System, method, and computer program product for enabling communication between security systems

• US 8,572,732 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Muttik, Igor, Hearnden, Steve O., Spurlock, Joel Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/406,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20120167166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 726/22, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/228, 709/230, 713/100
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for enabling communication between security systems. In use, a first communication protocol of a first security system and a second communication protocol of a second security system are identified, where the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol are different such that the first security system and the second security system are incapable of communicating therebetween. Further, the first security system is updated with a first security definition and/or the second security system is updated with a second security definition for enabling communication between the first security system and the second security system.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer code for:

identifying that a first security system is not communicating with a second security system, wherein the first security system at least partially detects data and/or activity as unwanted; and

updating the first security system and/or the second security system with a security definition for enabling a communication between the first security system and the second security system, wherein the security definition comprises a protocol for transmitting information associated with the unwanted data and/or activity between the first security system and the second security system to detect, remove, and/or verify the unwanted data and/or activity.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the protocol defines a medium of the communication, a structure for the communication, and a response for the communication.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the medium is a file.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security definition further comprises a port to be used for transmitting data to the second security system.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security definition comprises logic for producing and consuming a communication.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the protocol is previously unrecognized by either the first security system or the second security system.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first security system is only operative after boot-up of a device and the second security system is only operable during boot-up of the device.

8. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a computer, that a first security system is not communicating with a second security system, wherein the first security system at least partially detects data and/or activity as unwanted; and

updating the first security system and/or the second security system with a security definition for enabling a communication between the first security system and the second security system, wherein the security definition comprises a protocol for transmitting information associated with the unwanted data and/or activity between the first security system and the second security system to detect, remove, and/or verify the unwanted data and/or activity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the protocol defines a medium of the communication, a structure for the communication, and a response for the communication.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the medium is a file.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the security definition further comprises a port to be used for transmitting data to the second security system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the security definition comprises logic for producing and consuming a communication.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the protocol is previously unrecognized by either the first security system or the second security system.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first security system is only operative after boot-up of a device and the second security system is only operable during boot-up of the device.

15. A system including a processor coupled to memory via a bus, comprising:

a first security sub-system with a first communication protocol, wherein the first security sub-system at least partially detects data and/or activity as unwanted;

a second security sub-system with a second communication protocol, the second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol such that the first security sub-system and the second security sub-system are not communicating therebetween, wherein the system is operable to update the first security sub-system and/or the second security sub-system with a security definition for enabling a communication between the first sub-system system and the second security subsystem, wherein the security definition comprises a protocol for transmitting information associated with the unwanted data and/or activity between the first security system and the second security system to detect, remove, and/or verify the unwanted data and/or activity.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the protocol defines a medium of the communication, a structure for the communication, and a response for the communication.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the medium is a file.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the security definition further comprises a port to be used for transmitting data to the second security system.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the security definition comprises logic for producing and consuming a communication.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the protocol is previously unrecognized by either the first security system or the second security system.