Computer virus avoidance system and mechanism

• US 6,954,858 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Welborn, Christopher Michael, Welborn, Kimberly Joyce
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOBAHAR, ABDULHAKIM
• Application Number:
  US09/470,058
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 713/170, 713/200, 713/201, 713/188, 709/205, 709/206, 434/118, 380/25
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security

Abstract

Nearly all computer viruses require an action by a computer user to infect and spread. The key is to educate users not to open e-mail attachments that might carry computer viruses. The key is behavior modification, as education is not sufficient. Effective behavior modification must have a means to reinforce the change and to measure how widespread the change is in a population. The invention is used to reinforce and measure the change in user behavior. The invention sends an e-mail with an attachment to e-mail users and creates a list of all users that open the attachment. The user is sent an e-mail with an attachment that looks similar to attachment that contain computer viruses. If the attachment is opened, an e-mail is sent to a specific e-mail address. This e-mail address collects all of the e-mail from users who have not changed behavior and need additional education or management attention.

Claims

1. A computer user behavior modification method for avoiding computer viruses in an electronic messaging system with users wherein a list of users who activate a mock computer virus is created, comprising:

sending a user a message with a mock computer virus;

adding the user'"'"'s identifier to the list of users who activate a mock computer virus when the user activates the mock computer virus; and

using the list of users who activate a mock computer virus to identify computer users whose behavior needs to be modified to avoid activating real computer viruses.

2. The computer user behavior modification method for avoiding computer viruses of claim 1, wherein the mock computer virus displays a message to the user when the mock computer virus is activated.

3. The computer user behavior-modification method for avoiding computer viruses of claim 1, wherein the list of users who activate a mock computer virus is used to measure the behavior of computer users to avoid computer viruses.

4. The computer user behavior modification method for avoiding computer viruses of claim 1, wherein a user who did not activate the mock computer virus and is not on the list of users who activate a mock computer virus is rewarded.

5. A method for creating a list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus in an electronic message system with users, comprising:

sending a mock computer virus in an electronic message to a user;

adding the user to the list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus when the user activates the mock virus; and

using the list of electronic message users whose behavior may activate a computer virus to identify users whose behavior may activate a real computer virus.

6. The method for creating a list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus of claim 5, wherein the mock computer virus displays a message when a user activates the mock computer virus.

7. The method for creating a list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus of claim 5, wherein the list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus is used to measure the behavior of users who may activate a real computer virus.

8. The method for creating a list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus of claim 5, wherein a user who does not activate the mock computer virus and is not on the list of electronic message system users whose behavior may activate a computer virus is rewarded.

9. A method for creating a list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus in an electronic message system with users, comprising:

sending an electronic message with a mock computer virus to a user;

adding the user to the list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus when the user activates the mock computer virus; and

using the list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus to identify users whose behavior may activate a real computer virus.

10. The method for creating a list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus of claim 9, wherein the mock computer virus displays a message when the user activates the mock computer virus.

11. The method for creating a list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus of claim 9, wherein the list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus is used to measure the behavior of users to activate computer viruses.

12. The method for creating a list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus of claim 9, wherein a user who does not activate the mock computer virus and is not on the list of electronic message system users who activate a mock computer virus is rewarded.