Symantec Operating Corporation

Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)

Symantec Corporation

Jens Meggers

Petrus Johannes Viljoen

Andreas Fasbender

A method, system and apparatus for assembling and publishing frequent malware signature definition updates through the use of additive or 'streaming' definition packages is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by publishing not only full malware signature definition updates on a long periodicity but also streaming malware signature definition updates containing newly certified signature definitions on a short periodicity. As newly-certified malware signature definitions are received, those newly-certified signature definitions are incorporated not only in the full signature definition file but also in a streaming signature definition update that contains only newly-certified signature definitions received during a streaming update period. At the end of the streaming update period, a streaming signature definition file is made available by publication to anti-malware clients. A streaming signature definition file only contains those signature definitions received during the assembly period for that streaming definition file.

Streaming malware definition updates

A method, system and apparatus for assembling and publishing frequent malware signature definition updates through the use of additive or 'streaming' definition packages is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by publishing not only full malware signature definition updates on a long periodicity but also streaming malware signature definition updates containing newly certified signature definitions on a short periodicity. As newly-certified malware signature definitions are received, those newly-certified signature definitions are incorporated not only in the full signature definition file but also in a streaming signature definition update that contains only newly-certified signature definitions received during a streaming update period. At the end of the streaming update period, a streaming signature definition file is made available by publication to anti-malware clients. A streaming signature definition file only contains those signature definitions received during the assembly period for that streaming definition file. Embodiments of the present invention replace a previous streaming signature definition file with a new streaming signature definition file at the time of publication of the new streaming signature definition file.

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Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Jens Meggers