Network Security Hardening via Dynamic Configuration Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network systems face challenges in maintaining security due to manual hardening processes being error-prone and incomplete, especially as network configurations change over time, leading to potential vulnerabilities and cyber threats.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically improving network security by continuously collecting and analyzing security relevant information from network devices, identifying weak settings, and applying hardened security settings to restrict unnecessary operations while allowing regular system functionality, with periodic monitoring and adaptation to changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual hardening processes are used during commissioning phase, then security settings can be configured, but the process is error-prone and incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-hardening by automatically analyzing its own security settings, operational information, and traffic patterns to identify and correct security weaknesses without external intervention, making the hardening process autonomous and error-free
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors security settings and operational information, compares actual behavior against expected patterns, and automatically adjusts security configurations based on feedback from traffic analysis and vulnerability detection, ensuring ongoing correctness
2Reliability
If initial hardening is performed during commissioning, then security is improved, but the hardening becomes invalid when network system changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The hardening system transitions from static initial hardening to dynamic continuous hardening, automatically adapting security configurations as the network system evolves, with real-time monitoring and adjustment capabilities that respond to device additions, configuration changes, and traffic pattern modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs continuous security hardening throughout the network system's operational lifetime, not just during commissioning, by continuously collecting security information, analyzing traffic patterns, and applying hardening measures as needed to maintain validity despite changes
3Productivity
If automated hardening rules are applied, then hardening process is accelerated, but rules may be incorrect or only partially applicable
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces static automated rules with dynamic machine learning-based analysis that automatically learns optimal security configurations from observed traffic patterns and system behavior, eliminating the need for pre-defined rules while maintaining high speed and accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary learning during a monitoring phase where it collects security information and traffic patterns without applying hardening, then uses this learned knowledge to accurately and quickly apply appropriate hardening measures in subsequent operations
Data Source
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Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A method for automatically improving security of a network system (10) comprises: collecting security relevant information (30') from network devices (14) of the network system (10), the security relevant information (30') including security settings (32) and operational information (34) of the network devices (14); analyzing the security relevant information (30') for determining weak security settings (32') of a network device (14), the weak security settings (32') being not necessary for a regular operation of the network system (10); determining hardened security settings (32'') for the network device (14) based on the weak security settings (32'), the hardened security settings (32'') restricting a possible operation of the network device (14) but allow a regular operation of the network system (10); and applying the hardened security settings (32'') to the network device (14).