Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein provide a collaborative browsing experience in which real-time browsing activity and saved browsing activity of session collaborators in a collaborative browsing session are shared with the collaborators. A collaborative session may be initiated, which may create a tab group associated with the session and linked to a collaborator. Other collaborators may be invited to join the session, and additional tab groups for each collaborator may be created. The tab groups of the collaborators may be included in a collective tab group, which may be updated in real-time with changes made by any of the collaborators. For example, client changes may be handled locally and communicated to a service to which each client is connected. The service may sequence and broadcast the ordered changes to the clients, which may each implement the changes according to the sequence to synchronize a shared state amongst clients.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described for secure account login and authentication. A set of key options including a correct key option and information indicative of a hash value are received from an authentication server. A user is prompted to select one of the set of key options. The key option selected by the user is received. A subset of PIN elements of a user-registered PIN to be input by the user is identified based on the hash value. The user is prompted to enter the subset of PIN elements. The subset of PIN elements entered by the user are received. An encoded PIN is generated based on the key option selected by the user and the subset of PIN elements entered by the user. The encoded PIN is transmitted to the authentication client that is configured to make an authentication decision based on the encoded PIN.

Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor and a memory on which is stored machine readable instructions that may cause the processor to access data about an environment of an agent, identify an actor in the environment, and access candidate models, in which each of the candidate models may predict a certain action of the identified actor. The instructions may also cause the processor to apply a selected candidate model of the accessed candidate models on the accessed data to determine a predicted action of the identified actor and may implement a recursive reinforcement learning model using the predicted action of the identified actor to determine an action that the agent is to perform. The instructions may further cause the processor to cause the agent to perform the determined action.

Abstract: Systems and methods for attaching a virtual input device to a virtual object in a mixed reality (MR) environment are provided. The system includes a memory, a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, and a display device. The display device is configured to display a MR environment provided by at least one application implemented by the processor. The mixed reality environment includes a virtual object corresponding to an application, and a virtual input device. The at least one application docks the virtual input device to the virtual object with an offset relative to the virtual object.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to prediction-based resource orchestration in a service fabric are described. An example method for reducing an interruption rate associated with a customer application offered as a collection of services includes predicting one or more quiet time periods associated with each of the service replicas associated with a service fabric, where each of the one or more quiet time periods corresponds to a low value of a predicted load specifying a consumption of a metric by a respective service replica on a given node. The method further includes during the one or more quiet time periods predicted by a trained machine learning model, performing an impact-less failover for one or more of the service replicas by scheduling a move for the one or more service replicas from a first node associated with the service fabric to a second node associated with the service fabric.

Abstract: A peripheral device package for use in a host computing device has a plurality of compute elements and a plurality of resources shared by the plurality of compute elements. A datastructure is stored in a hidden memory of the peripheral device package. The data structure holds metadata about ownership of resources of the peripheral device package by a plurality of user runtime processes of the host computing device which use the compute elements. At least one of the user runtime processes is a secure user runtime process. The peripheral device package has a command processor configured to use the datastructure to enforce isolation of the resources used by the secure user runtime process.

Abstract: Techniques for compressing a data set in a manner such that the data set is represented as a geometric filter are disclosed. Here, the geometric filter has a small memory footprint, thereby enabling the data set to be indexable without consuming a large amount of memory. One bits can be represented within a bit vector portion of the geometric filter or in an index portion of the geometric filter. Techniques are also provided to determine a level of similarity between two data sets, where the data sets have been compressed such that the data sets are representable as geometric filters. The data sets can be indexed without consuming large amounts of memory, and the similarity determination can be performed rapidly. Approximate minimum spanning trees (MSTs) are also generated to find an optimal compression for the data sets, such that the indexes are smaller and searching operations are faster.

Abstract: The disclosure herein describes preparing and using a cross-attention model for action recognition using pre-trained encoders and novel class fine-tuning. Training video data is transformed into augmented training video segments, which are used to train an appearance encoder and an action encoder. The appearance encoder is trained to encode video segments based on spatial semantics and the action encoder is trained to encode video segments based on spatio-temporal semantics. A set of hard-mined training episodes are generated using the trained encoders. The cross-attention module is then trained for action-appearance aligned classification using the hard-mined training episodes. Then, support video segments are obtained, wherein each support video segment is associated with video classes. The cross-attention module is fine-tuned using the obtained support video segments and the associated video classes.

