Patent ID: 8352522

Claim:
A method of detecting file modifications performed by malicious codes, the method to be performed by a computer and comprising: detecting a file modification for an original file in a file system before the file modification is performed on the original file in the file system; in response to detecting the file modification, creating a shadow file of the original file before the file modification is performed on the original file in the file system, the shadow file representing the original file as modified with the file modification and how the original file will be if the file modification is allowed to be performed on the original file; before allowing the file modification to be performed on the original file in the file system, comparing the original file to the shadow file to determine if the file modification is being performed by malicious codes; deeming the file modification to be performed by malicious codes when instructions from an original entry point of the original file are still present in the shadow file but the shadow file indicates a new entry point for the shadow file; and preventing the file modification from being committed to the file system when the file modification is deemed to be performed by malicious codes.