Patent ID: 8091134

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, at a detecting client computer system, a computer file from an infected client computer system, wherein the detecting client computer system and the infected client computer system are peers and connected to a common computer network, wherein neither the detecting client computer system nor the infected client computer system is a server; scanning the received computer file at the detecting client computer system using a first plurality of virus definitions accessible to the detecting client computer system; detecting, based on the scanning at the detecting client computer system, a virus in the received computer file; retrieving virus information corresponding to the detected virus, wherein the virus information includes a virus definition selected from the first plurality of virus definitions; removing, by the detecting client computer system, the virus from the received computer file using the selected virus definition, resulting in a disinfected computer file; in response to removing the virus from the received computer file, determining, by the detecting client computer system, that the virus can automatically be removed; in response to the determination, retrieving, by the detecting client computer system, instructions to remove the virus; and automatically sending, by the detecting client computer system, the selected virus definition and the instructions to remove the virus to the infected client computer system over the common computer network using a peer-to-peer connection.