Method and apparatus for a virus information patrol

摘要

A virus information patrol (VIP) data collector is provided to monitor virus information repositories and to collect selected virus descriptor data into a VIP database in accordance with a VIP configuration data. The VIP configuration data may include various VIP criteria to determine which virus information repositories to patrol and which virus descriptor data to collect. The VIP configuration data may further include a VIP indicator of whether to include or exclude a particular repository or virus descriptor data that satisfies the various VIP criteria. The VIP configuration data may further include a VIP category that describes the type of virus descriptor data that satisfies the various VIP criteria.