Abstract: Methods, systems are provided for reconfiguring the position of a first tap in a descrambler circuit LFSR after the LFSR has been trained and synchronized with a corresponding scrambler circuit LFSR. A data path from the second tap position to the descrambler output by-passes logic elements located in the data path from the first tap to the descrambler output, thereby reducing delay in the descrambler circuit after the reconfiguration (i.e., the “lock-shift” operation). The tap position change may be communicated by a mode manager to a corresponding scrambler circuit, for applying a matching reconfiguration in the scrambler circuit, either directly via an I/O line or indirectly. The indirect route includes in-band transmissions between two ICs with two sets of self-synchronizing scrambler/descrambler pairs, and is based on monitored receiver LFSR output signals that indicate when a scrambler/descrambler pair is synchronized or whether the output of a descrambler circuit comprises descrambled data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums are described for bridging brokers of messages from Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In an example system, a first message broker receives a message and an associated topic from an IoT device. A bridging coordinator accesses a topic-to-broker map that indicates, for a second broker, a list of topic filters for which the second message broker has at least one subscriber. The bridging coordinator determines whether the list of topics includes the associated topic. In response to a determination that the list of topic filters in the topic-to-broker map includes the associated topic, the bridging coordinator forward the message to the second message broker. In response to a determination that the list of topic filters does not include the associated topic, the bridging coordinator prevents forwarding of the message to the second message broker.

Abstract: One example provides a method for authenticating a computing device received from a manufacturer, the method including establishing a secured connection with the computing device, receiving, from the computing device, a first set of security artifacts, and retrieving, from a secure cloud storage location, a second set of security artifacts, the second set of security artifacts including the EK public key and the PCR values for the computing device obtained during manufacturing. The method further comprises, when the first set of security artifacts matches the second set of security artifacts, then verifying the computing device as trusted and permitting communication between the computing device and a secured computing environment, and when the first set of security artifacts does not match the second set of security artifacts, then not verifying the computing device as trusted and not permitting communication between the computing device and the secured computing environment.

Abstract: Described herein is a system and method of connectivity migration of an executing virtual application and/or guest operating system. State associated with a first instance of an application and/or a guest operating system executing on a first virtual machine is captured. Information regarding connectivity state associated with a plurality of running connections between the first virtual machine and client device(s) is also captured (e.g., layers 2, 3 and 4). The captured state information can be provided to a second virtual machine which utilizes the captured station information to establish state for a second instance of the application, a second instance of the guest operating system, and/or connectivity of the plurality of running connections between the second virtual machine and client device(s). The state of the second instance of the application can be synchronized with the state of the second instance of the guest operating system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine when a media is a high-fidelity reproduction of an original media from a trusted entity are disclosed. In certain aspects, systems and method for generating a fragile watermark are disclosed. The fragile watermark may be inserted into digital media in a manner such that the watermark cannot be identified if the media content is significantly altered. Media content may be subsequently analyzed to determine the presence of a fragile watermark. When the fragile watermark is present, provenance of the media content can be verified and an indication of provenance is provided to the user.

Abstract: An orchestration engine intermittently scans secrets, of different secret types, to identify secrets that are to be rotated. The orchestration engine calls an application programming interface (API) exposed by a serverless management system and wakes up the serverless management system. The serverless management system generates a new secret, stores the new secret for rotation, and interacts with a dependent system in order to revoke an old secret and implement the new secret. Once the secret is rotated, and the new secret is implemented, the orchestration engine stores the new secret in a secret store.

Abstract: A computer implemented method determines differences between documents. The method includes parsing a first document and a second document into respective distinct instances of content. The distinct instances of content are classified into different categories. Category specific matching algorithms are applied to each of the respective instances of content to determine a similarity score for each of the respective instances of content. Semantic differences between the first document and the second document are analyzed as a function of the similarity scores. A characterization of the semantic differences is generated.

