Patent ID: 8645340

Claim:
A system, including one or more processors, for collecting network access data for use in updating a monitoring system which controls programs accessing a network, comprising: a workstation management module configured to detect a program on a workstation accessing a network, determine whether the program is in a network access database, send program data associated with the program to an application server module if the program is not in the network access database, and apply one or more policies that are associated with the program, wherein the network access database includes a protocol that is associated with the program; the application server module being configured to receive the program data from the workstation management module if the program was not in the network access database, determine whether the program is operating in a predetermined manner, wherein said predetermined manner means the program is operating in a manner determined by past network activity involving the same or relevant programs, if the program is not operating in a predetermined manner, then send the program data to an application database factory, if the program is operating in a predetermined manner, then provide the one or more policies associated with the program to the workstation management module, wherein the application server module is further configured to analyze the program data for a data characteristic that is indicative of whether the program is operating in the predetermined manner, and to associate one or more indicators with the program; and wherein analyzing the program data is performed on text strings that are associated with the program; a classification user interface configured to provide an interface for a network administrator to select the one or more policies that are associated with the program; and an upload/download manager module configured to send the program data to the application database factory and to receive the one or more policies from the application database factory.