Networks Associates Technology, Inc.

Mcafee, Inc.

Nicholas Paul Kelly

Lee Codel Lawson Tarbotton

Daniel Joseph Wolff

Paul Nicholas Gartside

Kevin Andrew Gudgion

Graham Arthur Makinson

The present invention provides a computer program product, method and data processing apparatus for reviewing files for potential malware. The computer program product comprises logging code operable to maintain a statistical log having an entry for each file sent for review, each entry being arranged to store a count value indicating the number of times that the file has been sent for review and a value of one or more predetermined attributes relating to the file. Weighting table code is also used to maintain a weighting table identifying, for each value of said one or more predetermined attributes, a weighting indicating the likelihood that a file having that value of the one or more predetermined attributes will be malware. The computer program product further comprises statistical log interface code operable, upon receipt of a file, to determine with reference to the statistical log the count value relating to that file, and action determination code operable, if the count value determined by the statistical log interface code exceeds a predetermined threshold, to reference the weighting table to determine the weighting to be associated with the file, based on the value of said one or more predetermined attributes associated with that file in the statistical log. Finally, action performing code is provided to perform predetermined actions in relation to the file depending on the weighting determined by the action determination code. It has been found that this technique is useful in identifying files that may potentially contain malware.

Controlling access to suspicious files

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

Received e-mail messages are subject to a minimum delay period determined in dependence upon characteristics of the e-mail message received. Prior to release of the e-mail message upon expiry of the minimum delay period a check is made that the most up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spamming tests have been applied to the e-mail message. Characteristics that may be used to determine the minimum delay period applied include sender characteristics, recipient characteristics, attachment type characteristics and message content type characteristics.

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Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

Nicholas Paul Kelly