GPU Malware Scan Offloading With Double Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antivirus and anti-malware software scans consume significant CPU and memory resources, degrading user experience and increasing energy consumption, while GPU-based techniques often inefficiently transfer data and require high CPU overhead.
Innovation Solution
A method that estimates computational burden and offloads large volume scans from the CPU to the GPU using a double buffering approach, reducing CPU load and improving security by performing scans in GPU memory, which is more secure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If CPU-based malware scans are performed, then scan coverage is achieved, but CPU resources are significantly consumed and user experience degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the malware scanning function from the CPU and relocates it to the GPU. The scan manager identifies malware scanning tasks and offloads them to the GPU, which has dedicated memory and processing capabilities, thereby freeing CPU resources while maintaining comprehensive scan coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a scan manager as an intermediary component that coordinates between the CPU and GPU. The scan manager estimates computational burden, determines when to offload scans to the GPU, and manages the double buffering approach, serving as a mediator that optimizes resource allocation between the two processors.
2Productivity
If GPU-based malware scans are performed, then scan acceleration is achieved, but data transfer overhead and CPU management burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-allocating buffers in both CPU memory and GPU memory before the scanning process begins. The double buffering approach sets up two buffers that can be alternated between, allowing data to be prepared in advance while the GPU processes one buffer, eliminating the need for frequent data transfers during scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action through the double buffering mechanism. While the GPU scans one buffer, the system simultaneously prepares the next buffer in CPU memory. This overlapping of operations ensures that the GPU is continuously productive without idle waiting time for data transfers, maintaining maximum scanning throughput.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to improve offloading of malware scans. An example apparatus is to, based on a trigger to perform a scan of a volume of data, estimate a computational burden associated with performing the scan using the CPU, the volume of data representative of at least one of a file or an object. Additionally, the example apparatus is to determine whether the computational burden satisfies a threshold associated with offloading the scan to the GPU. The example apparatus is also to cause at least one of the CPU or the GPU to perform the scan based on whether the computational burden satisfies the threshold.