Abstract: A constrained decoding technique incorporates token constraints into a beam search at each time step of a decoding process in order to generate viable candidate sequences that are syntactically and semantically correct. The token constraints identify source code tokens or sequences of tokens that should appear in a candidate sequence. The token constraints are generated from checking whether a token predicted at each decoding step is feasible for a partial solution based on the production rules of the grammar of the programming language, the syntactic correctness of a partial sequence, and/or static type correctness.

Abstract: The disclosure described herein configures a multi-narrowband transceiver for communication within the television white space (TVWS) frequency spectrum using a log periodic filter, wherein the log periodic filter comprises a plurality of filter elements each having a filter frequency increasing periodically in a same frequency increasing factor (K). Each filter of the plurality of filter elements is configured to filter out second harmonics in a defined frequency range. The disclosure determines a TVWS channel for the communication and switches to a filter element of the plurality of filter elements corresponding to the determined TVWS channel. Data is transmitted and/or received over the TVWS channel using the filter element, thereby allowing narrowband communication over the TVWS channel.

Abstract: A remote personal assistant server/service is configured with a plurality of different state machines for supporting asynchronous communications with the front-end interfaces of personal assistants and for supporting the interfacing with a plurality of proprietary back-end intelligence bots, which are independently controlled and separate from the remote personal assistant service/server.

Abstract: Securely redirecting a system service routine via a provider service table. A service call provider is loaded within an operating system executing in a lower trust security zone. The service call provider comprises metadata indicating a system service routine to be redirected to the service call provider. Based on the metadata, a provider service table is built within a higher trust security zone. The service table redirects the system service routine to the service call provider. Memory page(s) associated with the provider service table are hardware protected, and a read-only view is exposed to the operating system. The provider service table is associated with a user-mode process. A service call for a particular system service routine is received by the operation system from the user-mode process and, based on the provider service table being associated with the user-mode process, the service call is directed to the service call provider.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a machine learning (ML) classifier for a database uses a weakly-supervised training data set created automatically from database items on the basis of a human-created keyword set. The automatically created training data set is used to construct one or more deep learning classifier checkpoints, which can then be compared with one another and with a classifier based on the original keyword set in order to select a classifier for use by other users viewing the database.

Abstract: Techniques for capacity management in computing systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes analyzing data representing a number of enabled users or a number of provisioned users to determine whether the analyzed data represents an anomaly based on historical data. The method can also include upon determining that the data represents an anomaly, determining a conversion rate between a change in the number of enabled users or the number of provisioned users and a change in a number of active users of the computing service and deriving a future value of the number of active users of the computing service based on both the detected anomaly and the determined conversion rate. The method can further include allocating and provisioning an amount of the computing resource in the distributed computing system in accordance with the determined future value of the active users of the computing resource.

Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose machine learning classifiers used in scenarios such as speech recognition, image captioning, machine translation, or other sequence-to-sequence embodiments. The machine learning classifiers have a plurality of time layers, each layer having a time processing block and a depth processing block. The time processing block is a recurrent neural network such as a Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network. The depth processing blocks can be an LSTM network, a gated Deep Neural Network (DNN) or a maxout DNN. The depth processing blocks account for the hidden states of each time layer and uses summarized layer information for final input signal feature classification. An attention layer can also be used between the top depth processing block and the output layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include techniques for branch prediction. A branch predictor may be included in a front end of a processor. The branch predictor may store branch targets in a branch target buffer. The branch target buffer includes shared bits, which may be combined with branch target bits to specify branch target destination addresses. Shared bits may result in more efficient memory usage in the processor, for example.

Abstract: A 3D map comprising sensor data items depicting the environment is updated, each sensor data item having one or more associated variables such as a pose of a capture device or a position of a landmark. A graph is calculated from sensor data items. The graph comprises nodes and edges, a node representing at least one variable in the received sensor data items and an edge representing relationships between variables. The graph is partitioned into a plurality of subgraphs so as to reduce a number of variables that are shared between subgraphs. Each of the plurality of subgraphs is allocated to a respective worker node. At each worker node, updated values of the variables are computed. The process updates values of variables which are shared between subgraphs to a common value using a consensus process. The 3D map of the environment is updated according to the updated values of the variables.

