Application Launch Restriction via Identifier Swapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virus detection software often fails to prevent the spread of computer viruses due to the widespread access that infected applications have within computer systems, as they typically run with the same authority as user accounts, allowing viruses to access and infect numerous resources.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where the original identifier of an application is changed to a new identifier, and a polalauncher is used to launch the application in a restricted user account, thereby restricting its access to only necessary resources, preventing the spread of viruses by confining them to a limited set of permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If applications run with user account authority to access system resources, then application functionality and ease of operation are improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to virus spread and harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments user accounts into different types (standard user accounts and administrator accounts) and further segments application execution into different contexts (launched by standard users vs. launched by administrators). This segmentation allows applications to run with limited privileges under standard user accounts while maintaining full functionality when needed, thereby preventing virus spread without compromising application accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the account switching feature) that allows standard user accounts to launch applications in administrator accounts. This intermediary layer enables applications to access system resources when necessary while maintaining security by default, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and vulnerability to harmful factors.
2Reliability
If conventional virus detection software is used, then basic protection is provided, but the software cannot stop virus spread due to application access rights
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by configuring account permissions and application launch settings before virus infection can occur. By establishing a security architecture where applications default to running under restricted standard user accounts, the system proactively prevents virus spread rather than attempting to detect and stop it after infection occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of restricted account permissions (which could prevent application functionality) into a benefit by demonstrating that these restrictions naturally prevent virus spread. The same account segmentation that limits application accessibility under standard users also serves as a firewall against virus propagation, turning a potential drawback into a security advantage.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If applications are launched in restricted user accounts to prevent virus spread, then harmful factors are reduced, but application functionality and ease of operation may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by allowing the account context to change based on the launch conditions. Applications launched by standard users run in restricted accounts for security, but the same applications can be dynamically relaunched in administrator accounts when full functionality is needed. This dynamic account switching ensures both virus prevention and functional completeness without permanent restrictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the account switching mechanism universal, allowing it to apply to all applications systematically. The dual-account architecture provides a unified solution that simultaneously achieves virus prevention under standard user contexts and full functionality under administrator contexts, making the system adaptable to different operational requirements without sacrificing either security or functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An original identifier of an application in a computer system is changed to a new identifier. An attempt is made, using the original identifier, to run the application. In response to the attempt, the application is then launched in a restricted user account on the computer system using the new identifier.