File Integrity Preservation via Temporary Subfile Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file update systems risk spreading malicious software due to inadequate anti-virus scanning and quarantining processes, particularly when read and write operations overlap, leading to potential contamination and access denial.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating a temporary copy subfile for file updates, scanning this subfile for malware separately from the original file, and only updating the original file if the temporary copy is clean, thereby preserving file integrity and preventing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the write data is directly committed to the file and an anti-virus scan is initiated on the updated file, then the file update process is simple and fast, but the original file may be contaminated with malicious software and users may be denied access to the file
Solution Approach 1:
The file is divided into multiple subfiles, and the write operation is directed to a specific subfile rather than the entire file. This segmentation allows the anti-virus scan to be performed on individual subfiles independently, preventing contamination of the entire file and maintaining access to other subfiles.
Solution Approach 2:
A temporary copy subfile is created as an intermediary between the write operation and the original file. The write data is first committed to the temporary copy subfile, which then serves as a buffer for anti-virus scanning before the data is merged into the original file, thus preventing direct contamination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the entire file is quarantined when malicious software is detected, then the spread of malicious software is prevented, but users are denied access to the entire file including clean portions
Solution Approach 1:
The file is segmented into multiple subfiles, allowing the quarantine operation to be applied to individual infected subfiles rather than the entire file. This ensures that clean subfiles remain accessible to users while infected subfiles are isolated.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality states (clean or infected) are applied to different parts (subfiles) of the file based on their individual scan results. This allows the system to maintain high accessibility by keeping clean portions accessible while applying quarantine only to infected portions.
3Productivity
If the file is subdivided into subfiles for separate scanning, then the scanning process is facilitated and efficiency is improved, but the complexity of file management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically manages the creation, scanning, and merging of subfiles without requiring manual intervention. The file management complexity is handled by the system itself, allowing users to benefit from improved scanning efficiency without dealing with the underlying complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment of file integrity preservation in accordance with the present description, a file is subdivided into a plurality of subfiles, and a write update originally targeted for a portion of that file contained within one of the subfiles, is instead directed to a temporary copy subfile. As a consequence, the temporary copy subfile which is updated with the write data, may be scanned for viruses or other malware separately from the original file and its corresponding original subfile. If the temporary copy subfile passes the scanning test, the originally targeted file may be updated with the updated contents of the clean temporary copy subfile. Conversely, in the event that the write update introduced malicious software to the temporary copy subfile, the original file and its corresponding original subfile remain uncontaminated by the write update. Other aspects are also described.