Patents by Inventor Neil Cowie

Neil Cowie has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8707436
    Abstract: A system and method for defining code by its functionality is disclosed. The technology initially accesses a portion of code. Once the portion of code is accessed at least one functional operation embedded in the code is determined. When the functional operation in the code is determined, the portion of code is then defined by the functional operation. In so doing, the portion of code can be defined by functional operation without requiring the consideration of any semantics related to the portion of code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jigar J. Mody, Neil A. Cowie
  • Publication number: 20110191757
    Abstract: A system and method for defining code by its functionality is disclosed. The technology initially accesses a portion of code. Once the portion of code is accessed at least one functional operation embedded in the code is determined. When the functional operation in the code is determined, the portion of code is then defined by the functional operation. In so doing, the portion of code can be defined by functional operation without requiring the consideration of any semantics related to the portion of code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jigar J. Mody, Neil A. Cowie
  • Patent number: 7945956
    Abstract: A system and method for defining code by its functionality is disclosed. The technology initially accesses a portion of code. Once the portion of code is accessed at least one functional operation embedded in the code is determined. When the functional operation in the code is determined, the portion of code is then defined by the functional operation. In so doing, the portion of code can be defined by functional operation without requiring the consideration of any semantics related to the portion of code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jigar J. Mody, Neil A. Cowie
  • Patent number: 7647636
    Abstract: A generic RootKit detector is disclosed that identifies when a malware, commonly known as RootKit, is resident on a computer. In one embodiment, the generic RootKit detector performs a method that compares the properties of different versions of a library used by the operating system to provide services to an application program. In this regard, when a library is loaded into memory, an aspect of the generic RootKit detector compares two versions of the library; a potentially infected version in memory and a second version stored in a protected state on a storage device. If certain properties of the first version of the library are different from the second version, a determination is made that a RootKit is infection the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexey A. Polyakov, Neil A. Cowie
  • Patent number: 7340775
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for preventing writes to critical files. Initially, factors associated with a computer are identified. Then, requests to write to files on the computer are monitored. The writes to the files on the computer are conditionally prevented based on the factors to prevent virus proliferation. In use, the factors are altered based on the monitoring of the requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: McAfee, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Codel Lawson Tarbotton, Daniel J. Wolff, Neil A. Cowie
  • Publication number: 20070288894
    Abstract: A system and method for defining code by its functionality is disclosed. The technology initially accesses a portion of code. Once the portion of code is accessed at least one functional operation embedded in the code is determined. When the functional operation in the code is determined, the portion of code is then defined by the functional operation. In so doing, the portion of code can be defined by functional operation without requiring the consideration of any semantics related to the portion of code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jigar J. Mody, Neil A. Cowie
  • Publication number: 20070055711
    Abstract: A generic RootKit detector is disclosed that identifies when a malware, commonly known as RootKit, is resident on a computer. In one embodiment, the generic RootKit detector performs a method that compares the properties of different versions of a library used by the operating system to provide services to an application program. In this regard, when a library is loaded into memory, an aspect of the generic RootKit detector compares two versions of the library; a potentially infected version in memory and a second version stored in a protected state on a storage device. If certain properties of the first version of the library are different from the second version, a determination is made that a RootKit is infection the computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexey Polyakov, Neil Cowie
  • Patent number: 6963978
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for detecting viruses in software. Initially, data is compared with a plurality of virus definitions in a first database. If the data is successfully compared with at least one of the virus definitions, a security event is executed. The data is then compared with fingerprints of innocent data in a second database. If the data is successfully compared to the fingerprints of innocent data, access to the data is permitted. If, however, the data is unsuccessfully compared to the virus definitions and the fingerprints of innocent data, information is transmitted over a network for analysis purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: McAfee, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor G. Muttik, Neil A. Cowie, Ivan A. Teblyashkin