Reconnaissance Agents Validate Network Node Compromisability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current penetration testing systems face challenges in reliably validating the success of login attempts using user credentials, as they may lock network nodes, and simulated systems assume access without proof, leading to potentially pessimistic conclusions about network node compromisability.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that determine if a network node is compromisable by verifying user credentials access through reconnaissance agents, ensuring the node is reachable from an already-compromised node, without risking lockouts, by using reconnaissance agents to detect login events and extract credentials, and confirming access rights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If actual attack penetration testing is performed to validate user credentials, then measurement precision of node compromisability is improved, but network node stability deteriorates due to potential lockouts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a simulated attack environment as an intermediary between the actual penetration testing system and the target network nodes. Reconnaissance agents operate in this simulated environment to validate user credentials and test attack paths without directly interacting with production systems, thereby maintaining measurement precision while preventing node lockouts and stability issues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of network nodes and their security configurations in a simulated attack environment. These copies replicate the structural and functional characteristics of actual nodes, allowing penetration testers to validate credentials and assess compromisability accurately without affecting the stability or security state of the original production nodes
2Stability of the object's composition
If simulated penetration testing is used to avoid lockouts, then network node stability is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to unproven access assumptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where reconnaissance agents in the simulated environment continuously monitor and report on credential validity, access paths, and node compromisability. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain stable production nodes while progressively refining validation accuracy through iterative testing and analysis of simulated attack scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary validation of user credentials and attack paths in the simulated environment before any actual attacks are considered. By pre-testing credentials, validating access rights, and confirming attack feasibility in the simulation, the system ensures measurement precision is established beforehand, eliminating the need for uncertain assumptions during production testing
3Reliability
If comprehensive penetration testing is performed to identify all vulnerabilities, then reliability of security assessment is improved, but loss of time increases due to the lengthy testing process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic penetration testing cycles where reconnaissance agents systematically rotate through different network nodes, credentials, and attack vectors in the simulated environment. This periodic approach allows comprehensive coverage of all vulnerabilities over time while maintaining manageable testing intervals, preventing the need for excessively long continuous testing sessions that would cause significant delays in security assessment
4Measurement precision
If manual penetration testing by expert consultants is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to high costs and limited availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service penetration testing capabilities where the organization's own reconnaissance agents and simulated attack environment perform comprehensive security assessments automatically. The system autonomously validates credentials, identifies vulnerabilities, and generates security reports without requiring external expert consultants, thereby maintaining high measurement precision through automated analysis while dramatically improving productivity by eliminating consultant availability constraints and reducing costs
Data Source
AI summary
Carrying out a penetration testing campaign in a networked system by a penetration testing system, for determining a way for an attacker to compromise the networked system, comprises determining that the attacker can obtain user credentials of a first user, determining that when using the user credentials the first user has access rights to a first network node of the networked system, determining that a second network node of the networked system is compromisable by the attacker during the penetration testing campaign, determining that the first network node was accessed from the second network node, and based on the foregoing, determining that the first network node is compromisable by the attacker during the penetration testing campaign, and determining the way for the attacker to compromise the networked system which includes a step of compromising the first network node using the user credentials of the first user.