Cloud Cybersecurity Assessment for Hierarchical Network Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cybersecurity assessment systems are inefficient and costly, requiring on-site installation of software and hardware, producing lengthy and difficult-to-consume scan reports, and lacking real-time monitoring and integrated alerting and remediation recommendations, making it challenging for enterprises to effectively manage cybersecurity status in real-time, especially for hierarchical networks.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based cybersecurity assessment system that remotely scans target networks, analyzes data to determine compliance with cybersecurity frameworks, processes vulnerability data for interactive presentation, and manages hierarchical cybersecurity information with segregated access control to ensure secure sharing and access within hierarchical relationships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cybersecurity assessment systems are used with on-site installation of software and hardware, then comprehensive security scanning can be performed, but the system becomes costly and inefficient with difficulty in real-time monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based intermediary platform that mediates between the user's network and the cybersecurity assessment tools. Instead of installing complex software and hardware on-site, the system provides scanning capabilities through cloud-based agents that can be remotely deployed and managed, significantly reducing on-site infrastructure requirements while maintaining comprehensive assessment capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of on-site hardware installation with a software-based cloud delivery model. Cybersecurity assessment functions are delivered through cloud-based platforms and remotely manageable agents, substituting physical hardware deployment with virtualized, cloud-hosted services that can be accessed and controlled remotely
2Loss of information
If conventional cybersecurity systems perform detailed scanning, then comprehensive vulnerability data is obtained, but the scan reports become lengthy and difficult to consume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the comprehensive vulnerability assessment report into multiple hierarchical levels: executive summaries for leadership, detailed technical findings for security teams, and specific remediation guidance for IT operations. This segmentation allows the same comprehensive data to be presented in appropriately detailed formats for different user roles and consumption needs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of detail and presentation formats for different sections of the report based on the intended audience and purpose. Critical high-severity vulnerabilities receive prominent placement with actionable remediation steps, while lower-priority findings are organized in detailed appendices, ensuring each part of the report has the appropriate level of detail for its purpose
3Productivity
If conventional systems lack real-time monitoring, then system complexity is reduced, but the ability to monitor cybersecurity status in real-time is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous real-time monitoring through cloud-based agents that continuously scan and assess network vulnerabilities, with results automatically updated and presented in the web portal. This continuous action enables real-time visibility into cybersecurity status without requiring complex on-site monitoring infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional cloud-based platform that consolidates vulnerability scanning, real-time monitoring, report generation, and remediation tracking into a single web-accessible system. This universal platform performs multiple cybersecurity functions through a unified architecture, reducing the need for separate specialized systems while enabling real-time monitoring capabilities
4Adaptability or versatility
If cybersecurity information is shared across hierarchical networks, then comprehensive security management is improved, but access security and information segregation become challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a hierarchical dimension to information access by organizing cybersecurity data into parent-child network relationships with configurable access levels. This dimensional organization allows comprehensive security management across hierarchical networks while maintaining controlled access, as users can view and manage security information appropriate to their organizational level and permissions in the hierarchy
Data Source
AI summary
A cybersecurity assessment system is provided for monitoring, assessing, and addressing the cybersecurity status of a hierarchy of target networks. The cybersecurity assessment system may scan individual target networks and produce data regarding the current state and properties of devices on the target networks. The cybersecurity assessment system may generate user interfaces to present cybersecurity information regarding individual target networks, and composite cybersecurity information regarding a hierarchy of target networks or some subset thereof. The cybersecurity assessment system can generate access configurations that specify which cybersecurity information of the hierarchy can be accessed by individual target networks of the hierarchy.