Abstract: Versions of an application are managed by receiving a request for a version of an application, retrieving, responsive to the received request, a version of a master application component based at least in part on version data that associates a version of the master application component with the version of the application, retrieving a relationship operable to relate the version of the master application component with a corresponding version of a first component on which the master application component depends for a function of the application, retrieving the corresponding version of the first component, responsive to the retrieving of the relationship, assembling the version of the application based at least in part on the retrieved version of the master component, the retrieved relationship, and the retrieved first component, and providing for an execution of the assembled version of the application.

Abstract: Techniques for increasing security for pre-authenticated links are disclosed herein. Computing systems that generate pre-authenticated links are configured to assign an entity identifier to pre-authenticated links to specify an entity permitted to access respective data through the pre-authenticated link. When activating a respective pre-authenticated link, an entity attaches an entity token to the request to prove an identity of the requesting entity. If the identity from the entity token matches the entity identifier, the computing system may grant access to the respective data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model using a multi-turn process to generate a suggested draft reply to a selected message. A first turn of the multi-turn process uses a shorter prompt including at least a portion of the body of the selected message and that requests multiple draft replies from the AI model. The resulting AI-generated draft replies are shortened, summarized, and/or otherwise converted into a plurality of shortened summaries that are presented as reply options to a user. Upon selecting a shortened summary, a more robust prompt is generated in a second turn with the AI model with the selected reply option to generate a more complex suggested draft reply to the selected message. Additionally, various customization options are provided, which when selected, reframe a query presented to the AI model to generate a more relevant and personalized response.

Abstract: Provided is a computing system for protection against document sharing. The computing system includes a processor having associated memory, the processor being configured to execute instructions using portions of the memory to cause the processor to implement a compliance portal where a policy is established covering a plurality of documents, transmit the policy to a client device having a display screen, and in response to receiving an indication that the client device has triggered the policy, instruct the client device to modify a graphics pipeline to add an opaque watermark to a screen image displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying attribution of quotations, generated by a large language model (LLM), to a source document are disclosed herein. Upon a request to summarize a source document or process a question that is answerable from a document, an LLM prompt is formed with the request or question along with the content of the source document. The LLM prompt is configured to cause an LLM to generate quotes that are intended to be from the source document. The output of the LLM, including the quotes, is then verified against the source document.

Abstract: A data verification agent serves to verify data that is being redundantly stored in both a first data store and a second data store. The data verification agent compares corresponding objects in the first and second data stores to determine any mismatch between the objects. The data verification agent includes a mismatch ignore function causing the agent to skip a comparison of corresponding data objects in the first and second data stores in response to an indication that a mismatch between the objects would not necessarily indicate a synchronization failure so as to minimize false positive determinations of a synchronization failure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model to generate a suggested draft reply to a selected message. A message generation system and method are described that optimize input that is provided to the AI model so that it provides the most relevant information. In some examples, input prompts to the AI model are limited in size and latency can be impacted based on the size of the input provided to the AI model. Thus, the method and system identify, include, and format relevant information in an input prompt. The prompt reduces latency by the generative AI model in processing the prompt and may also lead to more relevant results produced by the generative AI model.

Abstract: A field programmable gate array (FPGA) including a configurable interconnect fabric connecting a plurality of logic blocks, the configurable interconnect fabric and the logic blocks being configured to implement a data masking circuit configured to: receive input data including data values at a plurality of indices of the input data; select between a data value of the data values and an alternative value using a masking multiplexer to generate masked data, the masking multiplexer being controlled by a mask value of a plurality of mask values at indices corresponding to the indices of the input data; and output the masked data. In some examples, the configurable interconnect fabric and the logic blocks are further configured to implement a mask generation circuit configured to generate the mask values. In some examples, the mask values are received from external memory.

Abstract: A data processing system implements techniques for restricting which notifications and/or conversations are presented on a plurality of user devices associated with a user. Each user device is associated with a device category. The device categories are associated with time category information that associates each of a plurality of time periods with permitted device category information that indicates which categories of user devices associated with the user are permitted to present notifications that messages have been received for a particular time period and the categories of messages for which the notifications may be presented for that time period and/or which categories of conversations may be presented or hidden. The message category may be determined based on user input or by analyzing the message content with a machine learning model configured to predict the message category.

