Patent ID: 8074281

Claim:
One or more computer-readable storage media comprising executable instructions to perform a method, the method comprising: maintaining a first record indicating that a first location has a taint property, said first location storing or providing first data; determining that at least some of said first data has been written from said first location to a second location; based on said determining, writing a second record indicating that said second location has said taint property; observing that a first process, which exists on a first machine, has performed, is performing, or is attempting to perform, a first action on second data that is in said second location; and based on both said observing and on said second location's having said taint property, taking a second action that either: (a) protects said first machine from said first action, or (b) generates information that is usable to protect a second machine from said first action, said second machine being at a location remote to said first machine, or (c) does both (a) and (b).