How do Viruses Attack Anti-Virus Programs

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

As the anti-viruses run in a trusted kernel level any loophole in the anti-virus program can enable attackers to take full control over the computer system and steal data or do serious damages. Hence the anti-virus engines must be developed with proper security in mind. The ant-virus should be able to any type of specially created executable files, compression packages or documents that are intentionally created to exploit the anti-virus’s weakness.

Viruses are present in almost every system even though there are anti-viruses installed.  This is because every anti-virus, however good it may be, leads to some extent of false positives and false negatives. Our faith on the anti-virus system often makes us more careless about hygienic habits which increases the possibility of infection. It is necessary for an anti-virus to detect and destroy the malware before its own files are detected and destroyed by the malware.

Keywords: computer virus, anti-virus, anti-virus software, computer vulnerability, computer security, anti-virus design, anti-virus development, virus scanning, virus detection, signature scanning, integrity checking, heuristic scanning, emulation, activity monitoring, generic scanning, behavior monitoring, resident scanning, virus database, on-access scanning,

Mishra, Umakant, How Do Viruses Attack Anti-Virus Programs (July 20, 2013). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2296319 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2296319

http://ssrn.com/abstract=2296319

http://arxiv.org/abs/1307.5420

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/111

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250917847_How_do_Viruses_Attack_Anti-Virus_Programs

Contradictions in Improving Speed of Virus Scanning

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Although everything in computing industry moves faster, the processor, memory speed, memory size, storage space etc. there is no improvement in virus scanning time. Although the processing speed has substantially increased, a typical full scanning is still taking several hours for an average computer. There is a serious need to improve the scanning time.

Contradiction is a stage of problem solving where the nature of the actual problem is clearly explained in terms of at least two parameters, one improving and another worsening. While emphasizing one parameter strengthens the system position emphasizing another parameter weakens the system.

In conventional methods a problem solver has to make a perfect balance between these conflicting parameters, where the situation is neither too much on one side nor too much on the other. The results of those methods, although increase the speed of virus scanning, results in disadvantages like load on processor, increase in false positives and compromise on security. The objective of TRIZ is not to accept a tradeoff between the speed of scanning and those other difficulties but to resolve the contradictions so that the speed of scanning increases without compromising with security and other harmful results.

Keywords: Software Innovation, computer virus, anti-virus, anti-virus software, virus removal, computer security, virus scanning, virus detection, fast scanning,

Mishra, Umakant, Contradictions in Improving Speed of Virus Scanning (May 31, 2013). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2272611 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2272611

http://ssrn.com/abstract=2272611

http://arxiv.org/abs/1306.4660

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/109

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239731971_Contradictions_in_Improving_Speed_of_Virus_Scanning

Finding and Solving Contradictions of False Positives in Virus Scanning

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

False positives are equally dangerous as false negatives. Ideally the false positive rate should remain 0 or very close to 0. Even a slightest increase in false positive rate is considered as undesirable.

Although the specific methods provide very accurate scanning by comparing viruses with their exact signatures, they fail to detect the new and unknown viruses. On the other hand the generic methods can detect even new viruses without using virus signatures. But these methods are more likely to generate false positives. There is a positive correlation between the capability to detect new and unknown viruses and false positive rate.

While a traditional approach tries to achieve a right balance between false positives and false negatives a TRIZ approach looks forward to achieve the Ideal Final Result. The Ideal final result is to “detect and prevent viruses with full certainty. The chances of error should be nil and the method should not raise any false positive or false negative.” The article shows many contradictions relating to false positives and their solutions. 

Keywords: Software Innovation, computer virus, anti-virus, anti-virus software, virus removal, computer security, inoculation, virus scanning, virus detection, heuristic scanning, false positive, false negative, reliable scanning, total cleaning

Mishra, Umakant, Finding and Solving Contradictions of False Positives in Virus Scanning (May 19, 2013). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2267073 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2267073

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2267073

http://arxiv.org/abs/1306.4652

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/108

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239731976_Methods_of_Repairing_Virus_Infected_Files_A_TRIZ_based_Analysis

Methods of Repairing Virus Infected Files, A TRIZ based Analysis

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Some computer viruses damage the host file during infection either partially or fully. These types of viruses are known as “file modifying viruses”. In these cases, the chance of recovery is less, but the anti-virus has to apply various methods with hope. The virus cleaner must know the characteristics of a virus in order to remove that virus. It cannot remove an unknown virus whose methods of infection are not known. If a virus is wrongly detected to be a different virus, then the cleaner will do wrong operations and build a garbage file.

