Patent ID: 7216366
Filing Date: 2007-05-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting computer viruses, comprising: providing a disk space having at least a portion that is partitioned into separate segments, each segment being accessed by at least one of a plurality of hosts, wherein a first one of the segments is accessed using a different file system than a second one of the segments; an antivirus unit, that uses a particular operating system, scanning at least part of the disk space for viruses, wherein the part of the disk space that is scanned by the antivirus unit includes at least some parts of the first and second segments; the antivirus unit accessing non-native files created using operating systems different from the particular operating system that is used by the antivirus unit in connection with scanning at least parts of the disk space for viruses, wherein said antivirus unit scans at least one of the segments without using file-based information of the particular operating system or of any host having access to said at least one segment; detecting write operations to tracks of the storage device; providing, to the antivirus unit by the storage device, information indicating which tracks of the storage device have been accessed for a write operation; and performing, in accordance with detected write operations, virus scanning on those tracks to which write operations have been directed.