Virtual Item Scanning for Malicious Script Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtual universes face issues with malicious scripts and malfunctioning items that can drain resources, exploit vulnerabilities, and cause system crashes, necessitating a method to scan items for potential flaws and harmful functioning.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for triggering scans of virtual items and inventories in virtual universes, utilizing a trigger identification unit, item scanner, and notifier to detect malicious scripts and geometrical flaws, with background monitoring and artificial intelligence to identify and quarantine or replace malicious items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If items are scanned continuously to detect malicious scripts, then security reliability is improved, but system performance and resource consumption deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning of virtual items at the point of entry or creation, before they can cause harm. This proactive approach detects malicious scripts early in the item lifecycle, preventing them from compromising system performance while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous scanning, the system implements periodic scanning triggered by specific events such as item creation, modification, or attempted execution. This event-driven approach maintains security through regular checks while minimizing unnecessary resource consumption during idle periods.
2Measurement precision
If all items in virtual inventory are scanned to detect malicious content, then detection completeness is improved, but scanning time and computational resources worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different scanning depths and methods to different items based on their risk profile, type, and source. High-risk items receive comprehensive scanning while low-risk items undergo lighter checks, optimizing the balance between detection completeness and scanning time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial scanning of inventory items, focusing on critical components and metadata first. If malicious content is detected in these areas, full scanning is triggered. This approach achieves sufficient detection for most cases while significantly reducing average scanning time.
3Reliability
If geometric flaws are scanned to identify malfunctioning objects, then object functionality reliability is improved, but scanning complexity and processing time worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The geometric scanning process is divided into multiple stages: initial geometry validation, structural integrity checks, and detailed flaw detection. Each stage focuses on specific aspects of geometric soundness, reducing overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive reliability assessment.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method in a virtual universe system for triggering scans of virtual items and inventories of virtual items and for scanning the virtual items and inventories wherein the scans may be triggered by an avatar moving or teleporting from one region to another, or by an avatar picking up, dropping off, or accepting or purchasing an item. The degree of scanning may depend upon factors such as location where these scan triggers occur. The signature of the item may be identified by the scan process. The item signature may be compared against signatures of known malicious items stored in an inventory item signatures database and a summary of the signature comparison may be sent to a resident and stored in the resident's inventory.