Multi-network virus immunization

• US 8,839,437 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Jung, Edward K.Y., Rinaldo, Jr., John D., Wood, JR., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEHNI, GHAZAL B
• Application Number:
  US13/431,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 726 22- 23
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system are described that determine a virus associated with a communications network, and distribute an anti-viral agent onto the communications network using a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one of a higher transmission speed, a higher transmission reliability, a higher transmission security, and/or a physically-separate transmission path, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network; and

circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network, wherein the distributing includes at least providing the anti-viral agent to the communications network based on a determination of the potential transmission path of the virus, the determination based on a topological analysis of the communications network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for detecting an effect of the virus with respect to the communications network.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for receiving a notification of the virus from a virus detection program; and

circuitry for determining the virus, based at least partially on the notification.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for determining a fault pattern associated with the virus and/or with the communications network; and

circuitry for determining the virus, based at least partially on the fault pattern.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for determining a signature associated with a network device on which the virus is present, and/or was previously present; and

circuitry for determining the virus, based at least partially on the signature.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for performing a comparison of a signature associated with the virus with one or more known signatures; and

circuitry for determining the virus, based at least partially on the comparison.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for performing a comparison of an expected characteristic of the communications network with an actual characteristic of the communications network; and

circuitry for determining the virus, based at least partially on the comparison.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for determining the virus associated with the communications network, the communications network including an entity-assured network.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for determining a virus associated with a communications network comprises:

circuitry for determining the virus associated with the communications network, the communications network including a subset of a larger network, and provided in association with the larger network.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for providing the anti-viral agent to a non-infected device of the communications network in advance of the virus reaching the non-infected device, using the bypass network.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for providing a reference to the anti-viral agent to a non-infected device of the communications network, wherein the reference provides access to the anti-viral agent.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is at least partially logically separate from the communications network.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is associated with an entity sponsorship thereof.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is associated with sponsorship by an entity, the sponsorship including assurance and/or provision of the transmission of the anti-viral agent with the at least one higher transmission security.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the non-infected device is in communications with both the communications network and the bypass network.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, using a network traffic management device that is operable to implement rules governing the distributing of the anti-viral agent onto the communications network.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, using a network traffic management device that is operable to prioritize transmission of the anti-viral agent with respect to communications data of the communications network.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, using a network traffic management device that is operable to suppress and/or delay transmission of the virus relative to transmission of the anti-viral agent.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, the bypass network including at least one of;

a virtual local area network, a virtual private network, a peer-to-peer network, and/or an intranet.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, the bypass network including at least one of;

a satellite network, a satellite radio network, a cellular network, and/or a paging network.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for providing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device ahead of a propagation path of the virus on the communications network to the non-infected device.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network, wherein the distributing includes at least providing the anti-viral agent to the communications network based on a determination of the potential transmission path of the virus, the determination based on a topological analysis of the communications network comprises:

distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network, wherein the distributing includes at least providing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network based on a determination of the potential transmission path of the virus, the determination based at least partially on a pre-existing knowledge of the communications network.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission reliability wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a more reliable point-to-point transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device than the communications network.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission reliability wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a more reliable end-to-end transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device than the communications network.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device with a greater quality of service (QoS) than the communications network.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device with at least one of;

a lesser number of dropped packets, a shorter delay, a lesser likelihood of out-of-order delivery, and/or fewer errors than the communications network.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a higher level of data encryption to the non-infected device than that provided by the communications network.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a more secure point-to-point transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device than the communications network.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide a more secure end-to-end transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device than the communications network.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide point-to-point transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device using a physically-separate path from that used by the communications network to transmit the virus to the non-infected device.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for distributing an anti-viral agent on a potential transmission path of the virus on the communications network via a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the anti-viral agent on the potential transmission path to a non-infected device of the communications network via the bypass network, wherein the bypass network is configured to provide end-to-end transmission of the anti-viral agent to the non-infected device over a physically-separate network path than that used by the communications network to transmit the virus to the non-infected device.

32. A first system comprising:

circuitry for performing at least one of a reception or a transmission of one or more instructions in relation to a second system that includes at least;

at least one processing device; and

one or more instructions that when executed on the at least one processing device cause the at least one processing device to;

(a) determine a virus associated with a communications network, and

(b) distribute an anti-viral agent onto the communications network using a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network, wherein the distributing the anti-viral agent onto the communications network is based on a determination of a potential path of the virus, wherein the determination includes a statistical analysis of the determination.

33. The first system of claim 32, wherein the one or more instructions of the second system that when executed on the at least one processing device cause the at least one processing device to distribute an anti-viral agent onto the communications network using a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network, wherein the distributing the anti-viral agent onto the communications network is based on a determination of a potential path of the virus, wherein the determination includes a statistical analysis of the determination, comprises:

one or more instructions of the second system that when executed on the at least one processing device cause the at least one processing device to distribute an anti-viral agent onto the communications network using a bypass network, the bypass network configured to provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the communications network, wherein the distributing the anti-viral agent onto the communications network is based on a determination of a potential path of the virus, wherein the determination is based at least partially on a pre-existing knowledge of the communications network.

34. A method comprising:

determining a virus associated with a network, and

distributing an anti-viral agent onto the network using a bypass network, the bypass network configured to;

provide transmission of the anti-viral agent with at least one higher transmission security, relative to transmission of the virus on the network; and

provide a more secure point-to-point transmission of the anti-viral agent between a first network device and a second network device than an alternate transmission of the virus between the first network device and the second network device.

35. The method of claim 34, comprising:

selecting the anti-viral agent from more than one possible anti-viral agents, the selecting being at least partially based upon one or more response rules.

36. The method of claim 35, comprising:

implementing one or more response rules associated with selecting the anti-viral agent; and

providing the anti-viral agent to the network using the bypass network.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein distributing an anti-viral agent onto the network using a bypass network comprises:

distributing an anti-viral agent onto the network based at least partially on a pre-existing knowledge of the network.