Patent ID: 8055682

Claim:
A method comprising: storing a plurality of types of security information in a corresponding plurality of information storage units, wherein the plurality of types of security information comprises port information, application information, Trojan/malware information, and virus/worm information, each one of the plurality of information storage units is designated for a different one of the plurality of types of security information and each one of the plurality of types of security information is stored separately in one of the plurality of information storage units designated for that type of security information; storing a plurality of configuration files respectively associated with the plurality of information storage units, each configuration file including update parameters of the associated information storage unit; periodically automatically updating each of the information storage units based on the update parameters of the configuration file associated with each information storage unit; receiving at least one input search term from a user; searching each of the information storage units based on the at least one input search term; returning search results of each of the information storage units; in response to searching each of the information storage units based on the at least one input search term, storing the at least one input search term in a portion of a search information storage unit that is designated for storing search terms of searches previously performed on the information storage units; periodically automatically performing external searches based on update parameters stored in a configuration file associated with the search information storage unit using the stored at least one input search term; and storing resultant security information from the external searches in a search results information storage unit.