Patent ID: 8443448

Claim:
A computer-implemented security method for detecting non-compliant software installation, the method comprising: performing, on a periodic basis and using at least one computer processor, the following: (I) determining to which of a first state and a second state a flag is set, wherein the setting of the flag to the first state allows at least one of installation, deletion, and modification of software without alert, and the setting of the flag to the second state disallows the at least one of the installation, deletion, and modification of the software without alert; and (II) performing one of the following depending on the determination of the determining step: (i) based on the determination of the determining step being that the flag is set to the first state: (a) generating a baseline representation of modules stored on a first device; and (b) storing the generated baseline representation; and (ii) based on the determination of the determining step being that the flag is set to the second state: (a) generating an active representation of the modules stored on the first device; (b) comparing the active representation of the modules to the baseline representation of the modules; (c) determining if there is a difference between the baseline and the active representations of the modules; and (d) outputting an alert if there is a difference between the baseline and the active representations of the modules.