Patent Application
20150363595
The present invention relates generally to error detection and more particularly, to identification of actions leading to error events.
Malware is malicious software whose only purpose is to damage or perform other unwanted actions on computer systems. Generally, malware is any software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. Various forms of malware may allow individuals to, in a non-inclusive list, steal passwords and banking credentials; hack into social media accounts; access documents, photos, and other computer files; record keystrokes; activate webcams; hold a computer for ransom; and use the computer in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Malware can appear in the form of code, scripts, active content, and other software.
In one aspect of the invention a computer security method is provided, including periodically recording a screenshot of what is displayed on a display of a computer, thereby recording a plurality of screenshots, selecting, in accordance with predefined selection criteria, any of the screenshots that were recorded prior to detection of a security-related condition, and providing any of the selected screenshots in association with the detection of the security-related condition.
In other aspects of the invention, systems and computer program products embodying the invention are provided.
Aspects of the invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:
Embodiments of the present invention recognize that when a computer is attacked by, or infected with, malware, it is typically the result of an operation performed by a computer user, such as when the computer user uses a browser to visit a web page that contains an exploit kit, or opens an email message from an attacker, or an infected email from a known source, and clicks on an email attachment that is harboring the malware or on a link within the body of the email that links to a malicious web page. When investigating such an incident, it may be useful to understand the chain of events that preceded it in order to identify any actions that the user took, or failed to take, just prior to, or during, the incident. Towards that end, embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for assisting in the identification of such acts, primarily from the recordation of screenshots taken in temporal proximity to detection of a detected error or malfunction.
Reference is now made to
The system of
The predefined selection criteria that security monitor 108 uses to select screenshots 102 preferably indicates that a predefined number of screenshots 102 are to be selected in association with the detection of the security-related condition or that the selection is to include any of screenshots 102 that were recorded within a predefined time period relative to the time that the security-related condition was detected. The predefined selection criteria also preferably indicates whether the selection is to include any of screenshots 102 that were recorded before, during, and/or after the time that the security-related condition was detected.
Security monitor 108 is preferably configured to provide the selected screenshots 102 to a user or administrator of computer 106, preferably together with an indication that the selection is associated with the security-related condition that was detected.
Any of the elements shown in
Reference is now made to
The system of
In one embodiment of the invention, the most recent N screenshots, such as where N=10 and is user-configurable, are kept in computer memory (RAM) in order to minimize impact on the performance of the system. In this embodiment, only when a security-related condition is detected are the screenshots saved to non-volatile storage, such as to a magnetic or optical disk, and/or transmitted via a network, such as to a system administrator. Additionally or alternatively, the screenshots are compressed using conventional lossless or lossy techniques, are stored at a low resolution, and/or are stored in grey scale or black-and-white format. Screenshots may also be compressed using conventional frame-to-frame differential techniques, as they represent the computer's display data over a time continuum.
Referring now to
As shown, the techniques for controlling access to at least one resource may be implemented in accordance with a processor 310, a memory 312, I/O devices 314, and a network interface 316, coupled via a computer bus 318 or alternate connection arrangement.
It is to be appreciated that the term “processor” as used herein is intended to include any processing device, such as, for example, one that includes a CPU (central processing unit) and/or other processing circuitry. It is also to be understood that the term “processor” may refer to more than one processing device and that various elements associated with a processing device may be shared by other processing devices.
The term “memory” as used herein is intended to include memory associated with a processor or CPU, such as, for example, RAM, ROM, a fixed memory device (e.g., hard drive), a removable memory device (e.g., diskette), flash memory, etc. Such memory may be considered a computer readable storage medium.
In addition, the phrase “input/output devices” or “I/O devices” as used herein is intended to include, for example, one or more input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, scanner, etc.) for entering data to the processing unit, and/or one or more output devices (e.g., speaker, display, printer, etc.) for presenting results associated with the processing unit.
Embodiments of the present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Ruby, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