Abstract: A data processing system for requesting a customized image from an image-generating artificial intelligence engine may include a processor and a memory comprising instructions for execution by the processor. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: accept user input from a user, the user input comprising an image; tokenize the image to generate a set of tokens for use by the image-generating artificial intelligence engine; and submit the set of tokens to the image-generating artificial intelligence engine to support a request by the user for a customized image corresponding to the tokenized image.

Abstract: An example imaging sensor comprises a bulk silicon substrate and a pixel array. The pixel array comprises an active pixel region including an active pixel subarray, an optical black pixel region including an optical black pixel subarray, and an optical black dummy pixel region including an optical black dummy pixel subarray, the optical black dummy pixel region positioned between the active pixel region and the optical black pixel region. A near-infrared absorber is positioned between the active pixel region and the optical black pixel region, the near-infrared absorber comprising a material having a higher near-infrared absorption coefficient than that of silicon.

Abstract: A superconductor-semiconductor device is provided, including a hybrid superconductor-semiconductor wire. The superconductor-semiconductor device may further include a hybrid localization length (LL) measurement device including a plurality of contact gates located above the hybrid superconductor-semiconductor wire in a thickness direction. The hybrid LL measurement device may further include a conductance sensor electrically coupled to the plurality of contact gates.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing confidence enhancement for responses by document-based large language models (“LLMs”) or other AI/ML systems. A first prompt is generated based on data items that are previously received or accessed. The first prompt is used by a first LLM or AI/ML system to extract requested information from the data items. One or more citations are generated and presented within a structured object together with a representation of the extracted information, in some cases, as output from a second LLM or AI/ML system. In some cases, the citations and/or the representation may be verified by a third LLM or AI/ML system, and reliability indicators may be generated for the citations and/or the representation based on determined accuracy of the citations and/or the representation. In this manner, the common issue of hallucinations may be mitigated.

Abstract: An online meeting system begins the process of connecting a user to an online meeting when a request is received from a user to start or join the online meeting. In response to the request, a pre-meeting user interface (UI) is displayed having a user interface control which, when activated, enables transmission of audio and/or video data for the online meeting, and prior to activation of the control, connection parameters are shared with an online meeting service to preheat the meeting. In response to activation of the control, transmission of audio and/or video data for the online meeting is enabled.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing adverse or malicious input mitigation for large language models (“LLMs”) or other AI/ML systems. A subset of example pairs of adverse inputs and proper outputs whose inputs are similar to inputs of a current dialogue context is identified. A subset of example pairs of non-adverse inputs and proper outputs whose inputs are similar to the inputs of the current dialogue context may also be identified. The identified subset(s) of similar example pairs (adverse set and, sometimes, non-adverse set also) is incorporated as part of a prompt for an LLM or AI/ML system to return an output. By following the example adverse input and proper output pairs (and in some cases, the example non-adverse input and proper output pairs as well), the LLM or AI/ML system is less likely to produce improper or inappropriate outputs in response to an attack or other adverse inputs.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing conversational large language model (“LLM”) or other AI/ML-based user tenant orchestration. A first prompt is generated based on natural language (“NL”) input from a user. The first prompt is used by a first LLM or AI/ML system to generate a query to access data items that are stored in a portion of a multitenant data storage system, the portion being accessible by the user. Once accessed and received, the data items are input into a second prompt that is used by a second LLM or AI/ML system to return a set of functions with corresponding sets of arguments. The set of functions are executed according to the sets of arguments, and the results of the executed functions are used to generate a response to the NL input. The generated response is then caused to be presented to the user via a user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model to generate a suggested draft reply to a selected message. A message generation system and method are described that use inferred context to improve the suggested draft reply message for the user. Various message data and additional context are obtained and included in a prompt provided to the AI model to improve suggested content. In some examples, the message data and additional context include a message thread history and previously sent messages, profile information of the sender and recipient(s) of the selected message, known relationship information between the sender and the user, etc. For instance, the user's preferred communication style and talking points can be inferred based on the profile data, relationship data, and the user's past communications with similar participants and used to tailor the suggested draft reply to the user.

