Networks Associates Technology, Inc.

Mcafee, Inc.

Robert Hugh Smithson

Jeffrey Green

Anton Christian Rothwell

Christopher Scott Bolin

Andrew Arlin Woodruff

Daniel Joseph Wolff

James Malcolm Vignoles

Stephen Owen Hearnden

A system, method and computer program product are provided for prioritized network security. Initially, a set of policies is identified, where each policy has a condition associated therewith. It is then determined whether the conditions are met. Next, the policies are activated whose associated conditions are determined to be met. Such conditions represent a priority of the policy.

System, method and computer program product for applying prioritized security policies with predetermined limitations

A computer virus outbreak is detected by comparing one or more measurement parameters determined over a measurement period against a threshold level. The measurement parameters can include a measurement of how many E-mail messages are sent having an identical file attachment, file type or simply in total. The threshold levels may be varied with the time of day and day of week as well as the tests applied.

Computer virus detection

When a computer virus outbreak is detected, a predefined sequence of steps are automatically or manually followed using rule definitions, that may include office hours, to invoke anti-virus counter-measures. The counter-measures can include reducing virus notification, increasing scanning options, blocking E-mail attachments, hiding E-mail address books and the like. The predetermined sequence of actions may be varied with the time of day and day of week.

Response to a computer virus outbreak

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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Cheltenham, United Kingdom

Robert Hugh Smithson