Source Code Repair Mechanism for Malicious Code Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for detecting and preventing malicious code in source code during software development are inadequate, as they rely on pattern matching that may not catch all threats, especially in collaborative development environments where untrustworthy contributors can introduce destructive code, potentially leading to damage to data and software systems.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a source code management system that uses existing virus detection methods to identify and remove malicious code before a product build, including a classification mechanism to customize searches and a repair mechanism to revert to previous code versions in case of infection, thereby preventing damage and ensuring security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If pattern matching is used to detect malicious code, then detection capability is improved, but false negatives occur where malicious code is not detected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoidfalse negative rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the source code into individual components and analyzes each component separately. The virus detection mechanism scans each component independently, and the repair mechanism repairs infected components individually while preserving clean components. This segmentation approach allows pattern matching to work more effectively on smaller, isolated units of code, improving overall detection reliability without missing malicious code hidden in larger codebases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs virus detection and repair actions before the product build process. By detecting malicious code in advance and repairing or removing infected components prior to compilation, the system prevents malicious code from being integrated into the final product. This preliminary action ensures that detection occurs when code is still in its source form, improving the effectiveness of pattern matching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If source code from multiple developers is integrated, then development productivity is improved, but risk of malicious code introduction increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevelopment productivityVSAvoidmalicious code risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements virus detection and repair mechanisms that operate on source code components before they are integrated into the product build. By performing this security check in advance, the system maintains the benefits of collaborative development from multiple contributors while filtering out malicious code before it can affect the final product.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary virus detection and repair mechanism between the source code contributions from multiple developers and the final product build process. This intermediary layer scans, detects, and repairs malicious code in the contributed components, allowing collaborative development to continue productively while preventing malicious code from propagating through the integration process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If malicious code is detected and removed, then system security is improved, but development time increases due to additional scanning and repair processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem securityVSAvoiddevelopment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs virus detection and repair as preliminary actions before the product build process. By completing these security measures in advance, the system ensures that malicious code is eliminated without requiring additional time during the build or deployment phases. The detection and repair occur while code is still in source form, making the process more efficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements an automatic repair mechanism that autonomously identifies and repairs infected source code components without requiring manual intervention. The system self-services the security function by automatically scanning components, detecting malicious code through pattern matching, and repairing or removing infected components, thereby minimizing the time burden on developers while maintaining high security standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7640587B2Source code repair method for malicious code detection

Publication Date: 2009.12.29 ACTIVISION PUBLISHING INC

AI summary

A repair mechanism within a code management library system for repairing build code that is infected with malicious code. When a virus pattern is detected in a component of a source code, other components in the source code containing dependencies upon the first component are identified. This identification may be based on rules defined from relationships between the infected component and the other components in the source code. The component and the other components that are identified as having dependencies upon the infected component are retracted from the software product build. The infected component and the other identified components are then replaced with a previous archive of the code build. The software product build of the source code may then be performed.