Abstract: A method and system for retrieving data from devices in a way that seeks to preserve privacy and ensure the integrity of the retrieved data is provided. A retrieval system is implemented on a network of devices that communicate with each other via a secure communications link. Each device is directly connected to one or more “friend” devices that it trusts. The retrieval system operates by forwarding a request for data from one friend device to another friend device. Each friend device may optionally add data to the request until all the requested data is added. The request with the retrieved data is returned to the device that initiated the request.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting that a software system has been infected by software that attempts to hide properties related to the software system is provided. A detection system identifies that a suspect operating system has been infected by malware by comparing properties related to the suspect operating system as reported by the suspect operating system to properties as reported by another operating system that is assumed to be clean. The detection system compares the reported properties to the actual properties to identify any significant differences. A significant difference, such as the presence of an actual file not reported by the suspect operating system, may indicate that the suspect storage device is infected.

Abstract: A method and system for ranking possible causes of a component exhibiting a certain behavior is provided. In one embodiment, a troubleshooting system ranks candidate configuration parameters that may be causing a software application to exhibit an undesired behavior using support information relating to problems resulting from the settings of configuration parameters. The support information may be collected from problem reports generated by product support services personnel when troubleshooting problems that users encounter with the application. The troubleshooting system ranks the candidate configuration parameters as likely causing the application to exhibit the undesired behavior based on analysis of the support information.

Abstract: The following description provides direction-based topology control to a distributed wireless multi-hop network. The network includes multiple potentially mobile nodes. Each node sends a discovery message in all directions. Each node discovers a set of neighboring nodes using a set of incoming signals from the neighboring nodes that are responsive to the discovery message. Responsive to receiving the incoming messages, each node makes a local decision about a substantially optimal transmission power with which to communicate with at least a portion of the discovered neighboring nodes. The decisions are based on the incoming signals and are also independent of positional information (e.g., latitude and longitude). Each node in the network maintains communications with the decided portion of nodes to provide connectivity between each of the nodes.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for handling network communications between a client and a target server on the Internet to protect the privacy and anonymity of the client. For a session between the client and the target server, a routing control server sets up a routing chain using a plurality of Web servers randomly selected from a pool of participating Web servers as routers for routing messages between the client and the target server. To prevent traffic analysis, an “onion encryption” scheme is applied to the messages as they are forwarded along the routing chain. A payment service cooperating with the routing control server allows a user to pay for the privacy protection service without revealing her real identity.

Abstract: A monitoring service is provided that detects spyware or other unwanted software at the time it is installed and/or allows for the spyware's removal. The service monitors “Auto-Start Extensibility Points” (“ASEPs”) to detect spyware installations. ASEPs refer to the configuration points that can be “hooked” to allow programs to be auto-started without explicit user invocation. Such a service is particularly effective because an overwhelming majority of spyware programs infect systems in such a way that they are automatically started upon reboot and the launch of many commonly used applications. The monitoring service can thus lead to the subsequent complete removal of the spyware installation, and does not require a frequent signature-based cleaning. Spyware that is bundled with other software such as freeware or shareware can also be removed.

Abstract: An architecture for an automation system is disclosed that includes look-up services, a soft-state store, and a publication/subscription eventing component. The look-up services maintain a database of a number of devices to be controlled and monitored, and a database of a number of device objects corresponding to the devices. The services can be divided into attribute-based and name-based services. The soft-state store manages variables regarding the devices and the device objects, including heartbeats. The eventing component enables subscriptions to events related to changes in the variables. The architecture can include management daemons, such as a monitoring daemon that detects problems with power line devices.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for handling network communications between a client and a target server on the Internet to protect the privacy and anonymity of the client. For a session between the client and the target server, a routing control server sets up a routing chain using a plurality of Web servers randomly selected from a pool of participating Web servers as routers for routing messages between the client and the target server. To prevent traffic analysis, an “onion encryption” scheme is applied to the messages as they are forwarded along the routing chain. A payment service cooperating with the routing control server allows a user to pay for the privacy protection service without revealing her real identity.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for evaluating the effectiveness of data encryption for hiding the identity of the source of Web traffic. A signature is constructed from encrypted Web traffic for a Web page sent by a target Web site, and the signature is compared with archived traffic signatures obtained by accessing various Web pages of interest in advance. If the signature of the detected encrypted Web traffic matches a stored traffic signature beyond a pre-set statistical threshold, a positive match is found, and the source of the traffic is identified. Countermeasures for reducing the reliability of source identification based on traffic signature matching are provided.

