1. A method for preventing a malicious or unwanted software application function from acting upon an object within a computer system, the method utilizing a plurality of rules to associate one or more object attributes with the object within the computer system, the method comprising: determining one or more of the plurality of rules that apply to the object within the computer system; associating one or more object attributes with the object within the computer system according to the one or more applicable rules; detecting a software application function before allowing the software application function to act upon the object within the computer system; scanning the object within the computer system for the one or more object attributes; determining whether the one or more object attributes indicate that the software application function must be prevented from acting upon the object within the computer system; and disabling the software object function when the one or more object attributes indicate that the software application function must be prevented from acting upon the object within the computer system.