wherein the open program window comprises an editing program window, wherein the monitoring program:

sends instructions to the open program windows to close; and

prompts the user to save work in the editing program window.

9. A non-transitory computer recordable media comprising a set of instructions for reversing operating system logoff, shutdown, or restart request, by a computer executed by a processor and memory, the non-transitory computer recordable media comprising instructions for implementing a monitoring program as executed on the computer having an operating system capable of running a plurality of program windows to:

direct the processor to detect an attempt by a user to log off, shut down, or restart the computer with the purpose of disabling the monitoring program;

direct the processor to determine whether one or more program windows, accessible to the user, are still open in the operating system that could prevent the operation system from completing the logoff, shutdown or restart request;

direct the processor to cancel the logoff, shutdown, or restart request when it is determined that the one or more program windows remains open after a predetermined length of time, to prevent the monitoring program from being disabled;

close the one or more program windows that remain open after the predetermined length of time; and

direct the processor to re-initiate the logoff, shutdown, or restart of the computer system after all program windows are closed, such that the operating system shutdown is not reversed by an open program window; and

wherein the computer launches two programs during start up, wherein the two programs comprise the monitoring program for monitoring actions by the user remotely through a web browser of a communication device, and a watchdog program;

wherein each of the two programs continues to launch the other of the two programs every predetermined number of seconds to prevent either of the two programs from being disabled; and

wherein the computer launches a third program for disabling all system programs run by the operating system during normal operation that could be used to prevent the two programs from running or restarting each other.