Malware Detection Search Engine Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of files and folders on large hard drives makes comprehensive disk scans for malware detection time-consuming and resource-intensive, requiring users to manually specify scan locations, which can be inefficient and prone to missed malware detection if incorrect paths are specified.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a search engine with malware detection software to automatically identify scan targets based on user-specified options and malware patterns, leveraging the search engine's capabilities to quickly locate and return relevant files and folders for scanning, thereby reducing the number of targets and scan time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If comprehensive disk scan is performed on large hard drives, then malware detection coverage is improved, but scan time and resource usage increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scanning process into two phases: first using a search engine to identify candidate files based on file type, name patterns, and location criteria, then scanning only those identified candidates. This segmentation reduces the scanning scope from all files to a targeted subset, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive detection and scan time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary filtering using search engine capabilities before the actual malware scanning. By pre-identifying candidate files that match specified criteria (file types, name patterns, locations), the system prepares a reduced target set in advance, thereby reducing the time and resources needed for the comprehensive scan while maintaining detection coverage.
2Reliability
If comprehensive disk scan is performed on large hard drives, then malware detection coverage is improved, but processing bandwidth and resource availability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning workload is segmented into candidate identification (performed by search engine using indexing) and malware detection (performed by scanning engine). This segmentation allows the system to leverage the search engine's efficient indexing capabilities for file selection, preserving processing bandwidth for the actual malware detection on a reduced set of files.
Solution Approach 2:
The search engine acts as an intermediary between the user's scanning request and the malware detection engine. It filters and identifies candidate files based on criteria, presenting a reduced subset to the scanning engine. This intermediary role reduces the processing burden on the malware detection system while maintaining comprehensive coverage of relevant files.
3Loss of time
If user manually specifies scan locations, then scan time is reduced, but accuracy of malware detection deteriorates due to missed folders
Solution Approach 1:
The search engine, originally designed for general file searching, is utilized for its multi-functional capabilities including file type filtering, name pattern matching, and location-based searching. This universal tool identifies candidate files across multiple criteria simultaneously, ensuring comprehensive coverage without requiring users to manually specify each location, thereby maintaining both speed and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to users about the scanning process by showing the criteria being used and the number of files identified for scanning. This transparency helps users understand the automated selection process, building confidence that the system is accurately identifying relevant files without manual intervention, thus maintaining detection accuracy while reducing scan time.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method detecting malware that includes providing a malware detection application and providing a search engine, the search engine being configured to receive data and commands from the malware detection application and to return data pertaining to search results to the malware detection application. The method also includes sending at least one of scan options and at least one malware-suggestive pattern from the malware detection application to the search engine. The method additionally includes searching, using the search engine and the at least one of scan options and the at least one malware-suggestive pattern, to obtain data pertaining to scan targets. The method also includes sending the data pertaining to the scan targets from the search engine to the malware detection application. The method further includes performing malware detection, using the malware detection application and the data pertaining to the scan targets, on the scan targets.