Networked Printer Security Response to IDS Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Devices such as printers and scanners lack the capability to install host-based IDS/IPS systems due to OS or memory limitations, leading to decreased security.
Innovation Solution
A communication device equipped with an alert information receiving unit to receive alerts from a security monitoring device, executing security processes like shifting to a prohibition mode, deleting data, or encrypting data in response to detected threats, enhancing security without a host-based IDS/IPS.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a host-based IDS/IPS system is installed to improve security, then security detection and prevention capability is improved, but device complexity and resource requirements increase beyond what printers and scanners can support
Solution Approach 1:
The security system is segmented into two parts: a lightweight agent installed on the communication device (printer/scanner) that only receives alert information and executes security processes, and a separate security monitoring device (server-based IDS/IPS) that performs comprehensive attack detection and analysis. This segmentation allows complex security functions to be performed by the monitoring device while keeping the communication device simple.
Solution Approach 2:
A security monitoring device acts as an intermediary between the external network threat and the communication device. The monitoring device receives alert information, analyzes attacks, and sends instructions to the communication device, which then executes appropriate security processes. This intermediary approach allows the communication device to benefit from advanced security analysis without needing to implement the complex detection and prevention systems itself.
2Reliability
If security monitoring functions are added to communication devices to improve security, then security awareness and response capability are improved, but memory capacity and processing power requirements increase beyond available resources
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy computational burden of attack detection, analysis, and decision-making is extracted from the communication device and placed on the security monitoring device. The communication device only retains minimal functionality to receive alert information and execute pre-determined security processes, thereby minimizing memory and processing requirements on the communication device while maintaining effective security response capability.
3Ease of operation
If the communication device operates in normal mode to maintain functionality, then ease of operation and productivity are improved, but vulnerability to attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication device dynamically changes its operational state based on security conditions. It operates in normal mode during low-threat periods to maintain ease of operation and productivity, but can transition to prohibition mode when alert information indicates an active attack, thereby blocking inbound communication to prevent attacks while maintaining normal functionality when safe.
Solution Approach 2:
The device pre-prepares security processes that can be executed in response to alert information, including the ability to shift to prohibition mode, delete data, or encrypt data. These anti-actions are prepared in advance and can be rapidly deployed when threats are detected, allowing the device to maintain normal operation during low-threat periods while having immediate defensive capability when attacks occur.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication device may comprise an alert information receiving unit configured to receive alert information from a security monitoring device different from the communication device, the alert information indicating that an attack on an intranet to which the communication device belongs was detected; and a security process executing unit configured to execute a security process for increasing security of the communication device in a case where the alert information is received from the security monitoring device. The security process may include at least one of: a process of shifting an operation mode of the communication device from a normal mode to a prohibition mode, the normal mode allowing receipt through inbound communication, and the prohibition mode prohibiting the receipt through the inbound communication; a process of deleting data in a memory of the communication device; and a process of encrypting data in the memory of the communication device.