Information processing system controlling performance of virus detection processing at devices included in the system, and information processing apparatus and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10657256-B2
Application number	US-201715728807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2017
Priority date	Oct 27, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

One information processing apparatus among a plurality of information processing apparatuses performs virus detection processing for detecting a computer virus. When a computer virus has been detected from the one information processing apparatus by the virus detection processing, the one information processing apparatus transmits an execution request to perform the virus detection processing to another information processing apparatus different from the one information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing system comprising:
a plurality of image forming apparatuses,
one image forming apparatus among the plurality of image forming apparatuses including:
a first hardware processor; and
a first transmitter,

wherein:
the first hardware processor causes the one image forming apparatus to perform virus detection processing for detecting a computer virus, and
in response to a computer virus being detected by the one image forming apparatus performing the virus detection processing, the first hardware processor causes the first transmitter to transmit an execution request to perform the virus detection processing to another image forming apparatus different from the one image forming apparatus among the plurality of image forming apparatuses.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein one request destination apparatus that is one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses and that receives the execution request includes:
a receiver that receives the execution request; and
a second hardware processor that causes the one request destination apparatus to automatically perform the virus detection processing based on the execution request.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the second hardware processor causes the one request destination apparatus to automatically perform the virus detection processing in response to receipt of the execution request.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the execution request includes time designation information that designates a start time of the virus detection processing to be performed by the one request destination apparatus, and
the second hardware processor causes the one request destination apparatus to automatically perform the virus detection processing in response to arrival of the time designated by the time designation information after receipt of the execution request.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the time designation information designates the start time of the virus detection processing to be performed by the one request destination apparatus in accordance with a predetermined order of priority of the plurality of image forming apparatuses.

6. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the second hardware processor performs the virus detection processing on data constituting the execution request when the execution request is received.

7. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the execution request includes virus infection information,
the virus infection information includes information regarding a suspected infected apparatus that has established communication connection with the one image forming apparatus within a presumed infection period and that is suspected of being infected with the computer virus, the presumed infection period being a period during which the one image forming apparatus is presumed to have become infected with the computer virus,
the presumed infection period is a period from when the one image forming apparatus has been confirmed to be capable of safe communication connection by previous virus detection processing performed by the one image forming apparatus until the computer virus has been detected by the one image forming apparatus, and
the second hardware processor forbids the one request destination apparatus to establish communication connection with the suspected infected apparatus based on the virus infection information.

8. The information processing system according to claim 7 , wherein:
when an access request is received from the suspected infected apparatus, the second hardware processor performs the virus detection processing on data constituting the access request, and
when a computer virus has been detected from the data constituting the access request, the second hardware processor disconnects communication connection between the one request destination apparatus and the suspected infected apparatus and forbids the one request destination apparatus to establish communication connection with the suspected infected apparatus.

9. The information processing system according to claim 7 , wherein:
the virus infection information further includes information regarding a suspected cause-of-infection function that has been used by the one image forming apparatus within the presumed infection period and that is suspected of being a cause of infection with the computer virus, and
when a use request to use the suspected cause-of-infection function is received from the suspected infected apparatus, the second hardware processor rejects the use request and forbids the one request destination apparatus to establish communication connection with the suspected infected apparatus.

10. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the execution request includes virus infection information,
the virus infection information includes information regarding a suspected cause-of-infection function that has been used by the one image forming apparatus within a presumed infection period and that is suspected of being a cause of infection with the computer virus, the presumed infection period being a period during which the one image forming apparatus is presumed to have become infected with the computer virus,
the presumed infection period is a period from when the one image forming apparatus has been confirmed to be capable of safe communication connection by previous virus detection processing performed by the one image forming apparatus until the computer virus has been detected by the one image forming apparatus, and
the second hardware processor forbids the one request destination apparatus to use the suspected cause-of-infection function based on the virus infection information.

11. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the one request destination apparatus is one of a plurality of request destination apparatuses that receive the execution request,
the one request destination apparatus further includes a second transmitter, and
when no computer viruses have been detected by the virus detection processing performed by the one request destination apparatus, the second hardware processor of the one request destination apparatus causes the second transmitter to transmit a security check report to remaining request destination apparatuses of the plurality of request destination apparatuses excluding the one request destination apparatus, the security check report being a report indicating that the one request destination apparatus is confirmed to be capable of safe communication connection.

12. The information processing system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the second hardware processor of the one request destination apparatus causes the receiver of the one request destination apparatus to receive the security check report from at least one apparatus of the plurality of image forming apparatuses other than the one request destination apparatus, and
the second hardware processor causes a display of the one request destination apparatus to display a display content that is based on the security check report received from the at least one apparatus.

13. The information processing system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the second hardware processor of the one request destination apparatus causes the receiver of the one request destination apparatus to receive the security check report from at least one apparatus of the plurality of image forming apparatuses other than the one request destination app

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Akita Katsuhiko
• Okamoto Yuji
• Sawayanagi Kazumi
• Yamada Masami
• Tamura Atsushi
• Ito Yasutaka
• Ikenoue Yoshikazu

Classifications

• G06F21/84

  output devices, e.g. displays or monitors · CPC title

• G06F21/554

  involving event detection and direct action · CPC title

• G06F21/71

  to assure secure computing or processing of information · CPC title

• G06F21/566 Primary

  Dynamic detection, i.e. detection performed at run-time, e.g. emulation, suspicious activities · CPC title

• G06F2221/034

  Test or assess a computer or a system · CPC title