Network Associates Awarded Patent on Computer Cleaning Technology
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Network Associates, Inc., (NYSE: NET), the leading provider of intrusion prevention solutions, today announced that it has been granted U.S. Patent 6,671,812 entitled “Computer cleaning system, method and computer program product.” The patent covers various products, systems and methods, such as, technology useful for deleting undesired software and data present or installed on a computer. Computers are subjected daily to an abundance of new software and data; the patented technology provides an effective technique for managing software and data that are no longer desired or required.
In one example of the capabilities of the newly patented technology, among many encompassed by the granted patent, a cleaning program searches for undesired software and data, and can compress and automatically delete it. In order to provide additional insight regarding software and hardware associated with the computer, diagnostics may be performed for generating a graph-based statistical report. An update function may also be provided to ensure that the cleaning program delivers up-to-date functionality. With these useful patented features, a user may visually monitor and automatically manage the large amount of undesired software and data that can easily accumulate on today’s computing platforms. Compression and deletion techniques are both available to manage the undesired computer content.
The patented technology is included in the Network Associates McAfee QuickClean(TM) product, which identifies and can remove files that accumulate while surfing, including cookies, e-mail, downloads, history, etc. — data that could contain personal information. McAfee QuickClean helps to protect a user’s privacy by shredding identification data that collects on a computer, and allows a user to remove unwanted programs, helping to keep a computer running at peak performance.
“In addition to developing comprehensive security products and services, Network Associates also develops solutions that improve computer operability and provide improved general computer maintenance,” said Bill Kerrigan, senior vice president with the McAfee Security group at Network Associates. “Network Associates McAfee QuickClean removes junk that accumulates on your computer from surfing the Internet, giving customers an optimal computing experience.”
About Network Associates
With headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., Network Associates, Inc. creates best-of-breed computer security solutions that prevent intrusions on networks and protect computer systems from the next generation of blended attacks and threats. Offering two families of products, McAfee System Protection Solutions, securing desktops and servers, and McAfee Network Protection Solutions, ensuring the protection and performance of the corporate network, Network Associates offers computer security to large enterprises, governments, small and medium sized businesses, and consumers. For more information, Network Associates can be reached at 972-963-8000 or on the Internet at http://www.networkassociates.com/ .