OREANDA-NEWS. In Q4 of 2014, Kaspersky Lab obtained more than 20 patents in different regions, including the US, Europe, Russia and China. The patents strengthen Kaspersky Lab’s technology arsenal, providing superior protection against cyberthreats.

While these patents add to Kaspersky Lab’s robust technology portfolio, many of the technologies that received patents at the end of 2014 have long been a successful part of Kaspersky Lab’s products. For example, the technology developed to combat blockers, which is described in the new patent “system and method for detecting malware that interferes with the user interface,” has already been used in our security solutions for home users, including Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security. This technology makes it possible to automatically detect situations in which malicious software is stopping users from correctly interacting with the OS interface. That gives the security product a chance to halt the ransomware and remediate the problem. A patent for this technology was obtained almost simultaneously in Russia and the US.

Kaspersky Lab also received the following patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):

  • Portable security device and methods for detection and treatment of malware: The patent describes a method of detecting malicious programs by connecting a portable security device to a PC to simulate an external drive or another computer. Violations of the integrity of the data stored on the device can indicate the presence of unknown malware on the PC.
  • System and method for processing updates to installed software on a computer system: This patent describes the technology that makes it possible, on the basis of many factors, to evaluate the expediency of installing each update to avoid compatibility conflicts between programs or drivers from different developers when installing updates.
  • System and method for modifying a software distribution package: The patent describes the method of changing a software distributive (specifically, the APK installation package used in the Android-based systems) to meet the requirements of a specific client/user without violating the integrity of the digital signature of the package.
  • System and methods for protecting data from input devices: This technology is developed to prevent theft of the data transmitted to applications from input devices. It allows implementing tools that work with the Text Services Framework (TSF) software interface and provides a data exchange between the input device, the anti-virus products, the TSF tool and the means of displaying the user interface of the applications. As a result, it is able to prevent the interception of data (i.e. data entered from a keyboard).

Several inventions designed by Kaspersky Lab experts were also registered in the European Patent Organization (EPO):

  • System and methods for automatic designation of encryption policies for user devices: This invention is designed to automatically select encryption policies on different devices. It allows the formulation of the most effective data protection policy, choosing an encryption method on the basis of various characteristics (such as the users of the device, the software installed on it, its location, etc.).
  • System and method of automating installation of applications: This technology was developed to optimize the software installation process by automatically activating the controls in the windows of the installation interface. In other words, it is an "autopilot" that allows administrators to save time when updating and installing software.
  • System and method for selecting a synchronous or asynchronous interprocess communication mechanism: This patent describes an OS component acting as an intermediary in communication between applications and resources. It is capable of evaluating requests for security policy violations and analyzing whether the use of the resource leads to incorrect data being issued to other applications or if the resource metadata is altered.
  • System and method of isolation of resources using resource manager: The patent describes a method for formulating the parameters that uniquely characterize a particular system resource and makes it possible to work with them via special resource managers. Like the above patent, this technology is used to ensure the safety of the OS resources and applications.
  • System and methods for ensuring confidentiality of information used during authentication and authorization operations: The invention describes a method of ensuring the confidentiality of authentication information with the help of a trusted device. The basic idea is to separate devices: one device is utilized by the user to make operations and the other is used to enter confidential information and confirm the operation.

In addition, several patents have been granted by Rospatent, Russia’s patent agency. Some of those patents include:

  • System and method to evaluate the malicious nature of any code being executed in the addressing space of the trusted process: The patent describes technology that allows the detection of unreliable processes among those running on the operating system and checks unreliable ones only when a critical function is called. This technology makes it possible to deal with exploits (i.e. malicious programs that use vulnerabilities in common applications and operating systems).
  • System and method for detecting malicious software by creating an isolated environment: This patent describes a system capable of modifying applications that work with sensitive data to create isolated environments. This allows applications to interact with network resources, storages and various devices in accordance with established security policies. This technology is used to protect an organization's data from unauthorized access.

Kaspersky Lab is constantly developing and patenting new technologies to protect information. By the end of February 2015, Kaspersky Lab had 274 patents in the US, Russia, China and Europe, and has a further 304 patent applications pending in several countries.

About Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab is the world’s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users*. Throughout its more than 17-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. Kaspersky Lab, with its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, currently operates in almost 200 countries and territories across the globe, providing protection for over 400 million users worldwide.