Abstract: An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display system comprises an OLED array and a power management system that includes at least one voltage generator for the OLED array. A timing microcontroller comprises a decoder/encoder configured to receive HDR pixel data and output display pixel data. A portion of the HDR pixel data is sampled and a luminance index value of the sampled portion is determined, where the luminance index value corresponds to a maximum luminance of the sampled portion. The luminance index value is used to control the at least one voltage generator to reduce power consumption of the OLED display system.

Abstract: A technique implements a machine-trained model using resources of a local system. The technique operates by successively obtaining portions of model weights on an as-needed basis. The local system obtains at least some of the portions by downloading them from a source system in a streaming operation. The technique further successively executes parts of the machine-trained model in the local system using the portions of model weights that have been obtained, to provide an output result. An entirety of the model weights used by the local system to provide the output result is less than an entirety of the model weights available for download at the source system. The technique enables the local system to locally execute the machine-trained model without overburdening its local resources, and with reduced consumption of network resources.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model to generate a suggested draft reply to a selected message. A message generation system and method are described that use guardrails that prevent unnecessary AI model processing and accidental sending of an AI model-generated draft. In some examples, draft reply-generation is limited to a subset of messages (e.g., focused, non-confidential) and triggering of the draft reply generation is performed only after user interaction criteria are satisfied. In some examples, a confirmation message is presented when the draft reply is attempted to be sent with no changes or quickly after the draft is generated. For instance, the guardrails limit the number of times the AI model is invoked to generate suggested replies and further prevents users from accidentally sending drafts generated from the AI model.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for probabilistic neural network architecture generation. In an example, an underlying distribution over neural network architectures based on various parameters is sampled using probabilistic modeling. Training data is evaluated in order to iteratively update the underlying distribution, thereby generating a probability distribution over the neural network architectures. The distribution is iteratively trained until the parameters associated with the neural network architecture converge. Once it is determined that the parameters have converged, the resulting probability distribution may be used to generate a resulting neural network architecture. As a result, intermediate architectures need not be fully trained, which dramatically reduces memory usage and/or processing time.

Abstract: A method of selectively providing different types of search engine results to different searchers is provided. A browsing history for each of a plurality of unique identities is logged. A unique identity is associated with a rich segment experience responsive to the browsing history for the unique identity satisfying correlation criteria of the rich segment experience. The rich segment experience is configured to present curated segment-specific information with other search results on a search result web page. Responsive to receiving a search query from the unique identity previously associated with the rich segment experience, the rich segment experience is presented with other search results on the search result web page. Responsive to receiving the search query from a different unique identity not previously associated with the rich segment experience, other search results are presented without the rich segment experience on the search result web page.

Abstract: Utilizing role types that extend underlying types. Within a program definition, a computer system identifies a statement assigning an object of an underlying type to a role type that extends the underlying type. The underlying type implements a first interface, and the role type implements a second interface. Based on the role type extending the underlying type, the computer system assigns the object of the underlying type to the role type. Based on assigning the object of the underlying type to the role type, the role type is usable to interact with the object of the underlying type using both the first interface and the second interface.

Abstract: A head mounted device includes a base gasket and a custom gasket rim that is selectively connectable to and disconnectable from the base gasket. The custom gasket rim is configured to intervene between the base gasket and a face of a user.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed for controlling the processing and presentation of user-connection data on computing devices to provide improved electronic communications applications and user computing experiences. User-connection data may be programmatically determined or inferred from the user data for a plurality of users. The user-connection data may be assembled into a graph data structure, which may be further processed to determine optimal paths connecting users and to derive information insights. Aspects of information insights may be presented to a user and/or consumed by a computing application or service to provide an improved user computing experience.

Abstract: A server kernel processing system receives an input/output (I/O) request from a user mode computing environment. The I/O request is analyzed to determine whether it is a file open request. If so, target analysis logic determines whether the file open request is for a driver file or for a file within a protected volume that stores a driven whitelist file. If the file open request is for a file stored in a protected volume, the request is blocked. If the file open request is for a driver file, then the driver whitelist file is examined to determine whether the target driver is on the whitelist. If not, the file open request is also blocked.