Detection and minimization of false positives in anti-malware processing

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for detection of false positives occurring during execution of anti-malware applications. The detection and correction of the false positives is implemented in two phases, before creation of new anti-virus databases (i.e., malware black lists) or before creation of new white lists, and after the anti-virus databases or new white lists are created and new false positives are detected. The system calculates a probability of detection of a certain potential malware object. Based on this probability, the system decides to either correct a white list (i.e., a collection of known clean objects) or update a black list (i.e., a collection of known malware objects). A process is separated into a several steps: creation and update (or correction) of white lists; creation and update of black lists; detection of collisions between these lists and correction of black lists or white lists based on the detected collisions.