Runtime Environment Code Module Inhibition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users face security risks due to malicious code modules exploiting outdated runtime environments, which may not be updated by users despite available updates, leading to instability and vulnerability.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that detects outdated runtime environments and inhibits processing of new code modules by prompting user authorization or automatic blocking, while allowing previously processed safe code modules to continue execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the runtime environment is updated to fix security vulnerabilities, then security reliability is improved, but users may not upgrade when informed, leaving the system vulnerable
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing execution of new code modules in outdated runtime environments before security vulnerabilities can be exploited. The version detection mechanism identifies outdated environments, and the execution prevention mechanism blocks potentially malicious code before it can compromise security, counteracting the anticipated harmful effect of users not upgrading.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that sits between the code module and the outdated runtime environment. This intermediary (the version detection and execution prevention system) mediates by checking the runtime environment version and selectively blocking code module execution, thereby protecting the system without requiring direct user action to update the runtime environment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If new code modules are blocked in outdated runtime environments, then security risks are reduced, but legitimate code modules may also be prevented from executing
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by differentiating between safe and potentially malicious code modules based on their source and execution history. Rather than applying a uniform block to all code modules, the system selectively prevents execution of new code modules from untrusted sources in outdated environments while allowing code modules from trusted sources or previously executed modules to run, thereby reducing security risks without unnecessarily blocking legitimate code.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by checking the version of the runtime environment before allowing code module execution. This pre-execution version check prevents potentially malicious code from running in vulnerable environments while maintaining productivity by allowing code execution in up-to-date environments. The system also maintains a history of previously executed modules to facilitate future executions without repeated checks.
3Reliability
If the system checks whether code modules were previously processed to allow safe execution, then false positives are reduced, but additional verification steps increase processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by maintaining a history of previously executed code modules and checking this history before execution. This pre-execution verification using cached information from previous executions reduces false positives by confirming the legitimacy of code modules through their execution history, while minimizing time loss by using stored historical data rather than performing extensive real-time analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for inhibiting some code modules from being processed by an outdated runtime environment are disclosed. The system and method may operate to detect that a runtime environment installed on a computer system is outdated. New code modules that have not been previously processed by the runtime environment may be inhibited from being processed by the outdated runtime environment, while known code modules that have been previously processed may be allowed to continue being processed uninhibitedly by the outdated runtime environment.