Systems and methods for updating content detection devices and systems

• US 9,450,977 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Inventors: Fang, Yu, Xie, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, KARI L
• Application Number:
  US13/546,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20120278896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 726 22- 24, 713/188, 717/171, 717/172, 717/177, 717/178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/567 using dedicated hardware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• 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

Abstract

A method of updating a content detection module includes obtaining content detection data, and transmitting the content detection data to a content detection module, wherein the transmitting is performed not in response to a request from the content detection module. A method of sending content detection data includes obtaining content detection data, selecting an update station from a plurality of update stations, and sending the, content detection data to the selected update station. A method of building a content detection system includes establishing a first communication link between a central station and an update station, the central station configured to transmit content detection data to the update station, and establishing a second communication link between the update station and a content detection module.

Claims

1. A method in a content detection system, the method comprising:

receiving content via a network interface device of the content detection system;

determining, through execution of instructions on a processor of the content detection system, whether received content contains suspicious content data or the suspicious content data is a threat to detect;

when the suspicious content data contains or is a threat, generating, through execution of instructions on the processor of the content detection system, content detection data as a function of the received data;

based on an ordered list of a plurality update stations to receive content detection data updates, identifying, through execution of instructions on the processor, a primary update station to receive the content detection data update;

attempting to transmit, via the network interface device, the content detection data update to the primary update station;

upon failure of the transmission of the content data update to the primary update station, identify, through execution of instructions on the processor of the network device, a secondary update station to receive the content detection data update based on the ordered list of the plurality of update stations to receive content detection data updates, the primary and secondary stations having different geographical locations;

sending from the central station via the network interface device, the content detection data update to the secondary update station including data identifying at least one content detection module of a plurality of content detection modules, coupled through the network to the plurality of update stations, to receive the content detection data update and at least one instruction to distribute the content detection data update to the identified at least one content detection module, wherein the distribution is performed not in response to a request from the at least one content detection module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the failure of the transmission of the content update to the primary update station is identified based on a received notification of excess load demand from the primary station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content detection data update comprises a virus signature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content detection data update is received by the central station from a processing station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission failure is identified by sending a query over a network to the primary update station, the query requesting confirmation of receipt of the content detection data by the primary update station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the central station is a software process executable on a processor of a server to obtain content detection data from a data storage device and to transmit the content detection data over the network to the primary and secondary update stations.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, with instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive content via a network interface device of the content detection system;

determine, through execution of instructions on a processor of the content detection system, whether received content contains suspicious content data or the suspicious content data is a threat to detect;

when the suspicious content data contains or is a threat, generating, through execution of instructions on the processor of the content detection system, content detection data as a function of the received data;

based on an ordered list of a plurality update stations to receive content detection data updates, identifying, through execution of instructions on the processor, a primary update station to receive the content detection data update;

attempt to transmit, via the network interface device, the content detection data update to the primary update station;

upon failure of the transmission of the content data update to the primary update station, identify, through execution of instructions on the processor of the network device, a secondary update station to receive the content detection data update based on the ordered list of the plurality of update stations to receive content detection data updates, the primary and secondary stations having different geographical locations;

send from the central station via the network interface device, the content detection data update to the secondary update station including data identifying at least one content detection module of a plurality of content detection modules, coupled through the network to the plurality of update stations, to receive the content detection data update and at least one instruction to distribute the content detection data update to the identified at least one content detection module, wherein the distribution is performed not in response to a request from the at least one content detection module.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the failure of the transmission of the content update to the primary update station is identified based on a received notification of excess load demand from the primary station.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the content detection data update comprises a virus signature.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the content detection data update is received by the central station from a processing station.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the transmission failure is identified by sending a query over a network to the primary update station, the query requesting confirmation of receipt of the content detection data by the primary update station.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the central station is a software process executable on a processor of a server to obtain the content detection data from a data storage device and to transmit the content detection data over the network to the primary and secondary update stations.

13. A content detection system, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface device; and

a memory device, storing;

a first module to receive content via the network interface device;

a second module to determine, through execution of instructions on the processor, whether received content contains suspicious content data or the suspicious content data is a threat to detect;

a third module to, when the suspicious content data contains or is a threat, generate, through execution of instructions on the processor of the content detection system, content detection data as a function of the received data;

a fourth module to, based on an ordered list of a plurality update stations to receive content detection data updates, identify, through execution of instructions on the processor of the network device, a primary update station to receive the content detection data update;

a fifth module to attempt to transmit, via the network interface device, the content detection data update to the primary update station;

a sixth module to, upon failure of the transmission of the content data update to the primary update station, identify, through execution of instructions on the processor, a secondary update station to receive the content detection data update based on the ordered list of the plurality of update stations to receive content detection data updates, the primary and secondary stations having different geographical locations;

sending from the central station via the network interface device, the content detection data update to the secondary update station including data identifying at least one content detection module of a plurality of content detection modules, coupled through the network to the plurality of update stations, to receive the content detection data update and at least one instruction to distribute the content detection data update to the identified at least one content detection module, wherein the distribution is performed not in response to a request from the at least one content detection module.