Softlink-Based Virus Scanning for Modified Small Files
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antivirus scanning methods do not prioritize files based on their likelihood of being infected, leading to inefficient scanning of large numbers of files, with viruses often being smaller in size and requiring focused scanning.
Innovation Solution
Create softlinks for files within a specified size range that have been modified since the last scan, prioritizing these files for antivirus scanning and removing softlinks when the files exceed the size threshold, allowing for targeted scanning before tree-walking through directories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antivirus scanning is performed on all files without prioritization, then comprehensive virus detection is achieved, but scanning time and resource consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file scanning process into two distinct phases: first scanning only small files (e.g., less than 1MB) that are more likely to contain viruses, then scanning larger files. This segmentation allows the system to prioritize high-risk files while reducing overall scanning time and resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces file size as a prioritization parameter for scanning. By changing the scanning order based on file size parameters (scanning small files first), the system achieves faster detection of potential viruses without compromising comprehensive detection, thus resolving the contradiction between detection completeness and scanning time.
2Reliability
If antivirus scanning is performed on all files without prioritization, then comprehensive virus detection is achieved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning process is divided into segments based on file size categories. The system first processes small files that consume less computational resources and are more likely to be infected, then proceeds to larger files. This segmentation reduces peak resource consumption while maintaining detection completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
By using file size as a sorting parameter for scanning priority, the system optimizes resource allocation. Small files require less computational power to scan, allowing the system to process more files with the same resources, thereby reducing overall resource consumption while maintaining comprehensive detection.
3Ease of manufacture
If files are scanned in arbitrary order, then implementation is simple, but scanning efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the scanning order parameter from arbitrary to size-based prioritization. Files are sorted by size and scanned in priority order (smallest first). This parameter change improves scanning efficiency by focusing on high-risk small files first, while the implementation remains relatively simple by using standard file size comparison and sorting operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system can maintain, in a directory, respective first softlinks of respective first files that have a size within a specified range, and that have been modified subsequent to a respective most-recent virus scan. The system can, in response to determining to perform an antivirus scan on a group of files that comprises the first files, perform a first antivirus scan on the first files based on identifying the first softlinks in the directory, and, after performing the first antivirus scan on the first files, perform a second antivirus scan on second files of the group of files that are not identified with respective second softlinks in the directory.