Application Endpoint Security With Active Inspection and Environment Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Application endpoints in software applications are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats due to inadequate security measures, leading to potential data breaches and unauthorized access, and existing security assessments are resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for detecting and actively inspecting application endpoints in a computing environment, generating representations in a security database, determining network paths, and initiating mitigation actions based on active inspection to secure these endpoints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If regular security assessments and robust authentication mechanisms are implemented, then endpoint security is improved, but computing resources are significantly consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating a representation of the computing environment and storing it in a security database before actual security assessments are needed. This pre-generated model enables faster, resource-efficient querying and analysis during runtime without requiring intensive computing resources during production operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the computing environment in the form of a structured representation stored in the security database. This copy contains all necessary information about endpoints, resources, and network paths, allowing security assessments to be performed on the representation rather than the actual production system, thereby conserving computing resources.
2Measurement precision
If active inspection of application endpoints is performed, then vulnerabilities are identified, but the operational state of production environments may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs inspections on a copied representation of the computing environment stored in the security database, not on the actual production system. The active inspector queries the generated representation to identify vulnerabilities, ensuring that production environments remain undisturbed while still achieving accurate vulnerability detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The generated representation acts as an intermediary between the active inspector and the production environment. The inspector interacts with this intermediate layer rather than directly with production systems, enabling vulnerability assessment without compromising operational stability.
3Reliability
If comprehensive security assessments are conducted on all endpoints, then security coverage is improved, but inspection time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates a complete representation of the computing environment including all endpoints, resources, and network paths before inspection begins. This preliminary structuring of data enables rapid querying and analysis during the actual inspection phase, reducing inspection time while maintaining comprehensive security coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the computing environment into a structured representation with specific parameters and attributes that optimize for fast querying and analysis. By changing the form and organization of data into this standardized representation, the system enables efficient security assessments across all endpoints without time penalties.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for application endpoint validation and securement is presented. The method includes: detecting an application endpoint on a resource deployed in a computing environment; generating in a security database: a representation of the application endpoint, and a representation of the resource, wherein the security database includes a representation of the computing environment; determining a network path between the resource and an external network, the network path including the application endpoint and a reachability parameter; initiating active inspection of the application endpoint over the network path; and initiating a mitigation action in the computing environment in response to determining through active inspection that the application endpoint is exposed to the external network.