Abstract: As computer programs grow more complex, extensible, and connected, it becomes increasingly difficult for users to understand what has changed on their machines and what impact those changes have. An embodiment of the invention is described via a software tool, called AskStrider, that answers those questions by correlating volatile process information with persistent-state context information and change history. AskStrider scans a system for active components, matches them against a change log to identify recently updated and hence more interesting state, and searches for context information to help users understand the changes. Several real-world cases are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of using AskStrider to quickly identify the presence of unwanted software, to determine if a software patch is potentially breaking an application, and to detect lingering components left over from an unclean uninstallation.

Abstract: A method for improving the performance of a distributed object model over a network is disclosed. A client computer contains a client object which can call an interface on a server object located on a server computer. Rather than copying all of the call parameters into an RPC buffer for transmission across the network, a network interface card with scatter-gather capability can be used. The RPC data can contain only a list of pointers into the client memory and a size of each parameter. The network interface card can then grab the parameters directly from the client memory using the list in the RPC buffer without the need to copy the data itself. At the server side, the network interface card can place the parameters into an RPC buffer, or if the size is known beforehand, directly into the server memory. The server can also access the parameters directly from the RPC buffer.

Abstract: A system and method for determining configuration failure root cause of an application uses persistent-state checkpoints. Checkpoints are periodic snapshots of configuration data saved at different points in a machine's history. One component in the system compares checkpoints, records configuration file accesses, and tracks change frequencies of configuration file values. Another component is configured to record actions of a user interface and configuration file modifications and to search one or more databases for information related to the configuration failure. The components determine a deviation from known operation of the application without the application specifying configuration settings that control the deviation.

Abstract: A method for improving the performance of a distributed object model over a network is disclosed. A client computer contains a client object which can call an interface on a server object located on a server computer. Rather than copying all of the call parameters into an RPC buffer for transmission across the network, a network interface card with scatter-gather capability can be used. The RPC data can contain only a list of pointers into the client memory and a size of each parameter. The network interface card can then grab the parameters directly from the client memory using the list in the RPC buffer without the need to copy the data itself. At the server side, the network interface card can place the parameters into an RPC buffer, or if the size is known beforehand, directly into the server memory. The server can also access the parameters directly from the RPC buffer.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling highly scalable multi-node event distribution networks through the use of summary-based routing, particularly event distribution networks using a content-based publish/subscribe model to distribute information. By allowing event routers to use imprecise summaries of the subscriptions hosted by matcher nodes, an event router can eliminate itself as a bottleneck thus improving overall event distribution network throughput even though the use of imprecise summaries results in some false positive event traffic. False positive event traffic is reduced by using a filter set partitioning that provides for good subscription set locality at each matcher node, while at the same time avoiding overloading any one matcher node. Good subscription set locality is maintained by routing new subscriptions to a matcher node with a subscription summary that best covers the new subscription.

Abstract: A method for improving the performance of a distributed object model over a network is disclosed. A client computer contains a client object which can call an interface on a server object located on a server computer. On the server side, the RPC dispatching layer is circumvented by providing a pointer into the DCOM dispatching layer directly from the RPC utility layer. The client can therefore specify an interface using only an interface pointer identifier, and need not also specify a RPC interface identifier. The DCOM dispatching can then call the appropriate stub for the interface specified by the client with the interface pointer identifier, while taking advantage of the RPC utility layer to perform security checking, thread management, socket management, and association management.

Abstract: A spiral inductor, and manufacturing method therefore, is provided including a substrate and an inductor dielectric layer over the substrate having a spiral opening provided therein. A spiral inductor is in the spiral opening with the spiral inductor including a plurality of parallel spiral vias connected together at center proximate and center distal ends of the spiral inductor.

Abstract: A spiral inductor, and manufacturing method therefore, is provided including a substrate and an inductor dielectric layer over the substrate having a spiral opening provided therein. A spiral inductor is in the spiral opening with the spiral inductor including a plurality of parallel spiral vias connected together at center proximate and center distal ends of the spiral inductor.

Abstract: A method for improving the performance of a distributed object model over a network is disclosed. A client computer contains a client object which can call an interface on a server object located on a server computer. On the server side, the RPC dispatching layer is circumvented by providing a pointer into the DCOM dispatching layer directly from the RPC utility layer. The client can therefore specify an interface using only an interface pointer identifier, and need not also specify a RPC interface identifier. The DCOM dispatching can then call the appropriate stub for the interface specified by the client with the interface pointer identifier, while taking advantage of the RPC utility layer to perform security checking, thread management, socket management, and association management.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for evaluating the effectiveness of data encryption for hiding the identity of the source of Web traffic. A signature is constructed from encrypted Web traffic for a Web page sent by a target Web site, and the signature is compared with archived traffic signatures obtained by accessing various Web pages of interest in advance. If the signature of the detected encrypted Web traffic matches a stored traffic signature beyond a pre-set statistical threshold, a positive match is found, and the source of the traffic is identified. Countermeasures for reducing the reliability of source identification based on traffic signature matching are provided.