RE: Vulnerability-based IPS Patent

[Drsolly <drsollyp () drsolly com>]

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006, Richard M. Smith wrote:

> Drsolly,
>
> > > > I *know* what was in Dr Solomon's Antivirus Toolkit :-)
>
> Are you (or anyone else) aware of prior art for this AV patent:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/39ntx
>
> Patent 5,319,776 
> In transit detection of computer virus with safeguard 
>
> Abstract
>
> Data is tested in transit between a source medium and a destination medium,
> such as between two computer communicating over a telecommunications link or
> network. Each character of the incoming data stream is tested using a finite
> state machine which is capable of testing against multiple search strings
> representing the signatures of multiple known computer viruses. When a virus
> is detected the incoming data is prevented from remaining on the destination
> storage medium. Both hardware and software implementations are envisioned. 
 
> Filed:  September 29, 1992
 
> Symantec seems to own the patent now:
>
> Symantec Buys Key Security Technology 
> Patent, Records First Quarter Charge 
> http://symantec.co.uk/press/2003/n030818a.html
>
> Richard 
 
Ah, the Hilgraeve patent, I remember that. I think Virus Guard (a TSR
scanner) was previous to September 1992. I'd have to check back on old
versions of the Toolkit to find out when we shipped it. I do remember that 
they wrote to us about 10 years ago suggesting that we might like to 
licence their patent, and we told them "No thank you", because we thought 
at the time that they'd have no claim. I don't think they took it any 
further at that time, so maybe they agreed with our opinion, or thought 
it wasn't worth disputing.

Interesting sentence "Both hardware and software implementations are 
envisioned."; I'm pretty sure they didn't have an antivirus at the time, 
so they were patenting an idea, not an implementation.

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