Cyber Attack Analysis System Using Temporal Simulation Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for analyzing cyber attacks lack effectiveness in evaluating cyber defense strategies, particularly in accounting for temporal parameters, which are crucial for determining the success and impact of cyber attacks on computer networks.
Innovation Solution
A cyber attack analysis system that receives cyber attack parameters, including temporal features, simulates cyber attacks with various defenses, and generates metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of each defense, allowing for the identification of more effective defense strategies by analyzing sets of cyber attack metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current methods for analyzing cyber attacks are used, then the analysis process is simple, but the effectiveness of evaluating cyber defense strategies is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cyber attack analysis into distinct phases (reconnaissance, exploitation, consolidation, actions on objectives) and evaluates defenses at each phase separately. This segmentation allows for more granular and effective evaluation of defense strategies while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces temporal parameters as an additional dimension for evaluating cyber defenses. By incorporating time-based metrics (duration of attack phases, time to detect/respond, persistence of defenses), the system achieves more comprehensive evaluation effectiveness without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Measurement precision
If temporal parameters are not considered, then the analysis is simpler, but the accuracy of determining attack success and defense effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static attack analysis to dynamic analysis by incorporating temporal parameters that capture the evolving nature of cyber attacks. Metrics such as attack duration, phase transition timing, and defense response time enable more accurate measurement of attack success while maintaining analytical tractability through focused temporal measurements.
3Measurement precision
If multiple cyber defenses are evaluated without simulation, then the evaluation process is faster, but the accuracy of effectiveness assessment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary simulation of cyber attacks against multiple defenses before final evaluation. By pre-simulating attack scenarios and measuring outcomes (attack success rate, time to compromise, resources consumed), the system achieves accurate effectiveness assessment while maintaining evaluation speed through efficient simulation methodologies and metric aggregation.
Data Source
AI summary
In certain embodiments, analyzing cyber attacks includes receiving cyber attack parameters. A cyber attack parameter describes a performance attribute of a cyber attack scenario. The cyber attack parameters comprises at least one temporal parameter describing a temporal feature of the cyber attack scenario. The following is performed for each cyber defense of one or more cyber defenses to yield one or more sets of cyber attack metrics: simulating the cyber attack operating with a cyber defense; and determining a set of cyber attack metrics describing the cyber attack operating with the cyber defense. The cyber defenses are evaluated in accordance with the sets of cyber attack metrics.