Abstract: A configuration scanning system is described herein that scans a system configuration database for malware-related information with less impact on other operations that access the system configuration database. The system employs techniques to reduce the impact on other operations that access the configuration database, including parsing a file-based stored version of the configuration database, accessing the configuration database using opportunistic locking, and caching configuration information obtained by scanning the configuration database. In this way, the system is able to respond to requests antimalware programs using cached information without impacting other programs using the configuration database. Thus, the configuration scanning system protects a computer system against malware while reducing the burden on the configuration database and on other programs that access the configuration database.

Abstract: A memory management system is described herein that receives information from applications describing how memory is being used and that allows an application host to exert more control over application requests for using memory. The system provides an application memory management application-programming interface (API) that allows the application to specify more information about memory allocations that is helpful for managing memory later. The system also provides an ability to statically and/or dynamically analyze legacy applications to give applications that are not modified to work with the system some ability to participate in more effective memory management. The system provides application host changes to leverage the information provided by applications and to manage memory more effectively using the information and hooks into the application's use of memory.

Abstract: A configuration scanning system is described herein that scans a system configuration database for malware-related information with less impact on other operations that access the system configuration database. The system employs techniques to reduce the impact on other operations that access the configuration database, including parsing a file-based stored version of the configuration database, accessing the configuration database using opportunistic locking, and caching configuration information obtained by scanning the configuration database. In this way, the system is able to respond to requests antimalware programs using cached information without impacting other programs using the configuration database. Thus, the configuration scanning system protects a computer system against malware while reducing the burden on the configuration database and on other programs that access the configuration database.

Abstract: A memory management system is described herein that receives information from applications describing how memory is being used and that allows an application host to exert more control over application requests for using memory. The system provides an application memory management application-programming interface (API) that allows the application to specify more information about memory allocations that is helpful for managing memory later. The system also provides an ability to statically and/or dynamically analyze legacy applications to give applications that are not modified to work with the system some ability to participate in more effective memory management. The system provides application host changes to leverage the information provided by applications and to manage memory more effectively using the information and hooks into the application's use of memory.

Abstract: A configuration scanning system is described herein that scans a system configuration database for malware-related information with less impact on other operations that access the system configuration database. The system employs techniques to reduce the impact on other operations that access the configuration database, including parsing a file-based stored version of the configuration database, accessing the configuration database using opportunistic locking, and caching configuration information obtained by scanning the configuration database. In this way, the system is able to respond to requests antimalware programs using cached information without impacting other programs using the configuration database. Thus, the configuration scanning system protects a computer system against malware while reducing the burden on the configuration database and on other programs that access the configuration database.