Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating communications between user computing devices and online entities (such as web sites, advertisers, and/or advertising networks or exchanges), and safeguarding user identifiable information and ad targeting data from those entities are provided. Communications sent from user computing devices and directed to the entities are intercepted, and those communications are processed to encrypt, or otherwise remove, user identifiable information therein. The processed communications are transmitted to the intended entities, targeting data calls are received from those entities for ad targeting data associated with users of those computing devices, and at least a portion of such ad targeting data is provided to the entities when certain predefined conditions are met.

Abstract: In a method for improving the performance of a computer system by releasing computer resources, a list P of programs installed on a computer system is determined. All relevant extension points EP of the computer system are searched for registered entries. A list A of automatically starting programs is generated by assigning the registered entries at the relevant extension points EP to the installed programs, respectively. The list A of the automatically starting programs is compared with a list S of system-required programs and a list V of used programs. Programs that are not system-required and programs that have not been used for a longer period of time are deactivated and computer resources that have been used by the deactivated programs are released. The deactivation of programs can be done by the user or automatically and can be cancelled when necessary.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing user-specific content on an electronic device are disclosed. The user-specific data can be generated in isolated applications that are prohibited from communicating directly with one another. Sharing of user data that enables these isolated applications to generate such user-specific data can be facilitated by the use of a master program that can be loaded along with each of the isolated applications on the electronic device.

Abstract: Software applications are analyzed to determine if they are legitimate applications and warnings are provided to users to avoid installation and/or purchases of unnecessary and/or potentially harmful software based on comparisons of user-interface characteristics of the software applications to visual characteristics of authentic applications to determine to what extent they match (or do not match) or are attempting to mirror the legitimate application.

Abstract: Software applications are analyzed to determine if they are legitimate applications and warnings are provided to users to avoid installation and/or purchases of unnecessary and/or potentially harmful software based on comparisons of user-interface characteristics of the software applications to visual characteristics of authentic applications to determine to what extent they match (or do not match) or are attempting to mirror the legitimate application.

Abstract: Priorities of an application and/or processes associated with an application executing on a computer is determined according to user-specific usage patterns of the application and stored for subsequent use, analysis and distribution.

Abstract: A system for enhancing performance of a software application obtains a list of files to be processed by the software application, and sorts that list in the order of the physical position of files in the list on a hard drive. The files are loaded in the sorted order which can decrease or minimize the total file seeking time, thereby increasing the speed of execution of the software.

Abstract: A potentially beneficial software product is recommended to a user based, in part, on an analysis of parameters associated with the user's usage of software applications already installed on the user's computer.

Abstract: In a method for improving the performance of a computer system by releasing computer resources, a list P of programs installed on a computer system is determined. All relevant extension points EP of the computer system are searched for registered entries. A list A of automatically starting programs is generated by assigning the registered entries at the relevant extension points EP to the installed programs, respectively. The list A of the automatically starting programs is compared with a list S of system-required programs and a list V of used programs. Programs that are not system-required and programs that have not been used for a longer period of time are deactivated and computer resources that have been used by the deactivated programs are released. The deactivation of programs can be done by the user or automatically and can be cancelled when necessary.

Abstract: A method of detecting malware at a computing device. The method includes examining a software program comprising a sequence of program instructions, determining whether each instruction in the sequence meets any of a group of suspicion criteria, assigning a instruction-level score to each instruction that meets any of the suspicion criteria, summing the instruction-level scores for each instruction to yield a program-level score, determining whether the program-level score exceeds a threshold, and, if the program-level score exceeds a threshold, developing a report indicating a malware detection result.

Abstract: This paper describes a mechanism for minimizing the exploitation of vulnerabilities on software installed on a computing system. At a transport layer (e.g., transmission communication protocol (TCP) sockets layer), network traffic is monitored using a security component installed on a target computer. When a message destined for the computing system is received, data included in the message is compared with exploit evidence used to identify malicious code. The exploit evidence is provided to the security component by security service that gathers information about the malicious code. Based on the comparison of data in the message with the exploit evidence, rules are identified that instruct the security component to take an appropriate action on the message received.

Abstract: Software applications are analyzed to determine if they are legitimate applications and warnings are provided to users to avoid installation and/or purchases of unnecessary and/or potentially harmful software based on comparisons of user-interface characteristics of the software applications to visual characteristics of authentic applications to determine to what extent they match (or do not match) or are attempting to mirror the legitimate application.

Abstract: Instructions allowing their recipient to access content via a computer network are intercepted at a destination device sending the instructions via a host-server. Content of an instruction is analyzed at the destination device for malicious components, and results of the analysis are associated with the content prior to being presented to viewers of the content.

Abstract: Software applications are analyzed to determine if they are legitimate applications and warnings are provided to users to avoid installation and/or purchases of unnecessary and/or potentially harmful software based on comparisons of user-interface characteristics of the software applications to visual characteristics of authentic applications to determine to what extent they match (or do not match) or are attempting to mirror the legitimate application.

Abstract: A malware-protection method and a malware-protection system for protecting a computer from malware infection by preventing infected files from executing on the computer before they can do harm. The malware-protection method employs a number of techniques and relies on multiple layers of protection to identify trusted files, prevent execution of untrustworthy files, accurately detect corrupted files, analyze questionable files, and quarantine files. The malware-protection system includes a client-based verification, detection, blocking, and quarantine application that interacts and coordinates protection methods with application-verification servers, scan servers, definition-update servers, and policy servers to deliver intelligent malware protection as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) service. All users of the malware-protection system benefit from the detection of malicious files by any other user.