Author: Umakant Mishra
Abstract:
Some viruses exploit the features and capabilities of
computer networks to spread, operate and damage network environments. For
example, the virus may copy itself to other computers in the network or may
increase network activities congesting the network traffic. The conventional
anti-viruses are not efficient enough to detect and control viruses in a
network environment. As they are file based they cannot scan the data while
being downloaded from the server.
Most of the drawbacks of conventional scanning are taken
care by a firewall-based virus scanning. But this method requires high-end
machines to withstand the load of centralized scanning. There is another
limitation of firewall based scanning. Implementing anti-virus into the
firewall prevents outside viruses entering from the Internet but fails to
provide protection from viruses spreading within the LAN.
A network virus scanner should be specially designed in
order to protect computers in a network environment. It should have capability
to scan the data while being transferred from server to client or from one
computer to other in order to prevent transfer of infected data. The anti-virus
should be capable of controlling virus-outbursts to prevent other commuters in
the network from being infected. The article illustrates 10 interesting
inventions from US patent database dealing with scanning viruses in a network.
Keywords: computer virus, anti-virus, anti-virus
software, computer vulnerability, computer security, anti-virus design,
anti-virus development, inoculation, virus scanning, virus detection, signature
scanning, integrity checking, heuristic scanning, emulation, activity
monitoring, generic scanning, behavior monitoring, network scanning, server
scanning, computer worms, firewall, worm communication
Mishra, Umakant, Implementing Virus Scanning in Computer
Networks (May 1, 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2049313 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2049313
