Patent · US Expired

File protection service for a computer system

US6971018B1 · kind B1 · utility

137Cited by
12References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 28, 2000
Grant dateNov 29, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 28, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99954
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system that protects selected system and other files, by preventing changes to those files. In an asynchronous alternative, the change is prevented by copying back the original file when a protected file is changed, as known via an asynchronous notification. In an alternative synchronous embodiment, the change to the file is prevented from occurring. In the asynchronous notification alternative, a directory change notification notifies a file protection service whenever a file that has possibly changed is closed, providing the file identity as part of the notification. The file protection service determines from the file identify whether the file has been deemed protected. If protected, the file protection service prevents any actual change by verifying whether the protected file changed, such as by analyzing the file's contents against known valid contents. If not valid, the file protection service restores a saved copy that is itself verified.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.