Network Asset Risk Scoring for Vulnerability Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer networks face challenges in efficiently assessing and mitigating vulnerabilities due to the inefficiencies of the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), which fails to account for the actual risks posed by vulnerabilities, leading to inadequate prioritization and remediation strategies.
Innovation Solution
A method for assessing system risks by considering criticality, misconfiguration, malware presence, end-of-life software/hardware, and location data to generate a comprehensive risk parameter, enabling prioritization and mitigation of the most critical vulnerabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If CVSS rating system is used to prioritize vulnerabilities, then technical severity of vulnerabilities is assessed, but the actual risk to the network is not accurately reflected leading to inefficient patching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the vulnerability assessment from using only CVSS technical severity parameters to incorporating multiple additional parameters including asset criticality, exploit availability, network location, and asset value. This multi-parameter approach changes the assessment model to better reflect actual network risk while maintaining efficient prioritization through automated scoring.
2Reliability
If all vulnerabilities are patched, then security coverage is maximized, but limited resources are depleted and critical vulnerabilities may still be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating vulnerability prioritization based on specific asset characteristics and network contexts. Instead of uniform patching approaches, the system tailors remediation priorities to individual assets' criticality, location, and vulnerability profiles, optimizing resource allocation to where it matters most while maintaining overall security coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by focusing security resources on the most critical vulnerabilities and assets rather than attempting to address all vulnerabilities equally. The risk scoring system identifies a subset of high-priority targets that require immediate attention, allowing organizations to achieve meaningful security improvement with limited resources.
3Loss of information
If comprehensive vulnerability assessment is performed, then complete security picture is obtained, but assessment complexity and time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vulnerability assessment into distinct components: asset identification, vulnerability detection, risk factor analysis, and scoring. This segmentation allows each component to be handled separately and systematically, reducing overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive assessment capabilities through structured information collection and processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and systems for assessing system risks associated with one or more assets coupled to a network and mitigating against said system risks. According to one implementation, a method for assessing a system risk comprises receiving network data associated with a first asset communicatively coupled to a network, quantifying the network data, and generating a risk parameter using the quantified network data and vulnerability data associated with the network. The method further comprises determining, based on the risk parameter that a security risk of a first asset of the network is higher than the security risk of a second asset of the network. Upon this determining, the method initiates remediation operations that first secure the first asset on the network against a security breach to the network.