Attack Path Analysis Using Network Policy State Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network security systems fail to leverage network configuration and policy data to detect malicious activity effectively, relying solely on traffic observation and anomaly detection.
Innovation Solution
A software representation that embodies network configuration and policy data is used to analyze attack paths, identifying critical states and transitions, and generate detection signatures to detect malicious activity by simulating network interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If machine learning models are used to detect malicious network activity based solely on traffic observation and anomaly detection, then the system can operate without requiring network configuration data, but the detection effectiveness is reduced because the wealth of information in network configuration and policy data is not leveraged
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating a software representation of the network configuration and policy data before detecting malicious activity. This software representation is created in advance and stored, allowing the detection system to leverage pre-processed configuration information rather than analyzing raw configuration data during detection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a software representation as an intermediary between the network configuration data and the machine learning detection models. This intermediary structure translates complex network configuration and policy data into a simplified software representation that can be efficiently queried and used by detection algorithms, bridging the gap between raw configuration data and detection needs.
2Measurement precision
If network configuration and policy data are integrated into the detection system to improve detection accuracy, then the detection effectiveness increases, but the system complexity increases due to the need to process and analyze additional configuration data
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential and relevant features from the network configuration and policy data to create the software representation. Rather than processing the entire configuration data set, the system identifies and extracts key elements such as network topology, policy rules, and entity relationships, significantly reducing the complexity of data processing while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms network configuration data from its original complex format into a simplified software representation with changed parameters. This transformation involves converting configuration data into a structured format with simplified attributes and relationships that are easier to process, effectively changing the parameter representation to reduce system complexity.
3Reliability
If the system analyzes attack paths by simulating network interactions using software representation, then the ability to identify potential compromises improves, but the computational resources and time required for analysis increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis by pre-computing and storing the software representation of network configuration and attack paths. This allows the system to have attack path information readily available when needed for detection, rather than performing full simulations each time analysis is required, significantly reducing analysis time while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a software copy or representation of the actual network configuration and attack paths. This virtual copy allows the system to analyze attack scenarios in the simulated environment without affecting the real network and without requiring full-scale simulations, reducing computational overhead while maintaining analysis accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an approach for analyzing attack paths in computer network generated using a software representation that embodies network configuration and policy data for security management. In some embodiments, the approach includes a process to analyze attack paths in a computer network to determine which attack paths might be most productively covered using a corresponding detection signature. In some embodiments, the attack paths are identified using a software representation that embodies network configuration and policy data. The software representation comprises a state machine where different states can be reached using respective transitions or properties. The states correspond to respective entities on the network which may comprise resources that are identifiable for protection in the software representation using crash statements. The software representation can then be stimulated using software analysis tools such to identify sequences of state-to-state transitions that could be used to compromise a protected resource on the computer network.