Mcafee, Inc.

Networks Associates Technology, Inc.

Graham Arthur Makinson

Daniel Joseph Wolff

Paul C Hackett

Paul Nicholas Gartside

Lee Codel Lawson Tarbotton

Nicholas Paul Kelly

Eamonn John Baulk

A data reconstruction system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, one of a plurality of computers receiving data over a network is identified. In addition, the data received by the computer is reconstructed in a manner that is independent of the computer.

System, method and computer program product for reconstructing data received by a computer in a manner that is independent of the computer

A network bridge () has an associated malware scanner () that serves to concatenate portions of a data file from within data packets intercepted by the network bridge () and then scan the data file concerned before the data file is forwarded to its intended recipient by the network bridge (). The network bridge () may be inserted in a network topology without requiring significant network configuration changes. The network bridge () may include a packet analysis unit () that serves to intercept only data packets having a predetermined network layer protocol or a predetermined application layer protocol.

Malware scanning using a network bridge

A source computerhaving a copy of a computer file that it is desired to download to a plurality of target computers issues broadcast messages via a computer network linked to those target computers. The broadcast messages indicate the availability of the computer file for download and include a download qualifying parameter. The download qualifying parameter is used by receiving target computers to determine whether or not they qualify to attempt a download from the source computer in response to the received broadcast message. Only those target computers that do qualify attempt a download. The source computer monitors how many target computers make a download attempt in response to a particular broadcast message and adjusts the download qualifying parameters in subsequent broadcast messages so that the target computers progressively download the new computer file without overloading the source computer.

Downloading a computer file from a source computer to a target computer

A system for scanning computer files for unwanted properties, such as containing computer viruses or being spam e-mail, allocates a priority to pending scan requests based upon the identity of a computer user associated with the scan request. In the case of a normal file access request, the computer user associated with the scan request may be the file access request or in the case of an on-demand scan, then the computer user associated with a particular scan request for a computer file may be the owner or creator of that computer file. In the case of scan requests associated with e-mails, the sender or recipient computer user may be used in the allocation of a priority level for the scan request.

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Tingewick, United Kingdom

Graham Arthur Makinson