Entity Risk Assessment via Exposed Service Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network security methods face limitations in accurately assessing risks due to reliance on open ports, which may not correctly represent the actual services bound to them, leading to incomplete and inaccurate risk coverage.
Innovation Solution
The system identifies and ranks potential services exposure by dynamically mapping services to ports, using techniques like deep packet inspection to determine exposed services and their impact levels, providing a more accurate illustration of the attack surface for both internal and external threat actors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If risk assessment is based on open ports, then the assessment process is simple, but the accuracy of risk coverage is incomplete and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces service identification as an intermediary layer between port detection and risk assessment. Instead of directly mapping ports to risks, the system first identifies the services running on ports, then assesses risks based on those services. This intermediary step resolves the contradiction by improving accuracy through service-level granularity while managing complexity through automated service detection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional assessment approach by not starting with ports and working upward to services, but rather starting with service identification and then mapping to ports and risks. This inversion allows for more accurate risk coverage by service type while maintaining systematic assessment processes.
2Reliability
If dynamic service mapping is implemented, then the attack surface identification is accurate, but the monitoring system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary service mapping and classification before actual risk assessment occurs. By pre-identifying services, their associated ports, and potential attack vectors in advance, the system establishes a reliable attack surface model that can be queried efficiently during monitoring, reducing real-time complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic service mapping that automatically updates as services are added, removed, or modified on monitored entities. This dynamic approach maintains reliable attack surface identification without requiring manual reconfiguration, as the monitoring system automatically adapts to changing service landscapes through continuous discovery and mapping updates.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for determining a risk associated with an entity based on exposed services are described. The risk determination may include determining one or more services exposed by ports of an entity and determining a level of exposure associated with the service corresponding to each of the one or more open ports of the entity. A risk level associated with the entity based at least in part on the level of exposure associated with the service corresponding to each of the one or more open ports of the entity.