Patent ID: 7610273

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for authorizing a first file containing computer-executable code, the method comprising: establishing an authorization policy; determining a first content-dependent identifier for the first file, wherein the content of the first file includes executable code and the first file is an update or a patch for a second file; determining a second content-dependent identifier of the second file, the second content-dependent identifier being different from the first content-dependent identifier for the first file; determining first publisher information for the first file; determining second publisher information for the second file; searching for evidence about the first file, wherein when the first publisher information and the second publisher information indicate a same publisher published the first file and the second file, and when the same publisher is trusted, wherein searching comprises a search of one or more rating services based on the second content-dependent identifier; when the evidence satisfies a condition in accordance with the authorization policy, displaying at least a portion of the evidence, the portion including at least one or more ratings from the one or more rating services and requesting an input from the user; determining that the first file is unauthorized based on the evidence from the search using the authorization policy and based on the input from the user; and reducing ability of the unauthorized first file to execute.