Most viruses are capable of fixing up the first few bytes and repair the original program because they have to return the control back to the infected program. This fact is used by a heuristic cleaner to clean the infected file. As the virus knows how the file is damaged a heuristic cleaner effectively use the algorithm in virus to repair the infected file.

Keywords: Software Innovation, computer virus, anti-virus, anti-virus software, virus removal, file repairing, computer vulnerability, computer security, anti-virus design, inoculation, virus scanning, virus detection, integrity checking, heuristic scanning,

Mishra, Umakant, Methods of Repairing Virus Infected Files: A TRIZ Based Analysis (May 15, 2013). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2265576 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2265576

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2265576

http://arxiv.org/abs/1306.4666

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/107

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239731976_Methods_of_Repairing_Virus_Infected_Files_A_TRIZ_based_Analysis

TRIZ and Spirituality: The methods of Maximizing Happiness

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

TRIZ is a method of high level of commonsense and can be applied in any field, whether social, economical, technical or spiritual. In this article we analyzed the concept of happiness, the ultimate goal of human being, and demonstrated the application of different TRIZ concepts like Ideality, contradictions, Principles, Resources and Trends in different theories of maximizing happiness.

Keywords: TRIZ and society, self-control, self management, spirituality, hedonism, search of peace, utilitarianism, Thomas Aquinas, Libertarianism, idealism, transcendental idealism, Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, Bhagavad Gita, emotional detachment, pranayama,

Mishra, Umakant, TRIZ and Spirituality: The Methods of Maximizing Happiness (February 10, 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2002676 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2002676

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2002676

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/106

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228172831_TRIZ_and_Spirituality_The_Methods_of_Maximizing_Happiness

TRIZ and Society- An alternative way of Winning Enemies Without Fighting

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Although we are born and brought up in society, we are sometimes hurt by the offensive behavior of some people in our family and society, may be by the so-called friends or rivals or enemies. If we suppress our anger and don’t fight with them then we suffer from depression, frustration and other emotional disorders. On the other hand if we express our anger to fight back then the situation may become worse by inviting bigger fights and more violence. The question arises, how to solve this problem?

There are both fighting solutions and non-fighting solutions to this problem. Non-fighting solutions are better than fighting solutions because they reduce anger and violence. They are not only good for individuals but also good for society and world. However, the drawback of non-fighting solutions is that generally, there is no feeling of our enemy getting punished. Although a higher ego (the rationality within us) is satisfied with such solutions, a lower ego (the animality within us) is not happy to see our enemy moving free or hurting us again. 

Ideally, we don’t want to set up a fight with anybody but we want to see our enemy is punished. We don’t want to kill our enemy by ourselves or by deploying others but we want to see that the enemy is dead. We don’t want to follow any method of violence but we want to see all our enemies dying before us. This article gives a solution to achieve this goal.

Keywords: TRIZ and society, conflict resolution, non-violence, anger management, self-control, self management, spirituality, Buddhism, 

Mishra, Umakant, TRIZ and Society: An Alternative Way of Winning Enemies Without Fighting (January, 29 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1994976 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1994976

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1994976

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/105

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228214562_TRIZ_and_Society_An_Alternative_Way_of_Winning_Enemies_Without_Fighting

Using Free Domains- A case Study of using TRIZ Resources

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

The TRIZ concept of using Resources is very powerful in solving many kinds of problems. According to this concept, there are a large number of and large varieties of free resources around us, which can be utilized for great solutions. The resources can be Substances, Energy resources, Information Resources, Environmental, Human or anything that is available within the access of a system. However, in the current age of money driven perception, sometimes we don’t recognize or don’t care to explore or don’t feel confident of utilizing such resources.

There are many free resources around us. While talking about Internet, the Internet itself is a (almost) free resource- the largest information resource that the history has ever seen. Apart from free information on the World Wide Web, it also provides various other resources, such as, free resources to build your own websites. Some of the resources worth mentioning are free domain names, free hosting servers, free content management systems and so on.

This article talks about the free domain name as a potential Resource to build websites. However, a free resource may not always be useful. For example, migrating from an old established domain to a free domain may not be advisable just because the domain name is free. One has to weigh the pros and cons of various aspects to take such a decision. The article narrates real life experience on different case studies demonstrating good decisions and bad decisions of using free domains. 

Keywords: Innovation, Invention, TRIZ, problem solving, free domain, free server, free resources, free websites,

Umakant Mishra, Using Free Domains- A case Study of using TRIZ Resources, TRIZsite Journal, Dec 2011

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/98

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256012275_Using_Free_Domains_-_A_Case_Study_of_Using_TRIZ_Resources