Cyber Risk Assessment Using Asset Attack Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current risk determination systems for software and hardware components are inadequate in accurately assessing and mitigating cyber-attack risks, as they fail to effectively identify and adjust risk levels based on attack paths and communication between assets, leading to incomplete security control implementations.
Innovation Solution
A risk determination system comprising processors and memory, which receives incident information, identifies attack steps, adjusts risk levels, and outputs risk information, ensuring that risk levels are synchronized across assets and optimized security controls are implemented based on threat analysis and risk assessment data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional risk assessment methods are used to analyze software and hardware components, then the analysis process is simple and quick, but the accuracy and completeness of risk identification is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments risk assessment into discrete attack steps and paths, breaking down complex cyber-attack scenarios into individual actionable steps that can be independently analyzed and evaluated. Each attack step represents a specific action an attacker might take, allowing for granular risk assessment across multiple dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds multiple dimensions to risk assessment by evaluating risks not only based on asset value but also considering attack path feasibility, attack step severity, and communication relationships between assets. This multi-dimensional approach transforms traditional single-factor risk assessment into a comprehensive multi-criteria evaluation system.
2Reliability
If comprehensive attack path analysis is performed for all assets, then risk identification becomes more accurate, but the time and computational resources required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining attack steps and organizing them into attack paths before actual risk assessment occurs. This preparation work includes establishing the structure of potential attack scenarios, which can then be efficiently applied to multiple assets without repeating the entire analysis process for each one.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial action by focusing risk assessment on critical attack paths and high-value assets rather than uniformly analyzing all possible attack scenarios for all assets. This selective approach maintains high security coverage while reducing overall assessment time and resource consumption.
3Ease of manufacture
If risk levels are adjusted based on attack paths and communication, then security control implementation becomes more precise, but the complexity of risk management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by adjusting risk levels and security controls based on specific local conditions of each asset, including its role in attack paths, communication relationships with other assets, and vulnerability to specific attack steps. This allows tailored security measures for different assets rather than uniform approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where risk level adjustments based on attack path analysis and asset communication automatically trigger updates to security control implementations. This closed-loop approach ensures that security controls continuously adapt to newly identified risks and maintain appropriate protection levels.
Data Source
AI summary
A risk determination method constituted of: receiving incident information associated with an item, the incident information comprising information regarding detected anomalous behavior in the item or information regarding a detected vulnerability in the item; based at least in part on the received incident information, identifying one or more attack steps of one or more attack paths, each of the one or more attack paths associated with a respective one of a plurality of assets contained within the item; and for each respective asset, adjusting one or more respective risk levels based at least in part on the identified one or more attack steps associated with the respective asset.