Host Server Content Scanning for Malicious Web Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for protecting internet users from malicious content, such as viruses and phishing sites, are inadequate as they rely on user-installed antivirus software and periodic scanning services, which may miss threats and fail to provide real-time protection, especially for password-protected sites.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where user-initiated instructions to access content are monitored and scanned at the sender device or host server for malicious components, with safe content indicated or replaced with alternate links, ensuring immediate inspection before access and protecting users from harmful content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user-installed antivirus software is used to detect malicious content, then detection capability is provided, but real-time protection is not achieved and user maintenance burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic scanning and detection without requiring user intervention for installation, updates, or operation. The host server automatically scans content posted by users and provides protection without the user needing to maintain antivirus software
Solution Approach 2:
The host server acts as an intermediary between the user's posted content and the visitors. It scans content before making it accessible to visitors, providing protection at the server level rather than requiring client-side antivirus software
2Reliability
If periodic scanning services are used to detect malicious websites, then detection capability is provided, but real-time protection is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The host server scans content before it is posted or made accessible to visitors. This preliminary scanning ensures that malicious content is detected and blocked before it can cause harm, rather than detecting it after the fact through periodic scanning
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning service operates continuously and automatically whenever content is posted or accessed, rather than periodically. This continuous monitoring ensures real-time protection without gaps between scans
3Reliability
If scanning services are used to scan web pages, then detection of malicious content is provided, but password-protected sites cannot be scanned
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring external scanning services to access and scan protected sites (which they cannot do), the system inverts the approach by having the host server itself perform the scanning. The server that already has access to the content through authentication scans it before making it available to visitors
4Reliability
If virus/malware protection software is installed on visitor's computer, then download protection is provided, but inspection of electronic sources associated with links is not performed
Solution Approach 1:
The host server scans not only the content being posted but also the electronic sources (links) associated with the content before making them accessible to visitors. This preliminary inspection of links prevents visitors from being directed to phishing sites or malicious external sources
Data Source
AI summary
Instructions allowing their recipient to access content via a computer network are intercepted at a destination device sending the instructions via a host-server. Content of an instruction is analyzed at the destination device for malicious components, and results of the analysis are associated with the content prior to being presented to viewers of the content.