Systems and methods for providing security for synchronized files

• US 9,405,904 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Mark, Zuo, Yanjiao, Fang, Ke
• Primary Examiner(s): Vostal, O. C.
• Application Number:
  US14/139,035
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 726/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for providing security for synchronized files may include (1) synchronizing, using a cloud folder synchronization service, a backend server with both a client folder on a client machine and an additional client folder on an additional client machine, (2) propagating a file from the client folder to the backend server through the cloud folder synchronization service, (3) identifying, using the cloud folder synchronization service, a result of a security scan of the propagated file, and (4) adjusting, using the cloud folder synchronization service, the synchronization of the file with the additional client folder based on the result of the security scan. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing security for synchronized files, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one physical processor coupled to a memory, the method comprising:

synchronizing, using a cloud folder synchronization service, a backend server with both a client folder on a client machine and an additional client folder on an additional client machine, the cloud folder synchronization service configured to synchronize copies of data between different locations;

propagating a file from the client folder to the backend server through the cloud folder synchronization service;

identifying, using the cloud folder synchronization service, a result of a security scan of the propagated file performed by the backend server, the result of the security scan of the propagated file indicating that the propagated file is safe such that a measured degree of maliciousness does not meet a corresponding threshold;

adjusting, using the cloud folder synchronization service, the synchronization of the propagated file with the additional client folder based on the result of the security scan at least in part by passing a skip hint, from the backend server to the additional client machine, indicating to the additional client machine to skip another security scan of the same propagated file on which the earlier security scan was performed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the result of the security scan is expressed as a security scan score.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the result of the security scan is expressed as a degree of known maliciousness.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, using the cloud folder synchronization service, a result of an additional security scan of an additional propagated file, the additional security scan of the additional propagated file indicating that the additional propagated file is malicious;

adjusting the synchronization of the additional propagated file with the additional client folder based on the result of the additional security scan at least in part by obstructing access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein obstructing access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file comprises displaying a warning about the result of the additional security scan at the additional client machine.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein obstructing access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file comprises preventing synchronization of the additional propagated file by blocking access to the additional propagated file at the additional client machine.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein obstructing access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file comprises delaying synchronization of the additional propagated file by requiring user approval prior to synchronizing the additional propagated file with the additional client machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cloud folder synchronization service attempts to synchronize any file dropped in a client folder with at least one other client folder corresponding to the same user account.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cloud folder synchronization service attempts to synchronize any file dropped in a client folder with each other client folder corresponding to the same user account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the file is dropped in the client folder on the client machine;

the cloud folder synchronization service synchronizes the file dropped in the client folder on the client machine with the additional client folder on the additional client machine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the result of the security scan is expressed as a degree of known safety.

12. A system for providing security for synchronized files, the system comprising:

a synchronization module, stored in a memory, that synchronizes, using a cloud folder synchronization service, a backend server with both a client folder on a client machine and an additional client folder on an additional client machine, the cloud folder synchronization service configured to synchronize copies of data between different locations;

a propagation module, stored in the memory, that propagates a file from the client folder to the backend server through the cloud folder synchronization service;

an identification module, stored in the memory, that identifies, using the cloud folder synchronization service, a result of a security scan of the propagated file performed by the backend server, the result of the security scan of the propagated file indicating that the propagated file is safe such that a measured degree of maliciousness does not meet a corresponding threshold;

an adjustment module, stored in the memory, that adjusts, using the cloud folder synchronization service, the synchronization of the propagated file with the additional client folder based on the result of the security scan at least in part by passing a skip hint, from the backend server to the additional client machine, indicating to the additional client machine to skip another security scan of the same propagated file on which the earlier security scan was performed;

at least one physical processor that is coupled to the memory and that executes the synchronization module, the propagation module, the identification module, and the adjustment module.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the result of the security scan is expressed as a security scan score.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the result of the security scan is expressed as a degree of known maliciousness.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the identification module identifies, using the cloud folder synchronization service, a result of an additional security scan of an additional propagated file, the additional security scan of the additional propagated file indicating that the additional propagated file is malicious;

the adjustment module adjusts the synchronization of the additional propagated file with the additional client folder based on the result of the additional security scan at least in part by obstructing access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the adjustment module obstructs access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file at least in part by displaying a warning about the result of the additional security scan at the additional client machine.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the adjustment module obstructs access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file at least in part by preventing synchronization of the additional propagated file by blocking access to the additional propagated file at the additional client machine.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the adjustment module obstructs access from the additional client machine to the additional propagated file at least in part by delaying synchronization of the additional propagated file by requiring user approval prior to synchronizing the additional propagated file with the additional client machine.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the cloud folder synchronization service attempts to synchronize any file dropped in a client folder with at least one other client folder corresponding to the same user account.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one physical processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

synchronize, using a cloud folder synchronization service, a backend server with both a client folder on a client machine and an additional client folder on an additional client machine, the cloud folder synchronization service configured to synchronize copies of data between different locations;

propagate a file from the client folder to the backend server through the cloud folder synchronization service;

identify, using the cloud folder synchronization service, a result of a security scan of the propagated file performed by the backend server, the result of the security scan of the propagated file indicating that the propagated file is safe such that a measured degree of maliciousness does not meet a corresponding threshold;

adjust, using the cloud folder synchronization service, the synchronization of the propagated file with the additional client folder based on the result of the security scan at least in part by passing a skip hint, from the backend server to the additional client machine, indicating to the additional client machine to skip another security scan of the same propagated file on which the earlier security scan was performed.