Ironport Systems, Inc.

Larry Rosenstein

Daniel A Quinlan

Scot Free Kennedy

Craig Sprosts

Charles S Slater

Craig V Taylor

Michael Olivier

Early detection of computer viruses and other message-borne threats is provided by applying heuristic tests to message content and examining sender reputation information when no virus signature information is available. As a result, a messaging gateway can suspend delivery of messages early in a virus outbreak, providing sufficient time for updating an anti-virus checker that can strip virus code from the messages. A dynamic and flexible threat quarantine queue is provided with a variety of exit criteria and exit actions that permits early release of messages in other than first in, first-out order. A message scanning method is described in which early exit from parsing and scanning can occur by matching threat rules only to selected message elements and stopping rule matching as soon as a match on one message element exceeds a threat threshold.

Identifying threats in electronic messages

Early detection of computer viruses is provided by collecting information about suspicious messages and generating virus outbreak information. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving the virus outbreak information that has been determined by receiving message information for messages that have characteristics associated with computer viruses, wherein the messages were determined by a virus-check component as not comprising a virus, and mapping the message information received in a specified time period to the virus outbreak information; and when the virus outbreak information indicates initiation of a virus attack, performing a message flow control action for additional messages that have the same characteristics associated with computer viruses as the first messages. As a result, a messaging gateway can suspend delivery of messages early in a virus outbreak, providing sufficient time for updating an anti-virus checker that can strip virus code from the messages.

Method and apparatus for managing computer virus outbreaks

Controlling a message quarantine is disclosed. A message scanning method is described in which early exit from parsing and scanning can occur by matching threat rules only to selected message elements and stopping rule matching as soon as a match on one message element exceeds a threat threshold.

Growing community of inventors

San Bruno, CA, United States of America

Larry Rosenstein