I/O Interface Security Gateway for Malware Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public computers in high-traffic areas are at risk of spreading malware due to the lack of effective threat detection systems, as existing solutions are either economically unfeasible or fail to prevent initial infection and transmission of unknown malware.
Innovation Solution
A threat-detection system acting as a gateway between public computers and private storage devices, using I/O interfaces and a processor to temporarily disable data communication, scan files for security threats, and only enable communication after threats are verified as absent, thereby reducing the risk of malware transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a person is dedicated to operate the public computer and scan storage devices before accessing content, then security protection is improved, but operational cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically scanning storage devices for malware and blocking suspicious files without requiring human operators. The public computer system autonomously performs security checks, allowing users to independently access services while the system maintains security through automated detection and prevention mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary security scanning of storage devices before allowing any data access or transmission. By conducting malware detection and analysis in advance, the system prevents potential infections from spreading to the public computer or other devices, ensuring security measures are in place before actual use occurs.
2Measurement precision
If antivirus software scans storage devices after connecting to an infected computer, then detection capability is improved, but the storage devices are already infected by the computer
Solution Approach 1:
The system reverses the traditional scanning approach by scanning storage devices before they connect to or interact with the public computer. This preliminary scanning occurs at the point of insertion, detecting malware before the infected device can transmit viruses to the computer or other storage devices, thus preventing infection rather than detecting it after the fact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between the storage device and the public computer, intercepting and analyzing files before they can be transmitted. By positioning the scanning mechanism at the interface point, the system blocks potentially infected files from entering the computer system, serving as a security gateway that prevents harmful factors from spreading.
3Reliability
If antivirus software quarantines suspicious files, then the computer can still read files into memory and transmit malware to other devices via I/O interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and blocks suspicious files at the point of detection, preventing them from being loaded into the computer's memory or transmitted through I/O interfaces. By removing potentially infected files from the transmission path before they can be processed by the system, the malware cannot execute or spread to other connected devices, effectively isolating the threat.
Solution Approach 2:
The system functions as a security intermediary that intercepts file transmissions between storage devices and the public computer. By analyzing files in transit and blocking suspicious content before it reaches the computer's memory or I/O interfaces, the system prevents malware transmission while allowing legitimate files to pass through unaffected.
4Measurement precision
If antivirus software only detects known viruses and malware, then detection accuracy for known threats is improved, but protection against newly-created malware is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning and analysis of storage devices before they can infect the public computer or other devices. By detecting and blocking suspicious files in advance, the system prevents both known and unknown malware from spreading, ensuring that even newly-created viruses are stopped before they can cause harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary security layer that analyzes all files transmitted through the public computer system. By examining file content, behavior, and characteristics at the transmission point, the system can identify and block both known malware signatures and suspicious unknown files, providing comprehensive protection against diverse threats.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a security threat. The methods and systems comprise detecting that a first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, responsive to the detection that the first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, temporarily disabling data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces, acquiring a file from the detected first device via the first I/O interface, determining whether the acquired file poses a security threat, and responsive to a determination that the acquired file does not pose a security threat, enabling the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.