External Network Cybersecurity Scoring for Holistic Risk Evaluation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is currently no standard system or method for testing, certifying, and/or rating computer systems for cybersecurity purposes, which is necessary for insurers to establish policy terms and rates, and manufacturers to ensure product liability compliance.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for holistic network cybersecurity evaluation and risk rating that assesses the interaction and operation of hardware, software, and operating systems as a whole, using emulators and scoring engines to generate comprehensive cybersecurity scores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If comprehensive cybersecurity evaluation of entire network environments is implemented, then measurement precision of cybersecurity posture is improved, but device complexity of evaluation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation system is divided into separate modules: hardware emulator for testing hardware components, software analyzer for analyzing software vulnerabilities, and operating system analyzer for OS security assessment. Each module independently evaluates specific components and feeds results to a scoring engine, which integrates them into a comprehensive cybersecurity score. This segmentation allows precise measurement of each component while managing overall system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The scoring engine acts as an intermediary that receives cybersecurity assessment data from multiple independent analyzers (hardware emulator, software analyzer, operating system analyzer) and combines them into a unified cybersecurity score. This mediator integrates complex evaluations from different sources without requiring direct complex interactions between all components, thereby improving measurement precision while managing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If hardware emulation is used to test cybersecurity susceptibility, then measurement precision of exploit vulnerability is improved, but use of energy by evaluation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of physically testing exploits on actual target hardware systems, the patent creates virtual copies through hardware emulation. The hardware emulator replicates the functional behavior of target hardware components in a controlled environment, allowing precise measurement of exploit vulnerability without the energy costs and risks associated with physical testing. This copying approach maintains measurement precision while significantly reducing energy consumption.
3Measurement precision
If separate evaluation of hardware, software, and operating system is conducted, then measurement precision of component security is improved, but loss of time in comprehensive scoring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware emulator, software analyzer, and operating system analyzer operate in parallel to conduct preliminary evaluations of their respective components simultaneously. Each analyzer independently assesses its designated component type without waiting for others, preparing results for subsequent integration by the scoring engine. This preliminary parallel action maintains high measurement precision for each component while significantly reducing the total evaluation time compared to sequential processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for holistic network cybersecurity evaluation and risk rating that takes into account the operation of the entire target network environment comprising hardware, software, operating systems, and network connections. Not only are the hardware, software, operating system, and network evaluated separately for cybersecurity concerns, their interaction and operation as a whole are also evaluated and scored. The results of such analyses may be used, for example, by underwriters of cybersecurity insurance policies to determine policy terms and rates.