Protocol Parsing Tree Model for Intrusion Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Intrusion detection and prevention systems face challenges in accurately modeling network protocols due to the expense and complexity of parsing operations, leading to incomplete or incorrect protocol modeling, which can result in undetected attacks or false intrusion flags.
Innovation Solution
A protocol definition/extension model using a tree-like structure where only condition-meeting child modules are invoked for processing, allowing for reduced parsing while maintaining flexibility, with parent modules specifying conditions for child module invocation and supporting layering and signature detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If full parsing is performed to accurately model protocols, then detection accuracy is improved, but processing performance deteriorates due to expensive parsing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol parsing system is segmented into a hierarchical tree structure where protocols are divided into parent nodes and child nodes. Each node represents a specific protocol or protocol variant. The segmentation allows the system to parse only the relevant portions of the protocol hierarchy rather than performing complete parsing of all protocols, thereby improving performance while maintaining accuracy for the specific protocol being analyzed.
Solution Approach 2:
The parsing system dynamically adapts its behavior based on the specific protocol being analyzed. The tree structure allows the system to flexibly navigate and parse only the necessary branches of the protocol hierarchy. This dynamic approach enables the system to optimize parsing operations for each specific protocol scenario, achieving both high accuracy and improved performance by avoiding unnecessary parsing of irrelevant protocol sections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a generic parser is designed to handle multiple protocols, then versatility is improved, but parsing complexity increases making optimization difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The parser is segmented into a tree structure where each node represents a specific protocol or protocol variant. This segmentation allows the generic parser to handle multiple protocols by navigating the tree structure, selecting the appropriate node for parsing based on the input data. The segmentation reduces overall complexity by breaking down the parsing function into manageable, reusable components that can be independently optimized.
Solution Approach 2:
The tree structure provides a universal framework that can handle multiple protocols through a single parser implementation. The parser is designed to be multi-functional, capable of parsing various protocols by traversing the tree structure and selecting the appropriate parsing path. This universality is achieved without increasing complexity, as the same tree-based architecture serves all protocol parsing needs.
3Reliability
If complete protocol parsing is performed to detect all possible attacks, then detection coverage is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tree structure is pre-built with all possible protocol variants and attack patterns defined in advance. This preliminary organization allows the parser to quickly navigate the tree and identify the correct parsing path without performing complete parsing of all protocols. The pre-organized structure enables fast lookup and selection of relevant parsing rules, maintaining high detection coverage while significantly reducing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The parsing process dynamically adapts to the specific protocol and attack patterns present in the input data. The tree structure allows the system to flexibly navigate and parse only the relevant branches based on the actual traffic characteristics. This dynamic approach ensures that the system maintains comprehensive attack detection coverage for the specific scenario while avoiding the time cost of parsing irrelevant protocol sections.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a technology by which an engine parses data based upon modules arranged in a tree-like model structure. Only those modules that meet a condition with respect to the data are invoked for processing the data. Each child module specifies a parent module and specifies a condition for when the parent is to invoke the child module. As a module processes the data, if a child module's specified condition is met, it invokes the corresponding child module, (which in turn may invoke a lower child if its condition is met, and so on). When the data corresponds to protocols, the model facilitates protocol layering. A top level parent may represent one protocol (e.g., TCP), a child beneath may represent a lower-layer protocol (e.g., HTTP), whose children may handle certain types of HTTP commands, or correspond to a signature that the child module is programmed to detect.