Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Patents 'Proactive' Virus Protection
An anonymous reader writes "InfoWeek blogger Alex Wolfe wonders whether Microsoft will go after McAfee, Symantec, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky for software royalties for proactive virus protection software. The technique enables security software to protect a PC against malware which isn't yet in the antivirus definition file, by comparing whether the new malware is similar to an old virus. Wolfe reports that Microsoft has been awarded U.S. patent 7,376,970 for "System and method for proactive computer virus protection," but that McAfee, Symantec, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky have all been selling products implementing proactive virus protection for years before Microsoft even filed for the patent. Writes Wolfe: "One often wonders about software patents. I sure wonder about this one. I also wonder whether McAfee, Symantec, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky are also going to be hearing from their friends in Redmond real soon"."
Right, so what's their point? Why would MS patent something that doesn't look enforceable? Do they even have any product plans building on it? Are they simply trolling?
1) build insecure OS
2) patent proactive antivirus
3) ???
4) profit
And on a different note, what good is our patent system if it can't sniff out obvious discrepancies like this? Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe their patent is very narrow and does not come into conflict with pre-existing solutions.
I prefer rogues to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest.
But it still costs $ to fight it, and sometimes its easier/cheaper just to pay up even when you are in the right.
---- Booth was a patriot ----