Kernel Module for Pre-Encryption Malware Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Internet security protocols, such as TLS and SSL, fail to effectively detect and prevent malware and viruses in encrypted data traffic, as decryption occurs on the user device, rendering malware detection applications unable to inspect the data until it is received, potentially infecting the device.
Innovation Solution
A kernel module is used to redirect and decode communication traffic, analyze it for malicious content, and encode it before sending it to the browser, ensuring the traffic is transparently secured and any malicious content is handled, with the option to perform these functions locally or remotely on a server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data traffic is encrypted using TLS/SSL protocols, then communication security is improved, but malware detection capability deteriorates because encrypted data cannot be inspected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs malware detection before the data is encrypted and transmitted. The kernel module intercepts outgoing data traffic, scans it for malware using detection applications, and only allows clean data to be encrypted and sent. This preliminary detection resolves the contradiction by ensuring security scanning occurs when data is still accessible, maintaining both detection capability and communication security.
Solution Approach 2:
The kernel module acts as an intermediary between the application layer and the encryption protocol. It positions itself in the data flow to intercept, scan, and filter traffic before encryption occurs, enabling malware detection without compromising the encryption security. The kernel module mediates between the need for encrypted communication and the need for detectable content.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a kernel module is introduced to intercept and scan traffic, then malware detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The kernel module is designed to work with existing system components and leverage existing security infrastructure. It integrates with the operating system's native traffic handling mechanisms and uses standard detection applications already present on the system, reducing the need for additional complex components while maintaining detection capability.
3Reliability
If traffic is decoded and analyzed before encoding, then security is improved by detecting malicious content, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs malware detection on outgoing traffic before encryption, rather than attempting to detect malware in encrypted traffic after transmission. This preliminary scanning approach eliminates the need for time-consuming decryption operations during security checks, as detection occurs when data is still in plaintext form during the outbound process.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for using a kernel module to provide computer security are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for providing computer security may include launching a kernel module at the kernel-level of a computing device, redirecting, using the kernel module, communications traffic away from a browser executing on the computing device, decoding, using the kernel module, the received traffic to create decoded traffic, analyzing the decoded traffic, using the kernel module, for content having particular characteristics and create analyzed traffic, encoding, using the kernel module, at least a portion of the analyzed traffic to create encrypted traffic, and directing the encrypted traffic to the browser.