Woburn, MA - May 18, 2009 -Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of Internet threat management solutions that protect against all forms of malicious software, announced today that it has been awarded a new patent (Patent No. 7 530 106) for heuristic analysis technology in the United States. Heuristic analysis looks for attributes and characteristics of malware when scanning unknown files, enabling a security rating to be assigned to software based on its behavior.
Heuristic analysis plays an important role in detecting new, "zero-day" malicious programs that have not been detected and patched by antivirus companies. By assigning a security rating to unknown software, antivirus software at endpoints can block or quarantine programs that exhibit malicious behavior. This reduces vulnerability to zero-day or targeted attacks, and allows antivirus software to protect endpoints in the absence of a specific signature for newly-detected malware.
Kaspersky Lab's new heuristic analysis technology is based on a system of rules that assign security ratings to different processes. The patented technology provides an adaptive system of rules that monitor actions commonly taken by malicious programs, such as modifying the file registry, connecting to the Internet, or accessing system files.
Each occurrence of these actions is accumulated to reflect the overall security risk of an application. As an application's security rating increases, restrictions that are proportional to the rating are introduced to limit the application's access to the system. This means hostile activity by a malicious program can be prevented at the outset by blocking access to the resources the program needs to fully execute.
As a result, the complex HIPS (Host-based Intrusion Prevention System) technology used in Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 has become more accessible and effective for ordinary users and computer specialists alike.
Quote:
Nadia Kashchenko, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel
Kaspersky Lab
"Kaspersky Lab's patented Security Rating Technology is designed to automatically generate sets of rules for unknown applications. This technology is crucial for ensuring the transparency of antivirus solutions and for minimizing the need for product configuration by users."
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab delivers the world's most immediate protection against IT security threats, including viruses, spyware, crimeware, hackers, phishing, and spam. Kaspersky Lab products provide superior detection rates and the industry's fastest outbreak response time for home users, SMBs, large enterprises and the mobile computing environment. Kaspersky® technology is used worldwide inside the products and services of the industry's leading IT security solution providers. Learn more at http://www.kaspersky.com/ For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and other IT security issues and trends, visit http://www.viruslist.com/.
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Media Contact:
Greg Sabey
Kaspersky Lab Americas
+ 1 781 503 2654
