Automated Cybersecurity Planning With Distributed Threat Mitigation

The patent segments the large problem space into multiple sub-problems using a hierarchical decomposition approach. The automated planning system divides the overall task into smaller subtasks, each handled by separate planning processes. This segmentation reduces the size of search trees for each subproblem, enabling them to be processed in reasonable time while collectively solving the larger problem.

The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the planning process, moving from flat, domain-independent heuristics to a multi-level hierarchical structure. This adds a temporal and organizational dimension to problem-solving, where high-level goals are decomposed into lower-level actions, allowing the system to handle large problem spaces without creating excessively large search trees at any single level.

The patent implements self-service through automated planning algorithms that autonomously generate, select, and execute mitigation strategies without human intervention. The system automatically responds to cyber events by formulating plans, assigning tasks to appropriate agents, and executing responses, thereby maintaining reliable threat response while dramatically increasing productivity to handle the volume, variety, and variance of modern cyber events.

The patent replaces the mechanical human response process with an automated planning and execution system. Instead of human analysts manually analyzing threats and responding, the system uses automated algorithms to detect, plan, and execute mitigation strategies, substituting human cognitive and manual processes with automated computational processes that can handle much higher volumes of events.