Patent ID: 9043913
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for preventing sources of content that are accessible over a network from installing spyware or other undesired items into a user environment, the method comprising: producing a virtual machine on a computing device and installing an operating system on the virtual machine to create a virtual machine environment configured to test a potential source of content accessible on the network, to determine if the potential source of content attempts to install spyware on the computing device of a user; automatically loading the content from the potential source of content within the virtual machine environment; determining whether or not the potential source of content has at least attempted to install spyware in the virtual machine environment, by detecting whether at least one of a plurality of predefined triggers are fired, and in the case where the potential source of content has not at least attempted to install spyware in the virtual machine environment, transferring the content to a user environment other than the virtual machine; and in the case where the potential source of content has at least attempted to install spyware in the virtual machine environment, preventing the content from being loaded to the user environment other than the virtual machine; wherein producing the virtual machine, automatically loading the content, and determining whether or not the potential source of content has at least attempted to install spyware are each performed by a client-side spyproxy module of the computing device.