When a software vulnerability is disclosed, virus writers rush to release a virus or worm that exploits the vulnerability before customers can apply a patch that fixes it. Today, anti-virus researchers typically have to rapidly obtain the new virus or worm, analyze it and produce a signature to send to users. The problem with signature-based anti-virus protection is that if the threat spreads faster than a signature can be produced, computers get infected. A new security technology called generic exploit blocking shields systems from malicious threats before they appear. When incorporated into desktop and network firewalls, the technology prevents infections rather than responding to them.
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