US Patent 7519998 Detection of malicious computer executables

A method of detecting malicious binary executable files is accomplished by inputting a binary executable file; converting the binary executable file to byte hexadecimal text strings; calculating the frequency of each byte pattern in the byte hexadecimal text strings; selecting characteristic byte pattern frequencies as discriminating features; classifying the discriminating features as malicious or benign; labeling the binary executable file as malicious or benign; and outputting the labeled malicious or benign binary executable file.