Coordinated File System Security via Centralized Rules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud computing environments face security challenges due to drifts from initial configurations over time, leading to potential security holes that can be exploited by attackers, despite best practices being followed initially.
Innovation Solution
Implementing coordinated file system security through file system condition rules that can detect violations and take appropriate actions, such as deleting files or sending alerts, with centralized control and distribution across multiple machines, allowing for heterogeneous host environments and scalable administration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centralized security rules are distributed across multiple hosts, then security coverage and detection capability are improved, but system complexity and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized security system into distributed components: a rule server that generates security rules and multiple host systems that independently execute these rules locally. Each host segments the security enforcement function, allowing parallel operation across the network while maintaining centralized policy control. This segmentation improves security coverage without requiring complex inter-host coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a rule server as an intermediary between centralized security policy and distributed host execution. The rule server translates high-level security policies into executable rules that can be independently applied at each host. This intermediary simplifies the system architecture by providing a clear interface between centralized control and distributed execution, reducing coordination overhead.
2Measurement precision
If file system conditions are monitored continuously across all hosts, then detection precision of security violations is improved, but computational resources and processing time are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having hosts continuously monitor and evaluate file system conditions against pre-distributed security rules. Rather than reacting to incidents after they occur, the system proactively checks file system states against defined security conditions, enabling early detection of potential violations while maintaining efficient resource usage through rule-based filtering.
Solution Approach 2:
Each host system performs self-service security monitoring by independently evaluating its own file system conditions against the distributed rules. The hosts autonomously detect violations and execute appropriate responses without requiring constant central intervention, reducing computational overhead while maintaining high detection precision through local rule execution.
3Stability of the object's composition
If security rules are applied uniformly across all hosts, then security consistency is improved, but adaptability to heterogeneous host environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing security rules to be customized for different host environments while maintaining overall policy consistency. The rule server can distribute different rule sets to different hosts based on their specific configurations, operating systems, and file system characteristics. This enables each host to have security enforcement tailored to its local environment while still adhering to the organization's overall security policy framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by enabling flexible rule distribution and adaptation. Security rules can be dynamically updated, added, or removed from individual hosts based on changing environmental requirements. The rule server maintains the master rule set and can push updates to specific hosts or groups of hosts, allowing the security configuration to evolve over time while maintaining consistency where needed and adaptability where required.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are disclosed for coordinated file system security via rules. A file system condition rule can specify any of a wide variety of file system conditions related to security risks, such as sensitive information in impermissible locations, impermissible file permissions, stray files, and the like. The rules can be administered at a central location and distributed across machines. The machines can then execute the rules against their local file systems. The rules can further specify actions to be taken, including deleting files, sanitizing files, sending an alert, or the like. Violations can be tracked and analyzed to determine what is causing recurring scenarios. A web service can expose the technologies to cloud service consumers.