Computer program, method, and system for preventing execution of viruses and malware

Abstract

Preventing execution of viruses or malware on a computing device includes compiling an inventory recordation of legitimate applications and terminating execution of any application not on the inventory recordation while in a protected mode. An instantaneous and unprompted inventory recordation known as a “snapshot” can be performed by the computer program. A user may further train the computer program to identify legitimate applications routinely accessed by the user and to be updated to the inventory recordation, such that the inventory recordation is personal to the user. After training, the protected mode can be activated. A smart icon graphical user interface is utilized, that automatically toggles between locked and unlocked depending on if the computing device is at risk or not, to place the computing device in a protected or unprotected mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 compiling, by a processor of a computer, a listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while a protected mode of the computer is activated;   receiving, by the processor, a request to execute a network application;   activating, by the processor, the protected mode in response to receiving the request to execute the network application;   executing, by the processor, the network application;   receiving, by the processor, a request to execute a process that is different than the network application while the protected mode is activated;   determining, by the processor, whether the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated;   in response to determining that the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated, executing, by the processor, the process while the protected mode is activated; and   in response to determining that the process is not among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated, denying, by the processor, execution of the process while the protected mode is activated.   
     
     
         2 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor of a computer to perform the steps of:
 compiling a listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while a protected mode of the computer is activated;   receiving a request to execute a network application;   activating the protected mode in response to receiving the request to execute the network application;   executing the network application;   receiving a request to execute a process that is different than the network application while the protected mode is activated;   determining whether the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated;   in response to determining that the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated, executing the process while the protected mode is activated; and   in response to determining that the process is not among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated, denying execution of the process while the protected mode is activated.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the program instructs the processor of the computer to perform the further step of:
 deactivating the protected mode in response to determining that the network application is no longer executing.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein determining whether the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated comprises comparing a path and file name associated with the process with respective paths and file names associated with the listing of processes. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the program instructs the processor of the computer to perform the further step of:
 generating, for output on a display device, display data representing a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface indicates whether or not the protected mode of the computer is activated.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein the display data representing the graphical user interface is configured for viewability over all other executing processes and applications. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein the program instructs the processor of the computer to perform the further step of:
 adjusting the display data representing the graphical user interface in response to the processor denying execution of one or more processes while the protected mode of the computer is activated.   
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein adjusting the display data representing the graphical user interface comprises generating a flashing indicator as at least a portion of the display data representing the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein adjusting the display data representing the graphical user interface comprises generating a user-option to execute the one or more processes that were denied execution as at least a portion of the display data representing the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         10 . A computing system comprising:
 memory comprising executable instructions; and   a processor operatively connected to the memory, the processor configured to execute the executable instructions in order to effectuate a method comprising:
 compiling a listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while a protected mode of the computing system is activated; 
 receiving a request to execute a network application; 
 activating the protected mode in response to receiving the request to execute the network application; 
 executing the network application; 
 receiving a request to execute a process that is different than the network application while the protected mode is activated; 
 determining whether the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated; 
 in response to determining that the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated, executing the process while the protected mode is activated; and 
 in response to determining that the process is not among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated, denying execution of the process while the protected mode is activated. 
   
     
     
         11 . The computing system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the executable instructions to effectuate the method further comprising:
 deactivating the protected mode in response to determining that the network application is no longer executing.   
     
     
         12 . The computing system of  claim 10 , wherein determining whether the process is among the listing of processes approved for execution by the processor while the protected mode is activated comprises comparing a path and file name associated with the process with respective paths and file names associated with the listing of processes. 
     
     
         13 . The computing system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the executable instructions to effectuate the method further comprising:
 generating, for output on a display device, display data representing a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface indicates whether or not the protected mode of the computer is activated.   
     
     
         14 . The computing system of  claim 13 , wherein the display data representing the graphical user interface is configured for viewability over all other executing processes and applications. 
     
     
         15 . The computing system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the executable instructions to effectuate the method further comprising:
 adjusting the display data representing the graphical user interface in response to the processor denying execution of one or more processes while the protected mode of the computer is activated.   
     
     
         16 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein adjusting the display data representing the graphical user interface comprises generating a flashing indicator as at least a portion of the display data representing the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein adjusting the display data representing the graphical user interface comprises generating a user-option to execute the one or more processes that were denied execution as at least a portion of the display data representing the graphical user interface.